New threatened species school resource gets launched

Weir-loo weir-loo… Bush Stone-curlews call in joy as a new school education resource to raise awareness of their plight gets launched in Albury.

An initiative of the Nature Conservation Working Group and developed by PeeKdesigns education consultants in partnership with Petaurus Education Group, this new Australian curriculum-aligned education kit will help teachers deliver classroom lessons on the threatened Bush Stone-curlew. 

Bush Stone-curlews are a large, gangly bird (50 and 60 cm tall) and although they can fly well, they prefer to live on the ground which makes that at risk from predators. 

Loss of habitat is a major contributor to their threatened status. They need ‘messy’ woodlands with a cover of leaf litter, fallen branches and tussock grasses to provide them with cover that both protects them from the weather and allows them to hide from predators. 

Peter Coleman, co-founder of PeeKdesigns, is the creator of this new resource that was originally ‘just an idea’ by members of the Nature Conservation Working Group a few years ago.

“What has been created is a Year 3-7 unit of work for looking at a Bush Stone-curlew’s physical characteristics, structural and behavioural adaptations, scientific classification, habitat, diet, breeding, conservation status, threats and recovery,” explained Peter at the recent launch.

“We created a mascot for the project – Curl the Bush Stone-curlew,” said Peter. “Curl thinks he is the star of this resource and he features prominently to make it fun for the students.”

The launch was held at the Commercial Club in Albury as part of the Bush Stone-curlew Summit. A limited print-run of the resource will be distributed to schools in key Bush Stone-curlew areas of southern New South Wales. 

To read more about this resource and download a copy CLICK HERE

This resource was funded by Nature Conservation Working Group and supported by Murray Local Land Services through funding from NSW Catchment Action.

*banner photo © Chris Tzaros

Owen Dunlop and Peter Coleman with the new Bush Stone-curlew education resource.