An Omarama pond is being developed into an outdoor
environmental learning area for the town's school.
The project started about two years ago when Omarama Station
donated the pond, about 1km south of Omarama at the corner of
State Highway 8 and Broken Hut Rd.
The community has been invited to a working bee on Saturday
to further develop the concept with a $10,000 grant from
Treemendous School Makeover, a groupsupported by Project
Crimson and the Mazda Foundation.
Relieving principal Jan Severinsen said Omarama was one of
only four schools to get one of the annual grants.
It would go towardsdeveloping an outdoor learning centre at
the pond, putting in a walkway and extensive planting at the
northern end of the pond, she said.
The project started two years ago with senior pupils after
the pond was donated by Omarama Station forrestoration and
development. It now involves all 25 pupils at the school.
The school, working with Environment Canterbury and the
Department of Conservation, has fenced the pond, planted its
edges, monitored its health and even caught fish.
Now, with the Treemendous funding, the next stage can start,
with the help of pupils, parents and the community from 8am
to 1pm on Saturday.
"This is a great real-life teaching opportunity in which the
whole school can make a difference by giving back to our
local environment by helping restore the pond's ecosystem,"
she said.
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