Weeds and Other Plants updated 27 2 2023
What are weeds and what are not?
The ‘Invasive Plants and Native Plants’ schools project.
As part of a range of activities to support community interaction since the Storm of 2021 and Covid isolation, the Hills Creative Alliance has successfully applied for funding to develop a project that helps children better appreciate native plants and trees, and to understand how it is that we have so many introduced plants, trees and crops here in Australia.
The idea is to encourage confidence and understanding in children relating to the environment, by linking local schools with the wonderful local resource at Karwarra Native Australian Plant Garden in Kalorama, as well as starting to learn about plants and flowers by looking closely and learning about Botanical Drawing.
Various discussions have been going on to explore this idea to create a multi-faceted project which will engage local school children and their families with Karwarra Garden.
The Ferny Creek Primary School team are discussing if they can pilot the project, perhaps working with other schools in this area later in the year.
Annette Anderson from the Resource Smart Schools Programme responded positively, says the idea of helping children understand about 'Weeds and Other Plants’ fits into the Biodiversity Module of their programme, but this doesn’t fit in to this year’s plan at FCPS.
HCA can fund the development of resources and use the brilliant Weeds leaflet YR Council leaflet and other readily available materials, with a plant specialist coming in to the school to do workshop/s with the children on 'Weeds and Other Plants’ - to understand the history and the issues invasive plants cause, then to learn about Botanical Illustration to create a display to stage in Karwarra Garden Gallery - with permission from the Friends of Kawarra Garden.
We also plant to develop a worksheet - a sort of I Spy - on native plants eg Kangaroo Paw, Paper Daisies and Native Orchids for families to use when they visit the Garden / the Schools Exhibition.