By Callum Ludwig
Upper Yarra Secondary College has tapped into a local learning opportunity with Year 8 students benefiting from Yarra Ranges Council’s Ribbons of Green initiative.
Native plants were distributed in the schoolyard on the western side which will create a new landscape in the years to come.
Innovation Specialist and VET teacher Marcus Cook said it was a fantastic opportunity.
“It’s great to get some indigenous plants for our school and four students to be involved in something for the future, we struggle for shade a bit in areas, it will create habitat and it brings a community aspect to their day,” he said.
“They’ve been learning about native vegetation at school and this will give them something to show for in the future, to see the fruits of their labour, to work as a group and to use their practical skills to go with their theory-based learning.”
The Ribbons of Green program was recently awarded Best Sustainability Initiative at the LGPro Awards for Excellence, recognising the boost the initiative has given to the local government area since its inception in 2007.
Year 8 Vice Captain Shae said a few students had been hard at work planting trees, putting up the gazebo and getting everything set up for everyone to put a hand in.
“Everyone’s being proactive, not sitting in the classroom bored on their computer,” she said.
“Our nature is the best gift out here, closer to the city all you see is buildings all the time, while we have a lot of nature and mountains, it’s great.”
All schools, community groups and private landowners with properties bigger than one hectare are eligible to apply for free plants through the Ribbons of Green program until the end of September, which will be delivered prior to winter/spring the following year.
Year 8 Captain Kimberley said they are learning how they can make a difference.
“You see wildlife and often they are terrified of everything, including humans, but I get inspired by doing this,” she said.
“My nana lives in the bush, and has birds and echidnas outside and they are so friendly and come up to you which is really lonely and maybe that will happen here.”
