Program to help school students learn about threatened native animals

21/3/98

Upper primary school students throughout Western Australia will have the chance to win overnight camps or excursion days to learn first-hand about threatened native animals by using an educational activities program.

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said the 'Western Shield Education Action Pack' was developed by the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) to encourage awareness of the conservation of WA's native fauna species.

"CALM's Western Shield project is the biggest wildlife conservation program ever undertaken in Australia," Mrs Edwardes said.

"It aims to bring back from the brink of extinction native animal species by controlling introduced predators, the fox and feral cat.

"The Western Shield Education Action Pack provides teachers with four ready-made lessons on WA's threatened native animal species.

"It includes teachers' notes, resource sheets, activity sheets and suggestions for extension activities that all link to primary school curriculum subjects of Society and Environment, Science, Mathematics and Language."

It has been written and compiled by CALM education officers in close consultation with the practising teachers.

Each action pack contains an entry form for classes which undertake the pack's activities, with each entry going into a draw to win an overnight camp.

A separate draw is also conducted for Perth metropolitan schools with the prize being an excursion day to The Hills Forest Activity Centre in Mundaring.

There will be eight winning classes from throughout the State for the overnight camps; 'A night out with the woylies' at The Hills Forest', 'A night out with the possums' at Batalling forest, 'A night out with the wallabies' in Perup Forest Ecology Centre and 'A day out with the numbats' at Dryandra Woodlands.

Mrs Edwardes said that at each of the day excursions and overnight camps, students would have the opportunity to view native animals and learn about conservation methods such as trapping and spotlighting.

"The action pack is an excellent way for teachers to encourage and promote awareness in children about the nature of our native wildlife, the partnerships between flora and flora and the WA environment," she said.

Media contact: Ministerial Nicole Trigwell on 08 9421 7777

CALM Roger Armstrong on 08 9275 4300