Things have been happening at Bournda EEC – we have new landscaping!
Have a look at the before & after photos. Watch this space for more improvements to come…
Bournda Environmental Education Centre
Student wellbeing comes naturally at Bournda!
Bournda EEC is operated by the Department of Education and is located in Bournda National Park on the Far South Coast of NSW; an ideal setting for the delivery of environmental education programs.
The staff at Bournda EEC assist teachers to plan and conduct field trips for students from Kindergarten – Year 12, which are designed to specifically target KLA outcomes.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TO OUR NEW LEARN-SCAPED GARDEN
In 2018 Bournda EEC coordinated the Sapphire Coast Regional Science Hub Sustainability Education Network (SCRSHSEN) involvement in a AAEE NSW Best Practice Sustainability Education and Engagement project, Birds of a Feather. The citizen science project involved multiple partners working to enhance the environment of local birds in schools by installing bird baths and monitoring their use with motion sensor cameras.
The project worked so well that we decided that we better practice what we preach and have our own bird bath and camera installation at Bournda Environmental Education Centre in Bournda National Park. The birdbath was heavily used during the drought with an astonishing range of “visitors” and staff were kept busy making sure it was regularly replenished. The site needed some additional habitat and erosion control so Bournda EEC School Administrative Manager, Rose Constable came up with a design that provided lots of microhabitats, improved drainage and minimal water use. The habitat “learn-scape” was approved by NPWS Merimbula and brought to life by Proscape Garden Construction. Grant Brewer, NPWS Bournda Ranger helped us through the approval process and gave advice on suitable plants. A big thank you to Bruce Toomey, from NPWS who assisted with the due diligence requirements for Aboriginal artefacts. There are now three birds baths and we’ve got lots of ideas for sustainability activities in this space for our young visitors!
NSW Department of Education Covid -19 Information Hub
https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
Learning from home Hub on the Department’s website provides information & resources for teachers and parents to support students learning from home P -12.
The Department of Education, Term 3, COVID-19 guidelines for schools highlight that Bournda EEC programs in-school and at Bournda EEC are allowed.
Activities that have recommenced in our schools
- All curricular and extra-curricular programs or services delivered by NSW Department of Education staff including targeted school support programs delivered by School Services, itinerant support staff and other department employees
- ….and day field trips to outdoor locations that require minimal physical distancing considerations (e.g. DoE Environmental Education Centres and sport and recreation facilities, trips to local river to collect water samples)
Resource: Multi-Touch Books
Download these free multi-touch iBooks from the iBooks Store onto your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Exploring and Mapping our Living World and Saving our Shorebirds have been created by Bournda EEC to help students explore the natural world around them, inspiring curiosity and a sense of wonder for all living things. The books are designed for primary students and are full of interactive diagrams, photos and videos. Find out about our local endangered shorebirds and how we can all help them to survive. Discover why biodiversity is so important and how teachers and students can play their role as citizen scientists mapping biodiversity in the schoolyard.
What’s been happening?
Students from five local schools have been working with Bournda Environmental Education Centre on a Bega Valley Shire Council funded program called ‘Let’s get it Sorted’. The program helps students to re-think what they call ‘waste’ and empowers them to be the change makers at their school. The aim of the program is to reduce the amount of waste that schools send to landfill and to help educate school communities about the issues surrounding waste and its management. Click here to find out more about this program and here to register your interest for 2020 / 2021.
A forest’s bushfire recovery
Life in a Southern Forest https://southernforestlife.net/ is an extraordinary resource for any teachers that are looking to explore the recovery of our forests after the recent bushfires. Follow biologists Kerri-Lee and Paul as they report on observations, sightings and discoveries on their 5 ha property at Wonboyn, both before and after the January 5 fires. The photographs and detailed reporting are an extremely valuable resource and their work is an inspiration to follow.
Facebook posts
The cold isn't the only thing that's a worry for wombats in winter
www.abc.net.au
The mites that cause the distressing wombat mange are likely to persist longer in burrows in cooler, wetter months, research suggests.
Swap and go: electric trucks to run between Sydney and Brisbane using exchangeable batteries
www.theguardian.com
Batteries can be swapped in three minutes, removing the need for trucks to plug in and charge
Glaciers are melting so fast, it's enough to put Switzerland under 7 metres of water
www.abc.net.au
Glaciers are melting faster, losing 31 per cent more snow and ice per year than they did 15 years earlier, satellite measurements show.
New type of plastic decomposes within days just by adding heat and water
www.abc.net.au
Biodegradable plastic bags, cutlery, and coffee cup lids may seem like a win for the environment, but they often introduce more problems than solutions. But now a research team from the US may be able to change that.
