Landcare in Schools is supported through Lake Macquarie City Council’s Junior Landcare Program. For more information on the Lake Macquarie Junior Landcare Program, or to get involved, please contact the Lake Macquarie Landcare on 4921 0392.
To apply for free plants please complete and return the Landcare-in-Schools-plant-request-form-online.docx to lro@lakemac.nsw.gov.au
Tips for establishing a school garden
Please also visit the Resources for Schools page, Case Studies and Links pages for Landcare resources for schools.
Background to Landcare in Schools
The Lake Macquarie Landcare in Schools program was initially funded by the Natural Resources Advisory Council of New South Wales (NRAC) through the ‘Forging Partnerships’ Grant Program. The program was funded for two years from July 2006 to July 2008 and collaborated with 61 schools within the Lake Macquarie District (primary and secondary; public and private). It enabled youth, aged 4 to 18 years, across the district to carry out Landcare projects on their school grounds. In doing this time over 25,000 plants were established by school students and many resource management issues have been tackled at the grassroots level. These include: sustainable land use practice, increased biodiversity through the establishment and/or restoration of urban habitats, and improved urban ecology processes which have reduced erosion and improved stormwater quality.
From 2009 to 2011 the Landcare in Schools program was transferred to Trees in Newcastle under the banner ‘Landcare for Youth’. The program is now again under the care and control of Lake Macquarie Landcare, and is part of the National Junior Landcare Program.