The Daceyville Gardening and Outdoor Education Program. Over the last 4 years Stone and Bones has collaborated to develop an ongoing outdoor education and gardening program for Daceyville Public School. This involved the creation of numerous permaculture gardens, a food forest, bush tucker garden and native plantings over over 500 plants. We have installed a chook house and frog pond and have created habitat for native reptiles, mammals and insects by building possum boxes, a frog pond and planting nectar bearing species. In addition, we have collaborated on building composting areas, a large nature play area with a dry creek bed, balancing logs and loose parts play, many tables and benches out of recycled materials and much more. The program has been realised through collaborations with outside partners, teachers and students and the school community. Each year we deliver the substantive parts of the program in weekly lessons, lots of volunteer and informal hours and quarterly working bees. The following is a testimonial from Michelle Hostrup, school principal.

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Working with an experienced outdoor educator and facilitator over the past 4 years has enabled us to achieve incredible results in our outdoor learning program and the transformation of our outdoor environment. Designating funding towards this sort of support has relieved the planning and logistical pressure from me as a Principal and has meant that we have been able to accomplish huge change without adding significantly to the workload of the teaching staff. Being able to draw on expert advice has meant that where we have planted new trees or improved a space these changes have been sustainable and manageable. It has also enabled our students to contribute to the process of change and have a say in how the environment looks and is used. As educators, landscaping is not generally our area of expertise so the value of support in an ongoing way has been invaluable. I would highly recommend this model to other schools considering enhancing their environment and developing outdoor learning programs.

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