Bioblitz in Yanco
Collaboration to bring biodiversity and conservation to Yanco Primary School
Collaborations - NSW-011-041
The issue
There is a need to increase biodiversity and maintain what little riparian land there is on farms in the Yanco Region. In the area around Yanco there are few farmers currently involved in a Biodiversity Conservation Contract.
A large number of students at the local school are from farming families. These students have had little exposure to the world of biodiversity, habitats and ecosystem identification, monitoring and management. Although they have a school garden, the native bush and ecosystems are not well understood as there is so little remnant vegetation left. There is however a local wetland within walking distance of the school.
The solution
A Bioblitz Day was organised by Murrumbidgee Landcare. It was conducted at McCaughey Bicentennial Park Yanco. Yanco Primary School’s 80 students were keen participants. The day was held in partnership with Petaurus Education Group and Biodiversity Conservation Trust. Both of these groups are specialists in their fields of Environmental Education (Petaurus) and Ecology (BCT). The Local Landcare Coordinator provided local knowledge on the habitat of the wetland ecosystem. Two local First Nations educators provided information and shared Indigenous artefacts. These groups of educators manned five activities on Birds, Bee Hotels, Caring for Country, Macroinvertebrates and Ground Cover.
The impact
Students were enlightened on the important role of Land Managers and Citizen Scientist. 80 Students from Yanco Public:
- Identified the diversity of freshwater macroinvertebrates and their behaviours using a dichotomous key from samples from the Yanco Lake
- Identified groundcover types and developed groundcover evaluation techniques
- Learnt about the importance of birds, their role in healthy ecosystems and ways people change the natural environment e.g. destroying tree hollows.
- Learnt to Care for Country by explaining interactions and connections between people, places and environments. Students made a bracelet.
Learnt about habitat and the importance of pollinators in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Students built a Blue Banded Bee Hotel.
Key facts
- Identifying important flora and fauna in the natural environment
- The importance of managing the natural environment to improve biodiversity in natural ecosystems