Taralga Public School hosts interactive educational event for Threatened Species Day

The interactive educational event was held at Taralga Public School on Thursday, September 8 for Threatened Species Day.

Children from Bigga, Binda and Laggan public schools joined students at Taralga Primary School for the program.

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Saving our Species (SOS) program coordinator, Damon Oliver, said it was critical to raise awareness about how important biodiversity was to the next generation of landholders.

"A lot of the regional kids are pretty connected to nature already," he said.

"The kids [at Taralga] were a really switched on and engaged audience."

Alongside Laura Canackle, Mr Oliver spoke to the students about simple ways to help the environment. The interactive talk covered topics from being a responsible cat owner to caring for trees with hollows, which often provide shelter for threatened species.

Mr Oliver said events such as these were often a two-way exchange of information as the students shared stories about things they had observed on their farms.

"[We] had a great time fielding some amazing questions and hearing about what the kids already know about their local environment, so it's pleasing to know they are aware of the importance of biodiversity," Mr Oliver said.

The event offered the students a chance to understand the value of a healthy environment through an art lesson with Kate Smith and an interactive theatre performance based on the threats to wildlife by cats produced and performed by Eaton Gorge Theatre Company.

The students also participated in an engaging tree-planting demonstration with Ms Aveyard and K2W Link coordinator Mary Bonet.

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Upper Lachlan Landcare coordinator Ruth Aveyard said as much as the day was enjoyable it was also educational.

"Engaging our younger generation from an early age to consider their local environment and the role they have in looking after it, is critical to the long term survival and rehabilitation of our local natural areas.," she said.

The event was a collaboration between NSW Government Saving our Species, Upper Lachlan Landcare, Eaton Gorge Theatre Company, Kate Smith Art, the Taralga P&C and the K2W Link and jointly funded by the Great Eastern Ranges and WWF-Australia as part of a broader bushfire recovery effort.

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