A LOT of planning has gone into the trees and shrubs planted at St Joseph’s School Coleraine on Tree Day this year.

It started in May with a biodiversity audit that students ran with Hamilton Field Naturalists flora and fauna expert, Diane Luhrs, and Environment Education Victoria ResourceSmart schools facilitator, Hollee Chuck.

During the audit, students counted the trees, shrubs and grasses in the schoolyard, and with Diane observed the evidence of insects, birds and animals in the local environment.

Based on Diane’s feedback, students and St Joseph’s sustainability teacher, Chris Cooney, developed a plan for what could be planted in the school yard to develop the biodiversity of the schoolyard and surrounding area and encourage more wildlife.

Thanks to a grant from Greening Australia organised by Upper Glenelg Landcare facilitator, Lynn Brown, and the Sustainability prize from Wannon Water, St Joseph’s were provided with all the plants, compost and mulch they needed for their Tree Day planting.

Then on Tree Day more recently, St Joseph’s students, with the help of parents, planted over 50 trees, shrubs and grasses in their Indigenous Garden, developed a new shelter belt and restored an area under their huge River Red Gum.

The plants included: local indigenous plants such as Hakea decurrens, Microlaena stipoides (Weeping grass), Poa labillardierie (Silver Tussock), Melaleuca decussata (Totem poles) Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle) and Callistemon rugulosus (Scarlet Bottlebrush).

In the Indigenous and Bush Tucker Garden, middle school students planted sea parsley and river mint and also planted Dianella seedlings and Warrigul Greens plants they propagated from seeds at the end of last year.