Students learning from hands-on help

Buffalo Beach was a hive of activity last week when Parkfield Primary School’s Dune Dudes put in a day’s work planting and mulching in the dunes and collecting and auditing marine debris.

In a collaboration between the Department of Parks and Wildlife, the South West Catchments Council and the school, 500 native coastal seedlings were planted and surrounded by mulch in an effort to stabilise the dunes.

Catchments Council coastal facilitator Jen Mitchell said the plants were funded through the National Landcare Program and the department had provided the mulch and augered the holes.

“Buffalo Beach is a high-use area and it is an ongoing effort to protect and stabilise the dunes and create habitat for animals,” she said.

It was the first time the Dune Dudes had worked at the site and teacher Sarah Dunbar-Stuart said they thoroughly enjoyed being involved in hands-on environmental activities.

“Every class goes at least once a year with the Year 6 Dune Dudes concentrating on coastal planting,” she said.

“Learning about sustainability is embedded in the school’s curriculum and today’s projects tie in with science but also humanities.

“It promotes being an active citizen, learning about the environment and working for intrinsic rather than extrinsic rewards.”