On Monday the 17th of November the year 11/12 Geography class of four headed down to Avalon. We embarked on a day’s learning about Ecosystems at Risk. We had the pleasure of two other schools: Marta Maria and Blue Mountains Grammar. Once we had all met we began our adventures. We walked down Avalon beach to the sand dunes and began our documentation. As we moved from the fore-dune through to the hind- dune we measured temperature, vegetation types and height, soil temperature, wind speed and direction, soil type and soil moisture. From this activity we saw how the environment changes as you move away from the coast and how even tiny changes result in vegetation changes.
After we had learnt all it seemed we could possibly learn from the dunes at Avalon it was time to reenergise and go over to Careel Bay and learn about the Intertidal Wetlands.
We did much of the same things – temperature, wind speed and direction, vegetation etc. Again we saw how delicate is the ecosystem balance and how easy it is for them to be put at risk. We also learnt about various development proposals that are endangering the ecosystem.
Over-all it was a very educational day and we all came away having learnt a lot about ecosystems at risk. Thanks to Mrs Riley, Miss Wilson and the Coastal Environment Centre.
The NSW Rural Fire Service do a wonderful job in protecting our beautiful Northern Beaches. It is days like today we appreciate all the more the work they do and how much bushland we have near the school. This week's Hazard Reduction "burn offs" were a well planned attempt to reduce the threat of bushfires over summer. It is unusual for Hazard Reductions to be conducted on weekdays. Fortunately they erected a flashing sign near the school several days earlier and personally visited the school on Wednesday to ensure we were aware of it.
Because of the advance notice our school nurse was able to contact parents of children we had been notifed have severe asthma. Our nurse was kept busy through the day but as an "Asthma Friendly" school she was well prepared to assist students and keep parents informed.
For students in junior school it meant the opportunity to watch a video over lunch instead of playing. For senior students the library was a popular choice for the chess players. Most however headed to the airconditioned comfort of the hall.
Elizabeth Riley and Neil Pierson today took part in a site tour of the Belrose Waste and Recycling Centre. WSN Environmental Solutions’ Belrose Waste and Recycling Centre continues to transform household rubbish into green power, generating enough renewable energy from the Belrose landfill to power 1,000 homes all year round. Methane from the biogas created during the breakdown of household waste in the landfill is combusted to create electricity by a 1.1 megawatt (MW) engine which is owned and operated by power company Energy Developments Limited (EDL).
There are currently 93 gas wells on-line at Belrose. These gas wells provide up to 680 m3/hr of landfill gas for one engine unit (1 MWh). The first gas wells were installed in 1994 and the system has been progressively expanded throughout the years helping to reduce the escape of methane and related smells. The renewable energy created is then exported to the NSW Energy Grid. The extra capacity gives householders and businesses the option of purchasing 100 per cent renewable energy from their energy provider.
The process avoids 44,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year - the equivalent of taking 10,000 average cars off the road for a year. It also saves 22 million litres of water per year when compared with a traditional coal-fired power station generating the same amount of electricity – enough to fill nine Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The Belrose landfill receives waste from approximately 265,000 residents in the Manly, Mosman, Pittwater and Warringah Council areas. The landfill gas to energy project is helping the local community to manage the climate change impacts of the waste it generates. Renewable energy is at the forefront of the fight against climate change and landfill gas capture is a crucial interim measure as we move towards more advanced waste technology.
Last week, all of Year 3 went on an excursion to a Duffys Forest bushland site. We have been learning about protecting our native flora and fauna. Duffys Forest is endangered bushland. We first walked to an old house not far from the school. We met Annie and Perry who took us on a walk to see signs of animal life.
We saw squiggly gum moths, a nest in a hollow, bandicoot diggings and sugar glider tracks. We also looked for insects by putting leaf litter through a sieve and shaking insects onto a sheet. But the best bit was coming back to school where Rob showed us really cool animals. We saw and held a ring tail possum, a tawny frogmouth, a green tree frog, a bearded dragon, a lace monitor, a diamond python and a blue tongue lizard. The blue tongue lizard got a bit scared while I was holding it and it peed all over me. It felt embarrassing but now I just laugh.
We really should be protecting our flora and fauna by not chopping down old trees and keeping our cats indoors at night.
I thought that the excursion was really fun and I loved patting the animals.
Comments