Cawdor Public School students are getting hands on with nature after they were awarded $5,000 from the South32 Junior Landcare Grants program to go towards a habitat restoration project.
The funding has assisted with the school’s project to enhance and restore the native area that runs along the front fence of the school adjacent to Cawdor Road, and other areas on the property,
totalling 64m by 8m. The work includes weeding the area, making a mulch pathway, and improving local biodiversity by replanting local native flora and indigenous bush tucker plants and trees, to make a nature trail.

The nature trail will be used by all students as an outdoor learning area for environmental activities,with teaching programs aimed at developing ecological sustainable learning, crucial for students
now and into the future. Students will have the opportunity to engage with the aboriginal community who will impart knowledge about traditional food sources and their other uses.

Cawdor Public School Teacher Diana Le Good is pleased with how the project has been going.

“A big thank you to Roger Giles from Barragal Landcare group for his assistance in removing the Wild Olive and Wattle trees. We have been busy clearing the site, picking up lots of sticks and weeding. Establishing a path is underway, and when it’s completed students will be helping to lay irrigation. We are looking forward to researching suitable plants, improving the soil, and getting ready for
planting!”

South32 Illawarra Coal Acting Vice President Operations Lucas Dow said the Company was pleased to support the Landcare grants which encourage students to spend more time outdoors participating
in educational initiatives.

“The South32 Junior Landcare Grants program provides opportunities for hands-on activities that improve the biodiversity of the surrounding environment. Schools are able to work with local
Landcare volunteers on projects and students will be the driving force behind how projects are undertaken.”

The projects funded through the South32 Junior Landcare Grants program help students learn about protecting and restoring our natural environment through hands-on outdoor learning. The program distributed 13 grants of up to $5,000 to schools in the Illawarra and Wollondilly regions of New South Wales and the Collie and Boddington regions of Western Australia.