Students from Wyangala Dam Public School are taking part in a Landcare tree and shrub planting project on the Riverslea Travelling Stock Route (TSR) at Wyangala, as part of their Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program.
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Seven-year-old student Jade Blinman said at school students learn about the importance of growing their own food.
“We learn how the birds are insect eaters and bees are pollinators and both are important to our vegetable garden. We also learn that we need these native tree corridors to keep birds and bees coming to visit our garden.”
Year 3 student Cheyenne Booker said students love the project.
“It’s fun and it’s good for the soil and the air too.”
Cheyenne and all her classmates from Wyangala Dam Public have spent this week’s garden class planting 255 trees and shrubs on the government reserve.
Currently, this TSR has little tree cover and cannot provide stock with much shade or shelter.
Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (LHPA) officer, Ron Duggan, said it saw a need to improve this by working with Landcare and the Catchment Management Authority (CMA).
"We have fenced and sprayed out the rows for the trees and shrubs to go in. We are very pleased this project has been integrated into the Wyangala Dam Primary School's curriculum," he said.
Keith Hyde, a volunteer from Hovells Creek Landcare group said more than 400 local native trees and shrubs are being planted into this reserve to provide better future protection for travelling stock.
“More importantly, it will become another link to the bird and biodiversity corridor that exists between Kanangra Boyd in the Blue Mountains, Wyangala State Park and the Lachlan River,” he said.
Year 6 student Josh Harding said he looks forward to visiting the site in five years’ time when all the trees and shrubs have grown up.
“I will be in Year 10 then and maybe it will become part of a future geography or science assignment,” he said.
The CMA's Melissa Henry said it is grateful to the seven members from the Hovells Creek Landcare group who planted the trees, along with the staff and students from Wyangala Dam Public School.
“We have also been very pleased with the support from the LHPA and the neighbouring landholders for their contribution to this CMA funded project,” she said.
