The healing power of nature will be the focus when our students take part in the Bushfire Recovery Working Group’s Plant a Tree by the Sea project in August. Students will plant seedlings to help revegetate the coastal areas so severely affected by the bushfires last year.
The Working Group’s Danielle Costley delivered 1,200 seedlings “of provenance specific stock” this week and students will nurture these seedlings in preparation for planting in August. The seedlings were paid for by both bushfire recovery funding from the Premier and “nearly 300 plants were donated by the South West Catchment Council and the Surfside Church.”
She says that:
“We are working with the Margaret River Coastal Residents Association to ensure the correct species are grown and planted in the appropriate areas. Genny Broadhurst from the Association is in the process of mapping the areas for the plantings and will provide pigface cuttings for students to also plant on the day. Our Working Group wants to involve as many people as possible in helping rebuild the beachside communities affected by the fires. The Plant a Tree by the Sea project, we believe, provides a great opportunity for children to participate and will give them a sense of ownership of this ‘regrowth’ project.”
Mr. K has welcomed the opportunity for healing which this project presents, saying:
Many staff and students were directly and indirectly affected by the fires. This is a fantastic opportunity for the students to be able to participate in helping the community and the environment recover from the devastating fires. Having 1,200 seedlings to plant will allow nearly every child to plant two seedlings each, which I am sure the students will value and enjoy doing. This is a fantastic way to get the school involved in the rebuilding of the area. As our school motto states: ‘grow and achieve together’.
This is a wonderful initiative which the community will be able to embrace as part of the healing process.
Written and photo by D. Veary (from information supplied by Danielle Costley); Posted by D. Veary
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