Environment

Adopt a Coastline

The Adopt a Coastline program gives students the opportunity to take part in an environmental project involving plant identification, dune rejuvenation and protection of our fragile coastline. Students will:

• Work with City of Joondalup Natural Areas Officers planting local provenance species
• Learn about the biodiversity of the coastal environment,  teamwork, contributing to their community and environmental responsibility through active citizenship
• Understand the important role conservation plays in our future through three class room presentations by environmental experts
• Have the opportunity to display their classroom work relating to the program within the Joondalup Library
• Have fun

In 2011, a total of 120 students from Connolly, Padbury and North Woodvale Primary Schools completed three weeks of coastal dune restoration, planting over 2000 local provenance plants. Each student also attended three presentations in their classrooms ensuring that they understood the important role that conservation plays in our future.

The program is fully funded by the City.  

The City's Adopt a Coastline program was the winner of the Keep Australia Beautiful – 2010 Sustainable Cities Award in the Young Legends Category. The program takes place during second term and is suitable for Years 5-7. For further information please contact the School Liaison Officer. 

Waste Education - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 

The City of Joondalup is committed to educating the community on ways to prevent, recover and dispose of waste.

Schools within the City are invited to participate in the very popular and practical ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' program. This program has been designed to educate students about waste minimisation and management through implementing reduce, reuse, recycle and recover principles:

• Suitable for Years 1-7
• The duration of the session for each class is approximately 60 minutes and includes hands on activities
• The program includes two sessions. The second session is conducted the week after the initial incursion, and is a follow-up session designed to consolidate learning

At the end of the program participants should understand:

• How to adopt waste management principles at school and home that will minimise the amount of waste generated.
• How to segregate waste correctly
• The principles of 4R’s – Reduce Reuse Recycle Recover
• The relevant bin system and products that can be recycled in their municipality
• What happens to recyclables once they are collected and taken to the MRF
• What a MRF is and the impact of contamination on clean loads
• The implications and associated problems caused by land-filling waste
• The impact recycling has on the preservation of precious resources and reducing life-style GHG emissions

This incursion is fully-funded by the City. For further information or to make a booking, please email or phone 9449 3315 or 0438 951 392.  

Waste Education - MRC

The Mandarine Regional Council (MRC) has developed Waste Education programs for schools. These programs are:

• Linked to the curriculum
• For Primary and Secondary students
• Supported by background information for staff and students, activities, work sheets, puzzles, games and a variety of audio visual and computer based materials

The City funds excursions to the Tamala Park landfill site and the new state of the art Resource Recovery Facility (RRF).  All of the waste from the City’s green lid bins is processed at the RRF and turned into market quality compost. A visit to the RRF Education Centre enables students to see firsthand what happens to their household rubbish.

Coastal Biodiversity

The City of Joondalup has installed interpretive signage along the coastal dual use pathway running from Marmion to Burns Beach. The signage aims to tell the story of the flora and fauna native to the coastal areas of the City.  The history of land use in the area and the importance of conserving are also features of the signage.

Students can learn about the local fish that lives up to 40 years of age or discover an endangered species on our coast that won't travel more than 200 metres from home.  

For further information please contact the City on 9400 4207 or via email.

Yellagonga Regional Park Ecology Educational Activities  

The City of Joondalup provides local schools with access to exciting educational activities and resources to enhance their knowledge of the ecology of the Yellagonga Regional Park. These will assist teachers in meeting learning outcomes in Science and Society and Environment.

 A limited number of free school tours are available in 2012:

• Neil Hawkins Park Bird Watching Tour: Tour Guides from Birds Australia will provide binoculars to allow students to get a ‘’bird’s eye view’’ of the many water and dry land birds that inhabit the Yellagonga wetlands. Duration: 1 hour
• Water Quality and Wetland Ecology: Ribbons of Blue Officers will guide activities at Neil Hawkins Park, Picnic Cove and Lake Goollelal. Students will learn about the ecology of the lakes and undertake water quality monitoring. Complementary activity sheets will be provided before and after the excursion. Duration: 2 hours
• Wetland Fauna Tour: Local Ecologists will guide students through Neil Hawkins Park and neighbouring bushland and discuss local fauna, habitat and environmental issues in the catchment. Duration: 1 hour

For further information contact the City via email.