Broken Hill and Willyama high school students have been hosted by UNSW’s Fowlers Gap Research Station to learn about protected local species.
The Year 9 and 10 students took part in the Conservation Champions program, a NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust school program delivered by Petaurus Education Group.
“We’ve got a big group of young people putting the environment at the centre of their learning via this program,” NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust Team Leader Western Region Marta Tomaszewski said.
“They participated to see firsthand how to protect endangered species through conservation initiatives, and they’re taking that back into the classroom."
The students made the journey to Fowlers Gap Research Station, a conservation area owned and managed by UNSW and located in the arid zone of far western NSW.
The research station is protected by a permanent conservation covenant with the Trust and the owners have successfully secured funding under the Trust's grant program to enhance and protect biodiversity within the conservation area.
Ms Tomaszewski accompanied the students on the day and said it was an opportunity for children to witness what conservation in the western areas of NSW looks like first-hand.
“Connecting with, understanding and respecting nature is one of the big reasons we run these days for schools,” she said.
“Our programs are aligned with the NSW School Curriculum, they’re free to run and our educators deliver the content in the classroom and on local properties. It’s a win-win for kids, teachers and the local environment,” she said.
After a guided tour of Fowlers Gap Research Station, students connected with working scientists and researchers, took park in hands-on fieldwork and collected data to uncover the biodiversity of the property's arid zone.
The field day was the Conservation Champions program's final engagement for the school term after delivering five field days in Term 2 and 41 lessons across NSW.
To find out if the Conservation Champions program can come to your primary or high school, visit bct.nsw.gov.au/resources/school or phone 1300 992 688.