Sustainability

We have changed our page photo to show the progress of the revegetation project at Andersons Road.

Newham Primary School has been named as a finalist in ResourceSmart Awards!

The ResouceSmart Schools Awards celebrate the legendary efforts and impacts made by schools in sustainability. Our school has been chosen as a finalist in the School of the Year category for our work in making our school more sustainable through our curriculum and our many biodiversity projects and sustainability initiatives.

We have been invited to attend the awards ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the 4 June along with the other finalists. The theme this year is Legendary legacies – what will you leave behind?

Speaking of legendary legacies, since 2008, 1,600 ResourceSmart Schools (including us!) have work together to:

• save more than $60 million on bills
• plant more than 5.2 million trees
• save more than 74,000 tonnes CO2e greenhouse gas emissions
• divert 168,000 cubic metres of waste from landfill
• save 1.8 million kilolitres of water.

The ResourceSmart Schools Awards are a joyful and affirming celebration of schools and students and their sustainability triumphs. The awards are the state’s largest sustainability celebration for primary and secondary school students, teachers and school volunteers taking remarkable sustainability action. We are proud to be recognised among the schools doing sustainability work that benefits students, the planet and the wider community alike. 

Learn more about this year’s finalists: https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/resourcesmart-schools-awards-2024-finalists

Carbon Sequestration Workshop

Environmental scientist Justin Walsh, from New Macedon Ranges Shire Council, ran our years 4, 5 and 6 Carbon Sequestration workshop in week one. The students learnt the important role that plants play in sequestering and carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in their structure and the soil. Justin then had the students head outdoors to use natural and found objects to create a 'diagram' of the carbon sequestration process. Thanks to MRSC for supporting us by providing us with Justin's expertise, and to Sherie Barnes and Jo Thompson for attending the workshop and working with our students.

Planting Days

In weeks one and two we had planting days.  Firstly, the F/1 class worked with their buddies from the 4/5/6 class to plant about 100 native species in our Biodiversity Learning Hub. Penny Roberts and Howard Stirling from Newham Landcare came and helped with hole digging and mentoring the students. Emma Stevens, Junior Landcare Facilitator and Ammie Jackson, Landcare Facilitator both from the Upper Deep Creek Landcare Network also came and helped plant and managed quality control. Thanks for Landcare's support and also to Liz Pape and Tanya James who supported our students and planted on the day.

Our second planting day involved the whole school planting 300 grasses, flax lilies, sedges and swamp gums along the waterway from where the willows were removed. The 4/5/6 class had prepared the ground laying out a roll of jute mat and attempting to dig holes with Hamilton planters on loan from Newham Landcare. However, unlike last year when we had had a lot of winter rains, we discovered the ground was extremely hard so Chris Wiseman came to the rescue and dug countless holes. Thanks Chris! Again, Penny Roberts from Newham Landcare came and leant a hand, guiding the students with planting. The following day, after a good rainfall over night, the F/1 and 2/3/4 classes completed the job planting another 55 plants. Little legends!

The planting days not only give students the opportunity to participate in revegetation for habitat, clean waterways and carbon sequestration, they learn valuable life skills about how to plant seedlings, ensuring soil is surrounding the roots and how to water adequately. They work together to achieve great outcomes!

Thanks also to all the teachers who supported our planting days.

Andersons Road Insect Survey

On Tuesday April 16th noted local Field Naturalist, John Walter, set up a light sheet survey at Anderson Road Woodend North to observe local insect life after dark. John set up special lights designed to attract insects and was on site until midnight recording all the insects.

Species included: Diptera – Flies, Trichoptera – Caddis Flies and Lepidoptera – Moths and Butterflies.

Notably, John photographed at least 32 or 33 species, with a final count to be determined after further study. He saw at least another 4 that did not stay long enough to be photographed (all were moths including an Emerald from the Geometridae family). This was the last opportunity to conduct a survey before the warmer weather returns in mid spring and will allow comparison in future years as the revegetation activities on the site begin to have an impact. 

The event was coordinated and planned by Newham Landcare Group, Newham Primary School, Upper Campaspe Landcare Network and Upper Deep Creek Landcare Network. - Text by Emma Stevens, Junior Landcare Facilitator

Newham Primary School staff, students and families attended the event and ran a barbeque. There were about 26 adults and children from Newham Primary School community (including the local Ariss family) and 35-40 plus people at the event in total. Many of the families left just as darkness fell, after observing the insects arriving on the survey sheets. It was a very special evening event!

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 at any time.