MELALEUCA Park Primary School students have geared up with their best garden gloves into make their mark on the environment.
As a collaborative World Environment Day activity, 20 Year 3 and 4 students gathered at the Valley Lake Conservation Park on Wednesday to plant native flora linked to Aboriginal culture.
Park volunteer Greg Muller welcomed the children’s involvement in reshaping the habitat.
“We have been working on this area for a number of years, reshaping and reformatting the space,” he said.
“It was the perfect match for the school and we hope these changes will attract more bird life and fauna, making the space more attractive.
“I am really excited to have students involved as you can see they are genuinely enthused to be here.”
Mr Muller said the park project was based on a long-term plan, adding the environment would take time to adjust to change.
“Our group of six volunteers spend our time every Friday morning at the park and we have seen significant improvement over the years,” he said.
“If we can get a regular working bee happening, we will continue to see that significant progress.
“With the students involved they are able to understand what we are trying to achieve.”
Mr Muller said the activity allows students to create a community connection with a natural space just five minutes from the heart of the city.
“Students will be able to come back and see the development build and grow in which they had part in,” he said.
“We will continue to provide community-based planting for everyone to participate in.
“We encourage other schools to step forward and also give a planting exercise a go.”
Melaleuca Park Year 3/4 and Aboriginal education teacher Rachel Beavis said the activity linked with students’ prior learning and community involvement.
“Just recently Reception to Year 4 students participated in the Nature Play SA strategies,” she said.
“Students were involved in a whittle and weaving excursion where they found some sticks which were on the ground and not picked from a tree.
“It showed they can play with things which are not plastic, bought and commercialised.”
Ms Beavis said it would not have been possible without Grant District Council’s $500 donation for the school’s nature play site.
“Even the usually disengaged kids seem to be interested with the environment and enjoyed hands-on activities,” she said.
“Nowadays children need to be taught about the environment due to the digitalised world they have grown up in.
“The tree-planting progress is about sustaining the future as they learn about how to maintain the park and plants sometimes need maintaining and do not just appear.”
Ms Beavis said the school planned to be further involved with the park and future tree-planting activities.
