Tasmanian school builds microbat habitat
Students at Gagebrook Primary School painting the nesting boxes they built to encourage Microbats to roost and breed. Image Supplied
Gagebrook Primary School, located on the outskirts of rural Hobart, wanted to mitigate the loss of local natural microbat habitat. These tiny mammals are losing their homes due to tree removal associated with urbanisation.
To help the microbats, the school applied for, and was successful in receiving a Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant.
Using their grant funding, students at Gagebrook built and installed nesting boxes to encourage microbats to roost and breed in the area. WIth the whole school involved in the project, it created a common sense of purpose, and enhanced peer and community relationships.
The 120 students involved in the microbat habitat project gained a sense of joined learning and achievement. They have also discovered a sense of connection to the environment and the wider community.
A special ‘Bat Assembly’ was organised to showcase the children’s work. They shared informative posters with the scientific knowledge they had gained through the project. They also created digital displays and songs to share their learnings.
The project is continuing in the form of maintenance and monitoring.
A Year 3 student at Gagebrook Primary School sums up the importance of this project. “They’re the only flying mammal and they can be our backyard buddies.”
