Ivanhoe East Primary School Environment Club were lucky to be selected from 113 projects across Victoria for a $4350.00 Junior Landcare Biodiversity Grant which is funded by the department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. This grant was awarded for a project entitled “The Banks” named for the sloping strip of land along Robin Hood Road school entrances. It once had large pine trees, however, is now looking barren after they were removed in 2017. The plan is to involve the whole school community to prepare the soil and plant out the site using indigenous ground covers, grasses, shrubs and trees. In Australia, and locally, due to bushfires, increasing population and climate change, there has been an unprecedented loss of native habitat and wildlife. Schools can be used as a space to encourage new pockets of habitat growth where students involved can learn about improving soil, landcare principles to promote native wildlife and increasing biodiversity through planting native plants. This in turn improves student connectedness, health and well-being as well as increasing opportunities to learn and appreciate
indigenous history and nature.

This project will carry well into 2021 and once complete will be one that continues to benefit the school and the environment as a whole. We are looking for some willing participants (no experience necessary) to help contribute to this project so keep your eyes out in future bulletins and feel free to get in touch any time with the Environment Club if you want to know more about how you or your children can get involved.

For more information about these grants visit: juniorlandcare.org.au/grant/2020-victorianjunior-landcare-and-biodiversity-grants.

Carly (Lucas, Julian and Cate’s mum)
carlysimmance@hotmail.com 0419 552 870