SCHOOLS FACE THE SKULLBONE
Students from four Tasmanian high schools are seeing the results of a year of preparation come to fruition this month. The schools – Scottsdale High, Ulverstone High, Ogilvie High and the Jordan River Learning Federation – are part of a statewide pilot to provide students with the opportunity to learn outside the classroom as part of research projects in world-class Tasmanian wilderness areas.
The project is run by the Bookend Trust in partnership with the schools, the Department of Education, the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) and Tarkine Trails. Building on the award-winning Expedition Class program, participating students will spend a week at either Skullbone Plains in the Central Highlands or in the Tarkine rainforests.
Project leader Andrew Hughes said the students had been helped him plan and shape the expeditions in meetings and on training days since the start of the year. “They have really thrown themselves into it,” he said. “The Tasmanian wilderness is both a beautiful and challenging location, and they intend to experience it full on.”
The research includes wildlife surveys, track marking, and assisting with the recently launched Tarkine Devil remote camera project. Scottsdale High students have just returned from the 1600 hectare TLC permanent wilderness reserve at Skullbone Plains, where they were excited to work with professional guides in heavy snow – and they didn’t want to leave! The other school expeditions will run over the next month.
Dr Sally Bryant, Manager of TLC Reserves and Research, said the project was win-win. “The TLC is very pleased to help support challenging educational opportunities for Tasmanian students, while also gaining valuable information about the conservation values of our reserves.”
Schools and the public can follow the progress of the Skullbone students live online at: http://skullbone.expeditionclass.com
Read the full details available online here:
http://www.bookendtrust.com/Skullbone2011_Report.pdf
