“We have a strong commitment to living up to our environmental ethos. Ensuring that wherever possible, we make the earth a better place. We believe the small acts of environmental regeneration in our own backyard can have huge flow on effects for the health of the planet.” Ingrid Neumann – Northern Program Coordinator
In conjunction with Tweed Shire Council, Melanie Ruetzel – Northern Operations Coordinator, has developed a Riparian (riverside) Restoration Plan. The Plan has been created for students to undertake as part of their programs at our Northern NSW Uki centre.
Our Uki base, located on the banks of the Tweed River, supports significant environmental flora and fauna. Of particular importance is the endangered Giant Barred Frog (Mixopheys Iterates). It also has serious weed threats such as Madeira vine (Anredera Cordifolia). Both species requires specialized management. The implementation of a good plan can assist in directing bush regeneration works, monitoring environmental recovery and will form a basis for grant applications for future work.
Tree planting and regeneration efforts are certainly nothing new to us at Outward Bound. In our Southern Region, Tim Booth has been working alongside our students to regenerate the Gigerline Nature Reserve on the banks of the Murrumbidgee river for many years. At our Western Australia base, we work with the Department of Environment and Conservation to remove pesky invasive snails from the Nornalup Inlet. Our staff are trained in “Leave No Trace” principals and part of our core values has always been minimal impact practices. This plan represents the next step of formalising our relationships and processes towards a more sustainable future.
Service is an integral part of all our programs. From our beginnings Kurt Hahn has seen service as a combatant to the declines of modern youth in particular to foster genuine compassion in participants.
“In genuine service to the benefit of others, one best expresses on a day-to-day basis their reverence for life itself” – Kurt Hahn.
This management plan is another step towards ensuring young people are contributing positively to our environment.
Alongside the new plan Ingrid Neumann is also championing a review of the waste we are creating with a specific focus on the reduction of single use plastic packaging. She will be working alongside an external contractor to manage a waste audit of the upcoming BBC Yr 9 program. Ingrid will then look at how we can implement these changes moving forward.
