L4Y Forum Term 4, 2011
L4Y Signs
L4Y signs to highlight your group’s activities are made and waiting to grace your grounds. They are made of aluminium, designed for outside installation with two holes for securing to the structure of your choice.
We’ll be trying to hand deliver signs to the schools and groups that have participated in the L4Y program over the past few years. They will also be available for collection at the Living Smart Festival at Speers Point Park on Saturday 19th November between 8am-4pm and at the Landcare Christmas Party at the Landcare Resource Office on Saturday 3rd December from noon-4pm as well as at the Term 4 Networking Session on December 13th at the Landcare Resource Office.
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L4Y Nominations for Awards and Certificates needed.
Nominations are invited for Youth Landcarers to receive recognition for their landcaring efforts over the past 12 months.
There are some young people who are truly inspirational, they have a deep connection with nature and see and share that joy. If you know a young person or group who deserves special acknowledgement please consider completing a nomination form by 25th November.
There are many young people who we would like to recognise for their contribution to landcaring in Lake Macquarie. We can provide these people with a certificate of appreciation if you can provide us with their names by the 25th November.
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Nomination Form
2011 Lake Macquarie Landcare Environmental Excellence In Landcare Awards
Inspire the community, with local environmental role models.
NOMINATOR
..........................................................................................................................
First Name Surname
Address ............................................................................................................
Telephone ......................................... Email .......................................................
You may nominate as many individuals or groups as you wish.
Previous recipients are ineligible in the same category
Please use a separate nomination form for each nomination
There are two Categories : Infants/Primary School Aged Award & High School/Tertiary Aged Award
NOMINEE
..................................................... ..................................................................
First Name or Contact Surname or Group Name
Address .........................................................................................................
Telephone .........................................
E-Mail .....................................................................................................................................
Please describe briefly their work and attach further information if necessary.
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Please deliver or post your completed nomination form by:
Friday 25th November 2011
To L4Y at Trees In Newcastle, 252 Parry Street, Newcastle West 2302
education@treesinnewcastle.org.au
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Environmental Education and the Curriculum at Eleebana Primary School
If you’re considering how to integrate environmental education at your school a starting point for discussion has been provided by Kerry Phillips from Eleebana Public School.
When Environmental Education is incorporated into the whole school curriculum students
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Learn about the environment
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Acquire attitudes of care and concern for the environment
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Develop skills to investigate and solve issues in the environment
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Understand the principles of ecologically sustainable development
Investigating environmental issues
An environmental investigation should follow these steps:
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Investigate an issue
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Describe the issue
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Plan possible solutions
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Implement the plan
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Report on your findings
Eleebana Public School Environmental Education Curriculum Scope and Sequence plans have been provided for the following topics
Learning from L4Y
Landcare is a significant element of Lake Macquarie City Council’s aspirations to conserve and care for the local environment. Future generations of environmental stewards are being encouraged and supported through LMCC’s Sustainability programs and Landcare.
We would like to know what you thought about the L4Y project, which elements were useful and where future resources would be best placed.
There is a short seven minute online survey active to gather feedback and assist in focussing the future directions of the program. Feedback is required by Tuesday December 13th to include in the evaluation of the L4Y program, you support is greatly appreciated.
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End of current incarnation of L4Y
Environmental Trust Funding for the L4Y program in its current incarnation will finish at the end of Term 4 this year. The project has provided 89 youth based groups with plants, advice and inspiration to undertake on ground projects.
School students from tertiary to kindergarten, preschoolers, scouts and guides, 8,500 of them, have planted over 22,000 local native plants in the past three years. 
The plantings have assisted in improving habitat for the local wildlife reducing the impacts of stormwater through filtering sediment and enhancing biodiversity by replacing weeds. There has been an abundance of bushtucker gardens created, a few frog ponds and many a shade tree planted enhancing the urban forest across Lake Macquarie.
A swag of resources have been developed and are available on the Tools 4 Schools page on TIN’s website and soon also on the Lake Macquarie Landcare Network’s site. We have also been able to gather two class sets of planting tools for groups to use, one set to be housed at the LRO and another in at Trees In Newcastle.
The L4Y school and youth groups that have been a part of L4Y over the past three years included 16 High Schools, 58 Primary Schools, 5 preschools, 3 K-12 Institutions and 7 other youth groups.
Congratulations to everyone who has lent a landcaring hand !
High Schools
Avondale College, Belmont High School, Cardiff High School, Glendale High School, Hunter Sports High School, Lake Macquarie High School, Morisset High School, St Mary's High School Gateshead, St Paul's High School Booragul, Swansea High School, Toronto High School, West Wallsend High School, Whitebridge High School.
Preschools
Carey Bay Early Education Centre, Jacaranda Grove Preschool, Nords Wharf Preschool, Wangi Peter Pan Preschool, Woodrising Community Preschool.
K-12
Belmont Christian College, Charlton Christian College, Macquarie College.
Other
Marmong Home School group, Warners Bay Scouts and Guides, Belmont North Guides, 1st Swansea Scouts, Belmont North Sea Scouts, 
Belmont Guides, Hunter Scouts.
