Community awareness and involvement comes first in natural resources management.

And people are at their most effective in the environment when they organise themselves into education programs and community groups such as Waterwatch and Weed Warriors.

The Northern and Yorke NRM Board has created an NRM Snakes and Ladders game for kids to help them learn about natural resources management. To obtain a copy of the game, either phone the Board on (08) 8636 2361 or print out a copy from this site.

Downloads

• Snakes and Ladders game (700KB)

Waterwatch has been a national community water quality monitoring network since 1993. There are now almost 3000 Waterwatch groups keeping an eye on more than 7000 sites in 200 catchments.

There are three major catchments in the Northern and Yorke region – Broughton, Wakefield and Light and about 20 school and community groups help monitor their water quality.

Northern and Yorke Waterwatch plays an important role in collecting the data which is analysed by research organizations. And besides water monitoring, Waterwatch can provide a range of education resources.

To find out what’s happening in the region, see the Northern and Yorke Waterwatch newsletter.

You can also visit the Waterwatch SA website at www.sa.waterwatch.org.au or contact the Northern and Yorke NRM Board on 8636 2361.

Weed Warriors is a rapidly growing four- to eight-week national education and awareness program for schoolchildren.

Students learn about weeds and raise biological control agents that they release into local weed infestations.

Weed Warriors builds a new generation of land managers who also spread the anti-weeds message to family and friends.

There are about 25 schools involved in Weed Warriors in the Northern and Yorke region. 

To find out what one of our local schools has been up to, have a look at their
Weed Warriors’ school project on this link. Weed Warriors Project (9MB PowerPoint file)

If you’d like to join your local Weed Warriors, phone the Board’s Authorised Officer and SA Weed Warriors’ coordinator Craig Fryar on 0428 893 340 or email craig.fryar@nynrm.sa.gov.au

Otherwise, why not visit the SA Weed Warriors’ site on www.weedwarriors.net.au

Primary Schools: Free Resources for Teachers
http://www.primaryschool.com.au/

This website links to many organisations that provide free resources to teachers, in a number of subject areas, including Environmental Education. Topics currently covered include Energy and Climate Change, Land Use, Oceans, Water Quality Management, and Wildlife.

Australian Department of Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/ts-day/index.html

The Australian Department of Environment and Heritage produces a Teacher’s Resource Kit every year aimed at 6 – 12 year olds, focused on Australia’s threatened species.

CSIRO
http://www.csiro.au/csiro/channel/pchaq,,.html

CSIRO school programs support primary and secondary science education. Students can visit CSIRO Science Education Centres or join the Double Helix Club to get more involved in science.

ABC TV
http://www.abc.net.au/learn/learnabout/default.htm

This link will take you to the Education Resources site of ABC television. As well as offering many programs suitable for in-class learning, the ABC provides information on topics such as Australia’s Fossil History and Salinity.

Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage – Sustainable Schools
http://www.deh.gov.au/education/

There is an emerging focus on sustainability in schools and teachers can find information about what sustainability means, and the networks that exist, at this website. The website also includes information on international sustainability.

United Nations Environment Programme
http://www.unep.org/wed/2006/english/

The United Nations World Environment Day 2006 theme was “Deserts and Desertification”. Download the “Deserts and Desertification” flash web animation off this site – it is a short film highly suitable for older school students which contains valuable information about deserts and the lives of desert dwellers.

Landcare Australia Limited
http://www.landcareonline.com/page.asp?pID=72

Visit the Landcare Australia website to read about practical ways that schools are involved in Landcare activities. The site also includes information about Junior Landcare Grants and links to state based resources.

Australian Conservation Foundation
http://www.acfonline.org.au/default.asp?section_id=4

Older students will benefit from a visit to the Australian Conservation Foundation’s website. The Publications section contains current information on the some of the most controversial environmental issues facing Australia today.