EESSA Inc AGM Thursday March 26^th 5-7pm
Save the Date
We are excited to announce that our members and guests we will have a unique opportunity to hear from one of our international colleagues, Debra Harwood who will share her knowledge and experience of ‘Outdoor Nature programs in Canada’.
Debra is an academic and early childhood education scholar at Brock University, Canada. Debra’s research is situated within a framework of challenging the social, political, cultural, and historical forces that have shaped central ideas such as care, professionalism, child agency, place, and intra-active pedagogy. Her most recent project involves a study of young children’s entanglements within a forest, specifically examining how relationships with the more-than-human world might foster ways of being that support a more sustainable planet.
This is a free event with bookings on Eventbrite:https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/eessa-inc-agm-outdoor-nature-programs-in-canada-tickets-94113254277

UN International Year of Plant Health 2020

At the behest of Finland UN has dedicated 2020 to raise awareness about plant health and the impact of healthy plants and forests on food security, poverty, economic development, and sustainability. Life on Earth would not exist without plants, yet the world continues to destroy large areas of forests daily. Plants are responsible for roughly 98% of the Earth's oxygen and about 80% of the world's food. Healthy plants also help protect the environment, preserve biodiversity, and reduce the harmful effects of climate change.

This is the time to research and learn more about the biodiversity of your area and plant local provenance plants. A grant from your local Council or NRM could help you. (read more below)

Environment Grants
Do you have a small project at your service? You may want to create a butterfly garden, establish a kitchen garden, start a composting system, improve the biodiversity of the outdoor area?
NRM Education Grants are now open. Schools and preschools within the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges are invited to apply for grants to deliver projects that enable exploration of environmental sustainability in learning programs and management practices.  
Using an Education for Sustainability approach, we are looking for projects that build the capacity of a school and its community, leading to an ongoing sustainable approach.
You can access grants of up to $2000
Typed applications must be submitted by Friday 28 February 2020.
Please visit the website for full details:
 
https://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges/get-involved/grants-and-funding/environment-grants-schools-communities
 
You should also look at your local Council web site as many councils also provide small environment grants to not for profit early education services.
Onkaparinga Council has Environment grants of up to $1000 now available with applications due 10th March 2020
https://www.onkaparingacity.com/Council/Grants/Environment-Grant
The City of Marion Community Grants Program generally runs two rounds per financial year around February and August of each year. The timeline for 2020 is yet to be advised.
One of the categories grants are offered in is Valuing Nature and Sustainability
https://www.marion.sa.gov.au/services-we-offer/grants
The City of Unley has Community Grant funding of up to $4,000 available to not for profit community-based groups and organisations to support innovative and diverse community projects and/or programs that improve the wellbeing, quality of life, community participation and life skills of.
The next round of community grant funding closes at 5pm on Tuesday 31 March 2020.
https://www.unley.sa.gov.au/services-programs/grants-sponsorships

Australia’s wildlife needs you
While Australia already had the worst mammal extinction rate of any country in the world, we have now sadly had native vegetation and wildlife devasted by bushfires and floods. WWW estimates that 1.25 billion animals may have been killed during the bushfire emergency. Some of our most threatened wildlife which was already at risk may now be lost forever.
Visit the WWW website https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/bushfire-emergency#gs.wlxxs9
Getting involved will be a great project for your service or school. Support children’s agency and empowerment by discussing the issues and how they could help. Children could design poster or signs to let the community know and have a fundraising da
 The Australian Government is now running a once-in-a-10 year review of Australia’s environmental laws. This is a rare opportunity to change the course of history You have a chance to have your say by making a submission. But we only have until 17 April 2020 to make our voices heard.
More than 1,700 species of plants, animals and ecological communities are officially listed as threatened. Our current laws and system are failing to protect our unique environment and wildlife. Remember animals do not have a voice when it comes to laws and political change. They need us to speak up for them. You can get involved at:
https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/stop-australias-extinction-crisis#gs.wlxzax
 

Living more sustainably in 2020

With recent weather events and devastation of homes and habitats across Australia we have sadly received a big reminder that there is a climate emergency.
We need to ensure that we and others do not despair and remind ourselves that we can all make a difference. Is it time to set goals for yourself, your family and your service? Document and discuss these as this will hold you accountable. You could try to detoxify by researching what chemicals are in your cleaning and personal care products? Remember that the impact of these is not only on you, but on the whole world as they wash down the waterways and into our oceans. Every little step in the right direction makes a difference. Whatever you do is enough as long as you do your best.
Reflect, Refuse and Reduce:
Say no to plastic
Start a kitchen garden
Detoxify your life
Start a composting system
Buy local
Plant a native garden
Buy only recycled items
Research the products you must buy to find closed loop products
Buy nothing for a month or a year
Then send us your stories of achievement.