Central West Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Strategic Partnership officer Liz Davis said this was a great educational initiative that the CMA was proud to sponsor and support.

"We encourage all our central west primary schools to participate in the competition. It raises the student's environmental awareness, as the program is designed to help them explore and discover Australia's unique species," she said.

Students are invited to write and illustrate a 15-page story book about threatened species. The stories should focus on local plants, animals or ecological communities under threat and to include how we could help to protect and conserve threatened species.

The enviro-stories program aims to help students discover their environment and establish a sense of place by recording this through their story telling.

This will also help to develop curiosity and an appreciation for the natural world around them.

The submitted stories are assessed by an independent judging panel with five student stories selected for the honour of having their book published in hard copy and as an ebook for online interaction.

"In previous years the educational program has attracted strong interest and participation from our central west students. The standard of stories and illustrations has certainly been impressive and highly-creative," Ms Davis said.

The enviro-stories educational competition is open to years 3 to 6. Teachers are required to register on the Enviro-Stories Education Program website at www.envirostories.com.au to obtain the education kit, templates, story hints and all relevant information.

The Central West Enviro-Stories competition will close on the May 10, 2013.

The 2013 Enviro-Stories Educational Program is proudly sponsored by the Central West and Lachlan CMA and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.