Dubbo Family Day Care has been the successful recipient of a $1000 Coles Junior Landcare grant to establish an eco-garden which will be used as an outdoor learning space to educate children on environmental sustainability and the benefits of consuming locally-grown food.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Dubbo Family Day Care Service Manager, Christine Cronin, said educators, children and their families would collaborate to develop and plant the eco-garden during the Children's Week Open Day tomorrow at the Colleen Montgomery Cottage in Victoria Park.
"During the Children's Week Open Day families will plant vegetables and herbs while also developing a worm farm and compost bin and installing water-saving irrigation," Ms Cronin said.
"Council staff, representatives from the Dubbo Community Garden and Dubbo Macquarie River Bushcare will speak on the day about the environmental benefits of growing your own produce and reducing waste through composting.
"We will also have other fun activities on offer for the children including story time with a representative from the Macquarie Regional Library and a variety of arts and crafts."
Ms Cronin said the eco-garden was expected to provide a sustainable solution for resource management at the centre with food waste to be composted or added to the worm farm and later used as a fertiliser on the garden.
"By setting an example at the Dubbo Family Day Care Service we can encourage educators, children and their families to establish better resource management at home," Ms Cronin said.
"By growing fresh vegetables and herbs and preparing healthy alternatives we are not only reducing the packaging associated with buying food for the centre, we are encouraging healthy eating habits that benefit the environment."
The Children's Week Open Day will take place from 9:30am - 11.30am tomorrow at the Colleen Montgomery Cottage, Victoria Park Dubbo.