Rio Tinto Earth Assist - a partnership between RioTinto and Conservation Volunteers Australia

 

What has Earth Assist been up to?

School Holiday Program April 2012

We have just finished the school holidays and we had an overwhelming response for participation on our School Holiday Program, which was great!

We went out to Kanyana Wildlife Centre and completed a lot of jobs that just could not have been done with the current number of volunteers at the centre. The students worked hard and were rewarded with a tour around the centre to check out some wildlife.

We also went out to Brixton Street Wetlands and worked with the Friends group and DEC to remove bamboo from the area, and also to remove unwanted non-endemic trees from along the drain. The students got down and dirty in gumboots and managed this huge task despite the heat. Well done!

Then we went to Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Rehabilitation Centre and the students did weeding, tree guard and planting maintenance, removal of large branches within Kaarakin and general tidy-up tasks. Chris Phillips from Kaarakin was extremely impressed by the 19 students volunteering their time on the school holidays to come and help them out.

Two other sites visited were Whiteman Park, where the students did litter collection and tree guard pick up, and Herdsman Lake, where the boardwalks required some linseed oiling. Both days were highly successful and the students should be very proud of their volunteering efforts.

Programs in TERM ONE

In Term One, we have been working with Coodanup Community College and South Fremantle Senior High School with the Flora Endorsed Program and the Fauna Endorsed Program. Last week and this week, the schools have been learning about Safety Reporting and Risk Assessments, including the differences between hazards and risks.

Coming up in the programs for these schools include flora surveying and fauna surveying, as well as getting up close and personal with our native flora and fauna, and exploring the threats our environment is experiencing everyday.

Some boys from Trinity College got to experience some talks and interactive workshops on the health of our river and how they can sustain the Swan River for future generations. The Swan River Trust and SERCUL came down to run some activities associated with the river's ecosystem, the water cycle and water testing.

Kingsway Christian College have signed on to do a Fauna WACE Endorsed Program and this term the group went to Yanchep National Park. The students really enjoyed the cave tour and the koala talk, but they also got to contribute to their environment by removing some weeds in an area of the park.

 

School Holiday Program - December 2011/January 2012

Rio Tinto Earth Assist conducted the School Holiday Program over the December holidays for students from various schools who needed to complete community service hours, or if students wanted something interesting to do over their holidays. And interesting is what they got!

We went to Kaarakin Cockatoo Rehabilitation Centre on Tuesdays, where students experienced close encounters with black cockatoos, as well as helped out with tasks such as watering, cage cleaning and pathway maintenance. The students discovered the importance of conservation for these birds. Some students even developed good contacts for future volunteering and career opportunities.

On Wednesdays, the students got to complete water testing for a variety of locations around Perth, including Bennett Brook and Alfred Cove. The results were extremely important to the councils in those areas as maintaining water quality is a high priority. Students learnt about different qualities of water and how we can determine whether our waterways are healthy or in need of attention. Students got to see the effects of feral fish in our waterways and even got to catch a few baby Carp!

Every Thursday we all drove down to Woodman Point where we had some track maintenance, weeding and bushwalks on the itinerary. The satisfaction on these days was huge and the students were amazed at the difference that their volunteering could make. The nearby parks also made for an idyllic lunch setting.

Fridays were spent at Kanyana Wildlife Centre in and around the hospital building. The students got up close and personal with Rainbow Lorikeets, Tawny Frogmouths, and the most adorable Red Kangaroo joeys! The students collected leaf litter for bedding, tidied the hospital rooms, cleaned out cages, and fed and cuddled the joeys. The students work was much appreciated.

Overall, the students had a great time and made a huge difference in these locations.  Thanks to all project partners involved, and thanks to all the students who got stuck in to make a difference in their environment.  Good on you guys!

 

Check out our Programs List to see what is happening over 2012...