L4Y Forum- Term 3 2011
Celebrate Success
Sign Up to get a Sign Up
The Lake Macquarie Landcare Network has been supporting youth based Landcare in one form or another for almost ten years and we’d like to celebrate that by providing youth Landcare sites in Lake Macquarie with a sign.
It’s hard to keep track of landcarers, we know you’re out there landcaring away, but people and projects change a sign can be a reminder that what you see is because people care for the land.
Support for the Landcare movement rests upon landcarers being known. We’d like you to show your support for the L4Y project by registering with Landcare Online. For your 10 minutes of time we’ll provide you with a sign to showcase your site.
The signs are aluminium and designed to be installed outside, on a fence or a pole. If you would like a sign all you have to do is sign up with Landcare Australia by the end of October at the quick links section Register on National Landcare Directory
Registration is a 3 Step process which should take you about 10 minutes to complete. You do need to finish and submit the initial registration form in one session. Once you have registered you can login at any time to make changes to your group's profile. If you can send us an email as well that will help organise the signage.
If you’re coming out the Minimuster on Saturday 10th September you can sign up there too.
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Would you like your Landcaring and Landcarers recognised?
During Term 4 the L4Y team will be making the rounds presenting certificates and signs to schools that have participated in the L4Y program over the past few years.
If you would like any students recognised with a Certificate of Participation please provide us with a list of names by October 31st.
If you have a person that has been a laudable landcarer they can be nominated for the Lake Macquarie Environmental Excellence in Landcare Awards as well, teachers and students can be nominated. Fifty or so words highlighting their deeds are needed for this award.
An email with the recipients names is all that is required and we’ll do the rest.
St Mary’s Gateshead Landcare’s leading edge
St Mary’s High School at Gateshead is developing an opportunity for students to attain Conservation & Land Management Certificate1. Landcare learning is being mapped against the certificate assessment criteria and when completed the students will have a recognised TAFE qualification.
Students at St Mary’s have been regenerating Kennedy Creek and revegetating the school grounds for over five years under the guidance of Maryanne Murray. The move towards formalising the learning outcomes recognises the skills that are developed in plant identification, bush regeneration techniques, weed management and team work, the foundations of landcare.
On Monday 22nd August a small group of dedicated landcare students visited the TIN nursery at Parry Street to learn about plant propagation. Thanks to Jen Robinson and Suzanne Pritchard for giving up their time and passing on their knowledge to these students. It was a great way to spend 2 hours on a Monday morning. These students are also looking forward to their seed collection tour in Term 4.
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L4Y Out and About
You can catch up with the L4Y team at several events over the next month or so including
Combined Coastal Planting
A combined schools planting is in the wind at Redhead with a living fence to be planted behind the Redhead Surf Club.
If you would like to celebrate the end of the year with a coastal crusade please let us know if you are interested and we’ll keep you up to date with the details.
Permaculture your patch
Permaculture Hunter have a meeting every month on the 3rd Wednesday 6:30pm to about 8:30pm at the Elderly Citizens Centre, Laing Street, Newcastle with interesting speakers on varied environmental / practical issues that are also relevant for schools. All welcome. Members free / $5 non-members
The September 21 meeting will be Maree McCarthy discussing the use of native plants in permaculture and in October will be Bernard Hockings on household water catchment and management including grey water use.
For further information please contact LYNETTE.MULLER@det.nsw.edu.au
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Open Grants & Competition
LMCC Environmental Education grants due 19/9/11
Lake Macquarie City Council is offering another round of Environmental Sustainability grants to support community driven projects that improve the local environment. Up to $3000 is available for not-for-profits, schools and clubs within Lake Macquarie. Applications close 4.30pm on Monday 19th September.
Teachers Federation Tree Levy Due 23/9/2011
Funding of up to $400 is available for planting native trees and shrubs in schools. Priority is given to schools that haven’t received funding in the previous 3 years, involves the students and teachers, utilises a cross-curricula approach, creates shade and uses local native species. There is a submission template and a sample on their website.
Keep Your Backyard Clean - Student Sign Competition Entries due 30/9/11
All Lake Macquarie primary school students are invited to participate in the ‘Keep Your Backyard Clean’ Student Sign Competition. Several prizes are on offer, the artwork installed as signage in their local reserve, Energy Saver Pack and Audstralain Geographic voucher .
The artwork has to promote the message of keeping Lake Macquaire clean is everyone’s responsibility. All entries to be on A3 size(landscape).Winners will be announced at the Swansea Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan launch celebration to be held on 29 October 2011.
Submit entries to Emma Dawes ,Lake Macquarie City Council Box 1906, HRMC NSW 2310 by 30/9/11
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Networking
Face to face- L4Y Network
The final L4Y face to tace networking session for the year will be held on Tuesday 25th October at the Landcare Resource Centre. This will be an opportunity to celebrate the year that was and consider the projects for year ahead. Hope you can make it.
Have you got an Eco-Edge?
The Lower Hunter Region has an Environmental Educators Network called EcoEdge. This group has a facebook page for keeping up to date on what is happening.
You can keep in touch on facebook
Resources
Onground Resources
Plants for planting
Now is a great time to be planting, the soil is starting to warm up, there’s still lots of moisture in the ground, the summer heat hasn’t arrived yet and the plants can get some nurturing before schools out for Summer. Last chance plant orders can still be placed. You may want to celebrate Biodiversity Month or Landcare Week in September, or World Habitat Day in October.
There are a few advanced Lilly Pillys still available fromteh Landcare Resource Centre if you want a special plant for a special purpose.
If you want to be really organised we’ll even take plant orders for next year.
Aluminium Can Recycling Cages available
Aluminium can recycling service is available in Lake Macquarie. Lucky’s Scrap metal provide a cage for storage at no cost cage. The school provides the lock, when the cage is full give them a ring and they’ll swap it over and send out a cheque for the cans once they’ve been weighed. Phone Lucky’s on 4958 1271 to arrange for your can cage.
Online Ideas
The Queensland Museum’s Wild Backyards program provides guides on planning and conducting biodiversity assessment, collecting, displaying and identifying insects.
The Green Lane Diary is fostering global values shift towards a sustainable and secure future. It’s a curriculum linked program that raises awareness about the stresses on our planet and how sustainable living can make a difference. A diary is available to encourage people to Think + Act + Share =Change
www.PrimarySchool.com.au is full of free online resources for teachers. Each month there is a theme, recently it was Look Around You - Science and Technology K-2 - designing classrooms, playgrounds, schools and homes. Lots of ideas to get everyone involved in creating a natural play space.
Habitat Heroes is a social networking website that aims to entertain children while educating them about the environmental and social issues affecting our world. The site aims to cultivate an ethos in our children to help them grow up environmentally aware and socially responsible.
If you watch the introductory video you’ll get a feel for the potential of the site.
If any L4Y schools are interested Habitat Heroes please feel free to let Sharon Lowe slowe@habitatheroes.com know. She will extend free memberships to schools, 360 members, if you mention this referral from Suzanne Pritchard who attended the WEEC.
Sharon Lowe is the Chief Crusader of Habitat Heroes, ph. 0404 469 448
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