Youth garden opened at Woy Woy

Member for Robertson Ms Belinda Neal officially opened a youth and community garden at Woy Woy Public School last week.

"The Youth and Community Garden at Woy Woy Public School is a superb example of how a terrific environmental project can be made socially inclusive, combining ecological education for school children and also re-connecting previously disengaged youth with their community," Ms Neal said.

"The lessons learnt in this project are priceless for the children, the youth and the wider community."

The Woy Woy Public School garden contains a variety of plant and forest ecosystem types, including edible plants, natives and bush foods that thrive in local conditions.

The garden design has been informed by Indigenous land management practices and by perspectives gained by students during field trips to a range of local ecosystems.

The garden is accessible to the public and will evolve into a valuable learning area with the input of local students and volunteers.

The project was a partnership between Equilibrium Eco-Services Inc. of Ettalong Beach and Youth Connections Inc. of Gosford

It was supported by $32,000 in funds from the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority and the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust, now known as Caring for Our Country program.

"This project shows what can be achieved when communities and our schools work in partnership," Ms Neal.

The garden was conceived, designed, and developed by youth in collaboration with experts in natural resource management since October last year, according to Equilibrium Eco-Services sustainability education officer Ms Mia Hughes.

Ms Hughes said the main aim of the project was to reconnect "disengaged youth" with the community and the environment, as well as educating others about natural gardening principles using sites located within public school grounds.

Press release, 9 Apr 2008 Belinda Neal, Member for Robertson