School Groups
Who can join the Friends in taking action for biodiversity?
Schools, community groups, corporate volunteers and individuals can take positive action to help the endangered species in our community including Victoria’s faunal emblems, the critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater & the endangered Leadbeater’s Possum.
It’s not too late to act but the time to act is now.
We are now taking bookings for our 2018 planting season
Can you help? Our planting year runs from May to September. Will you be part of the team? We hope so!
Would you like to know more or book your in your school? Then send us an email at: info@helmetedhoneyeater.org.au
The Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater have two major aims:
- To protect existing habitat and plant future habitat for the Helmeted Honeyeater
- To raise awareness about the plight of the Helmeted Honeyeater and enlist broad community support for the Recovery project.
With this in mind, we offer two main sessions to school groups:
- interactive presentations in schools (within a 40 kilometre radius of Yellingbo)
- planting days at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve (in the Yarra Valley)
All activities are undertaken under the supervision and direction of our Education Coordinator.
Several schools visit Yellingbo each year to check on the progress of trees and shrubs that they have planted in previous years. We experience strong growth rates and a fantastic 90-95% success rate with our plantings. Is it worthwhile putting in the energy and time to plant with us? Absolutely!
Our school education program:
- Links with the VELS domains Civics & Citizenship, Science, English and Interpersonal Development. Students will think critically about their own values, rights and responsibilities, explore and consider different perspectives and articulate and justify their own opinions on local, national and global issues. They will build their understanding of the nature of the similarities between, and the diversity of, living things and their sustainable relationships with each other and their environment and experience how people work with and through science. They will apply their knowledge and skills in community-based activities and cooperate with each other in teams.
- Complements the Yarra Ranges Council’ ‘Learning for Sustainability’ program under the key sustainability areas of Biodiversity and Community.
Our program can incorporate a mix of the following:
- Revegetation at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve (YNCR). Loss of habitat is the major threat to biodiversity. Children and adults alike can do something positive to ensure our State emblems, along with the many plant and animal species that co-exist with them, don’t become extinct
- Guided bushland discovery walk
- Community nursery tour (Small groups only – limited bus parking)
- Biodiversity activities. Science in practice. (Only available in conjunction with a Revegetation session)
- Interactive PowerPoint presentation. The issues for threatened species with a focus on the Helmeted Honeyeater. What is biodiversity?
What can everyone do to help?
There is no charge for our incursions and excursions. We do ask your school however, to take out Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater membership ($30 p/a) as a positive action to assist in biodiversity preservation. A strong membership base assists us in applying for the grants that fund our education programs.
Our revegetation days are contingent on the ongoing support of organisations such as Melbourne Water (through their Community Grants Program), Parks Victoria (through their Healthy People Healthy Parks Grant Program) and Federal Government (through Caring For our Country Community Action grants) to fund planting activities.
We suggest these educational experiences for your students
| Sessions | Program outline | Time allowance required |
| Session 1 ~ Incursion (We come to you) | – Interactive presentation | – 30-40 min Yr P-2 – 50-60 min Yr 4-6 – 60+ min Yr 7+ |
| Session 2 ~ Full day excursion to YNCR NB. Maximum of 50 students | – Revegetation (planting of habitat plants) – Guided bushland discovery walk or biodiversity activities | – 4 hours – 10.00am – 2.00pm (with meal breaks – BYO) |
Research suggests that school students will learn more on an excursion if pre-visit preparation takes place. We recommend an incursion 1 week prior to your excursion to lay the foundation.
Safety considerations
The Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater (the Friends) make every effort to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for your students to learn in. Please notify us of any special considerations regarding student welfare and specific needs when making a booking.
- The Friends expect that adults accompanying students will be active participants in the day’s activities and manage behavioural issues. We encourage the participation of parents
- The Friends Education Coordinators provide the equipment & training to undertake the activities safely
- The Friends Education Coordinators have a Working with Children Check, Level 2 First-aid and carry a mobile phone & first-aid kit
- Teachers and supervisors should also carry first aid kits, mobile phones and emergency contact numbers at all times
- All participants should wear sensible outdoor clothing – preferably long trousers, long sleeved shirts, sturdy shoes, sunscreen and hats. In wet weather gumboots are advisable.
Postponements due to high fire risk days / Extreme weather
To ensure the safety of all participants, excursions to Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve do not operate on days of high fire risk or high winds. In the event of extreme weather conditions the Friends will contact schools about postponing the event. We endeavour to give as much warning as possible and visits can be rescheduled. Please advise the Friends of your schools policy.