Primary Schools
Arcadia Vale Public School, Argenton Public School, Avondale School, Barnsley Public School, Belmont North Public School, Belmont Public School, Biddabah Public School, Biraban Public School, Blackalls Park Public School, Blacksmiths Public School, Boolaroo Public School, Cardiff North Public School, Cardiff Public School, Cardiff South Public School, Caves Beach Public School, Charlestown Public School, Charlestown East Public School, Cooranbong Public School, Dora Creek Public School, Dudley Public School, Edgeworth Heights Public School, Edgeworth Public School, Eleebana Public School, Fassifern Public School, Fennell Bay Public School, Five Islands School, Floraville Public School, Garden Suburb Public School, Gateshead Public School, Gateshead West Public School, Glendale East Public School, Glendon School, Holy Cross Primary School Glendale, Jewells Primary School, Kahibah Public School, Lakeside School, Marks Point Public School, Morisset Public School, Mount Hutton Public School, Pelican Flat Public School, Rathmines Public School, Redhead Public School, Speers Point Public School, St Benedict's Primary School Edgeworth, St Francis Xavier's Primary School Belmont, St Joseph's Primary School Charlestown, St Joseph’s Kilaben Bay, St John Vianney Primary School Morisset, St Mary's Primary School Warners Bay, St Patrick's Primary School Swansea, St Pius X Primary School Windale, Swansea Public School, Teralba Public School, Toronto Public School, Valentine Public School, Wangi Wangi Public School, Warners Bay Public School, Windale Public School.
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Events
Welcome the Shorebirds Community Day 13/11/11
The shorebirds will be arriving for their annual migration from Siberia. Birdwatching tours, interactive displays and educational activities are on offer from 9am-1pm at Stockton Sandspit, under the Stockton Bridge.
Living Smart Festival 19/11/11
L4Y will have an activity tent at LMCC’s Living Smart Festival on Saturday 19th November from 8am-4pm. In the tent there will be seed craft activities, a puppet performance of the Lorax and an opportunity to pick up a sign for your group.
The Festival program looks absolutely fantastic and the option of arriving by ferry almost too good to pass up
Landcare Awards for Excellence and Certificates of Appreciation 3/12/11
The Annual Awards for Excellence in Landcare will be presented at the Landcare Christmas Party on December 3rd at the Landcare Resource Office.
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Term4 L4Y Networking Session 13/12/11
The final networking session for the year has been planned for December 13th 3.45-5pm at the Landcare Resource Centre, Toronto Rd Teralba.
It will also be an opportunity to share the triumphs of the year, consider projects and support for 2012 and reflect on the project outcomes.
Maryanne Murrqay from Gateshead High will be sharing a landcaring video produced by one of her students, to highlight the skills gained from on-ground projects.
If you haven't yet received your L4Y sign, they will be available for collection.
Can you please RSVP to education@treesinnewcastle.org.au for this meeting for catering purposes.
Sustainability Video Conference Festival
Advance notice for dates for the 2012 Learning for Sustainability Video Conference Festival is at hand
In 2012 the duration of festival will be two weeks with a reduced amount of sessions running concurrently from three to two. There will still be before and after school teacher professional learning opportunities as well as three student sessions run each day.
The Term 2 dates will be
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Week 6 - Monday 28th May to Friday 1st June
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Week 7 - Monday 4th June to Friday 8th June.
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LMCC School Environment Awards
Congratulations to the LMCC School Environment Award Winners Blacksmiths Public School and St Mary’s High School Gateshead.
Blacksmiths Public School has been committed to sustainability across multiple areas within the school. Recycling systems are in place for everything that can be recycled, active planting projects for vegetables and natives have grown food and enhanced biodiversity and renewable resource projects were undertaken such as energy conservation and installation of solar panels, rainwater tanks.
St Mary’s High School, Gateshead has been rehabilitating Kennedy Creek over six years and doing other amazing things as well such as implementing recycling programs, water monitoring, installing rainwater tanks and smart metering.
Encouragement awards were presented to Argenton Public School that is actively improving their school grounds through planting natives, worm farming, 
composting and is involved in the Landcare 4 Youth program.
A second Encouragement Award was presented to Belmont High School who have refitted the whole school with energy saving light globes and installed rainwater tanks. They have an active landcare group improving their school grounds by planting native gardens and building frog ponds. They are busy planning new recycling programs, all while being active members in the local sustainable neighbourhood initiative.
More details about the winners in the Waste, Energy, Water and Natural Environment Category can be found on LMCC’s website
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Online Ideas and Info
Waterwatch Newsletter
The Spring edition of the Water Watcher, the newsletter of Hunter-Central Rivers Waterwatch, is now available online.
Past issues of the Waterwatcher are also available online.
CEED – Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions
Decision Point is CEED’s monthly free to download magazine presenting articles, views and ideas on environmental decision making, biodiversity, conservation planning and monitoring.
Vertical gardens from old pallets
If you're unable to sprawl horizontally, consider growing up - quite literally! The vertical garden is the perfect option for apartment dwellers or those just wanting to maximise their greenery. Follow our directions here and in a Sunday afternoon's fun, you'll have your own DIY garden!
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Competition
WetlandCare Australia’s annual Art and Photography competition has $14,000 worth of prizes this year.
The theme is Wetlands Tourism and Recreation and there is lots of support materials, entry forms and the various categories available on WetlandCare Australia’s website
Entries close on 2 December 2011.
Winners will be announced at an Award Ceremony and Opening Exhibition held in the CSIRO Discovery Centre in Canberra on World Wetlands Day in February 2012.
Hope to see you at the
Term 4 Networking session
Tuesday 13/12/11, 3.45-5pm at the LRO
Best wishes for the rest of the Term 4
Jenny Robinson & Suzanne Pritchard
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