Project Overview

The Bundoora Scout Group’s ‘Joey Scouts' Biodiversity Garden’ project was inspired by a local parcel of land – and the opportunity to replicate the indigenous flora found in Bundoora’s Gresswell Forest Nature Reserve, and through the transformation acquire a greater understanding of living together with nature.

The parcel of land was roughly 10 by 30 metres and home to just three huge gums and a few weeds. The Joey Scouts, aged between five and eight years old, got to work adding soil, mulch and planting about 100 indigenous plants, with plans to erect an outside flagpole and nature trail around the newly installed plants to further enhance the area and provide a sustainable play-space.

In doing all this, they hope to provide an example of an environment where people co-inhabit the planet with nature in a respectful manner, aligning with the Scout Promise and Law of protecting the environment and developing ways to enhance learnings and outcomes whilst having fun.

This project was specifically designed to teach the Youth Members that mutual respect towards both is our best chance of a great future.

Educational Outcomes

Though this hands-on project, the Joey Scouts were able to learn more about their natural surrounds and how they could replicate the local forest with its indigenous flora.

“The Youth members were far more positively engaged than expected. They really revelled in the opportunity of designing and building the garden and especially being able to make it a little interactive with fish and frogs. Also, the fact that they can make a positive difference by successfully growing endangered plants has been a major highlight,” shared Group Leader, Chris Parr.

Added to this, the Joeys also requested some formal assistance to educate them on the importance of biodiversity and how else they could support climate action in a real and meaningful way such as reducing ground heat and the effects of the ground warming.

Environmental Outcomes

In addition to planting indigenous plants to help restore the bare parcel of land, the Joeys were also keen to get nest boxes. Thanks to some excellent teamwork, one of Joey’s grandfathers built a couple of nest boxes for habitat and a father brought along his long ladder to install them in trees in the biodiversity garden. The Joeys were awe-struck!

Being involved in all stages of the project, including the design and construction, enabled Youth Members of the Scout Group to really own the outcomes and inspire others to do the same. For example, choosing to plant endangered flora has led to requests being made from the local school to help them replicate the Scout Hall’s biodiversity space.

Conclusion

Not only were the Joeys able to get hands-on with community conservation through this project, they also asked the whole Scout Group (60 members), The Greensborough Girl Guides (30), and the local Rotary and Freemasons groups to participate.

“The Joey Scouts at Bundoora Scout Group have done a fantastic job, with great assistance from parents, all other youth members and leaders, in creating a biodiversity garden which is the same as the flora found in Gresswell Forest in Bundoora,” shared Chris. “This activity has certainly encouraged youth members to be more aware of their surroundings, the nature aspect of property and in fact owning the garden itself, whereby maintaining it as an ongoing activity.”