Sustainability
Little Weed Investigators
What makes a weed a weed?
Our second 2023 Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grant workshop took place on Wednesday. The 2/3/4 class learnt about what makes a plant a weed and how to identify different types of weeds. Ecologist, Brian Bainbridge asked the students to investigate growth habit, appearance, texture and the smell of sampled weeds he had collected from the school grounds. The students worked in pairs and then outdoors, scoured the grounds for the weed type that they had investigated. Once found and identified, they explained to the rest of the group what they had learned about their weed.
It was great to have several parents, Steph, Chris and Jo attend, and our local Junior Landcare Facilitator, Emma. Having extra adults really supported the students. Thank you.
Next workshop, Animal and Nest Box Monitoring with ecologist, Karl Just, will be at 2:30pm on Tuesday 26 March.
Our final workshop will be in the first week of Term 2 at 2:30pm on Wednesday 17 April when Justin Walsh, environmental scientist from MRS Council, will teach the students about the fascinating carbon cycle.
Workshop teaser: did you know that echidnas like to eat termite faeces?
Exciting Evening Sheet Lighting Event at Andersons Road Newham
Photo credit: https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/
Photo credit: https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/
Save the date for Tuesday 16 April for an exciting sheet lighting insect survey with John Walter, local Field Naturalist. A sheet and lights will be set up as darkness descends on Andersons Road, which will attract of insects. The survey will provide a baseline for the number of insects at the Andersons Road site, which Newham PS helped revegetate in 2023. Subsequent surveys will be run in future years to see how the habitat is providing for a diverse range of insects.
The event will start at 4:30pm with a barbecue provided by Newham PS at 5:00pm, followed by the survey. All welcome.
Newham PS will have a planting day in our Biodiversity Learning Hub at 2:30pm on this day so families are encouraged to head on up to Andersons Road afterwards.
Cardboard Drive
Do you have any cardboard or boxes lying around?
We are again collecting cardboard to sheet mulch the weeds in the Biodiversity Learning Hub. The cardboard will then be covered with organic much we have received from MRSC.
Cardboard can be delivered on a Tuesday or Wednesday when Libby Fullard can store it into our garden shed.