Queensland’s Toowoomba City Council has enlisted the help of an enthusiastic group with a vested interest in protecting and improving local bushland. School groups throughout the City are being encouraged to undertake a number of different educational projects which focus on the local environment.
Toowoomba manages over 800 hectares of bushland of high conservation value supporting hundreds of species of birds and animals. Under the Community Bushcare Program, Council has appointed a Community Bushcare Officer, Coral Rowston, to assist the schools and other groups to take part in bushcare activities.
Coral talks to school students about the programs and the methods they must use before they head out for hands on experience. One such activity involved grade three and four students removing weeds from a waterbird habitat and replanting the area with native species.
“It is terrific to have so many schools and children involved in helping to care for our natural environment,” Coral Rowston said. “The work they are doing is improving the quality of Toowoomba’s parks for the whole community.”
Council nominated the tree frog as a mascot for the program, calling on students to enter a competition to name the frog. The winning entry was ‘Twampy’. Schoolgirl, Emma Swan’s research revealed the Aboriginal name for Toowoomba was Tchwampa, meaning swamp. The name Emma selected neatly combined local history, environment and the sound a frog makes.
For further information contact Coral Rowston, telephone (07) 4688 6638
