Local schools in Geraldton rewarded for their contribution towards the environment

Two local schools in the NACC NRM Region were acknowledged for making positive environmental changes in their schools during...
Home 🞂 Newsroom 🞂 Local schools in Geraldton rewarded for their contribution towards the environment
Two local schools in the NACC NRM Region were acknowledged for making positive environmental changes in their schools during the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council’s 2017 Regional NRM Leadership Awards.
NACC's Regional Landcare Facilitator Stanley Yokwe with Leaning Tree Community School Education Manager Lara Sampson.
NACC’s Regional Landcare Facilitator Stanley Yokwe with Leaning Tree Community School Education Manager Lara Sampson.

The aim of these Awards – presented recently at the Central Regional TAFE in Geraldton – is to recognise outstanding Natural Resource Management (NRM) leadership by groups and individuals in the NACC region. Among the award categories are the Green School Awards, which were held for the first time in 2015 to celebrate Landcare’s 25th anniversary.

In recognition of their outstanding efforts over the past year, the Leaning Tree Community School was named the winner of the 2017 Green Primary School Award, and was presented with a certificate and unique hand-made trophy created using traditional Aboriginal methods by Badimia man Vaughan Lane and Wilinyu woman Donna Ronan. The school was recognised for their innovative actions to protect the environment through reducing environmental impact, raising environmental awareness, and providing students with opportunities to undertake on-ground environmental works within the community and across the region.

Nagle Catholic College took-out the Green Senior Secondary School Award in recognition of their exceptional environmental activities and achievements over the past year. Nagle students have worked on a number of innovative recycling projects and held outdoor environmental activities such as tree-planting at the Chapman River, and an annual student excursion to study the Rabbit Proof Fence, and local farming and cultural areas in the region.

NACC’s Regional Landcare Facilitator Stanley Yokwe congratulated all of the local schools who were finalists in the 2017 awards. These included:

  • Chapman Valley Primary School
  • Cervantes Primary School
  • Dongara District High School
  • Geraldton Grammar School
  • John Wilcock College.

It was a tough task for the judges,” said Stanley. “Because there were many schools in the region doing amazing environmental activities this year.

“The Green School Awards aim to recognise these schools and their students, and encourage them to enhance environmental awareness and activity, and to provide schools and students with an opportunity to share their great green projects and stories,” he said.

Leaning Tree Community School Education Manager Lara Sampson said the school was honoured to receive this year’s Green Primary School Award.

“Our school has a very strong commitment to sustainability, and has actively engaged students and teachers in community-based sustainability projects, helping to make positive changes to the environment,” Ms Sampson said.

“Our Spring Fair is just one example. The whole school community put on this fundraising event, while demonstrating how sustainability can remain at the core of any community event. We are really looking forward to strengthening our commitment to the environment in the future, and to continuing to make a real difference to improve the health of our local area.”

Stanley congratulates Nagle Catholic College representative Stephanie Cremin.
Stanley congratulates Nagle Catholic College representative Stephanie Cremin.

Stephanie Cremin of Nagle Catholic College said she was delighted to receive the Green Senior Secondary award on behalf of the college.

“Our school has a strong focus on sustainability and the environment, and for many years the college has taken students out to undertake conservation activities in the community aimed at making a real change,” she said.

“Nagle College has also been involved in a number of innovative recycling activities and outdoor education classes which encourage students to ‘leave no trace’. For example, we discuss the impact of camping in remote places, and the traces often left behind, and encourage a minimum impact attitude to camping and moving around our wonderful natural environment.”

 

Green Schools Awards Fast Facts

  • Over the past five years, NACC has supported more than 32 schools across the Northern Agricultural Region under the Regional Landcare Facilitator program.
  • In that time, more than 1,000 students, teachers, and Parents and Citizen Groups have taken part in NACC-funded school activities – such as sustainable school gardens, worms and compost projects, bush tucker planting, recycling projects, student immersions and excursions to cultural and environment rehabilitation sites, and biodiversity-conservation activities in the region.
  • More than 15 local schools have participated in NACC’s Green School Awards in the last three years.

The Green School Awards – awarded annually under NACC’s Regional NRM Leadership Awards – are funded through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme as part of the Regional Landcare Facilitator project.

 

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In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.