Supporting Schools for the bushfire season

3 years ago | by Melissa Nunn

The 2019- 20 Australian Bushfires was described by many experts and commentators as the ‘worst bushfires in our history’, ‘exceptional in size and impact’ and ‘unprecedented’. Within the Coffs Harbour local government area smaller communities in the Orara Valley such as Lowanna and Ulong are still working on their recovery, loosing countless homes, properties and animals.

Thanks to a generous donation from Facebook Limited, the Prosper Coffs Harbour Protection of the Environment Trust was able to assist and reach out to Ulong and Lowanna Public School to deliver a bushfire education workshop.

The workshops aimed to educate students around bushfire management, with a presentation on the ecology of bushfires, cultural bushfire practices and wildlife preservation from Mr Jamie Bertram from the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Uncle Mark Flanders, local Gumbaynggirr Elder from National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Following the presentation, the students were able to work with the Prosper Coffs Environmental Trust volunteers and Jamie Bertram from the RFS to construct some nesting boxes for native wildlife, including rosella’s, brushtail possums and kookaburras.

Jamie Bertram from the Rural Fire Service said, “it was encouraging to involve and educate the students from rural areas about bushfires and controlled fires and showing them the difference on fire behaviour across the landscape. Targeting the students at a young age about “good fire and Bad fire” will give them a good understanding about fire and fire management. The students learnt about the value of hollows in trees and logs on the ground and how these values should be protected from the impact of fire. Hollow bearing trees provide shelter for our native arboreal species and diurnal and nocturnal birds.”

For further information on the Bushfire Education Workshops, please contact Prosper Coffs Harbour on admin@prospercoffs.org.au.