This one’s for the kids, too

Karen Garth is Yarra Ranges’ 2009 Environmental Achiever of the Year. 				          Picture: Kath GannawayKaren Garth is Yarra Ranges’ 2009 Environmental Achiever of the Year. Picture: Kath Gannaway

By Kath Gannaway
EDUCATION is the platform on which Badger Creek resident Karen Garth has based her passion for protecting the environment.
Ms Garth who lives on Mt Toolebewong with husband Brian and their two boys – Daniel, 12 and Jeremy, 7- is the Shire of Yarra Ranges’ 2009 Environmental Achiever of the Year.
She has been the driving force behind Badger Creek Primary School’s Junior Landcare Program, which has expanded from an optional lunch-time activity to become part of the school curriculum.
Ms Garth has worked as an animal keeper at Healesville Sanctuary, operated an eco-tourism business, was a Healesville shire councillor in the lead-up to amalgamation and is member of Healesville Environment Watch Inc (HEWI).
Her passion for the environment stems from her scientific background in zoology and botany.
She said the keeper talks at the sanctuary, providing information to private land owners to help them manage their own land in terms of weeds and pest animals, and the junior land care program at Badger Creek Primary School were all about educating people to understand the natural environment and its needs.
Landcare started with ragwort control and has grown, with its recent amalgamation with the Don Valley Landcare Group, to 40 members.
The Junior Landcare Project has also grown with Worowa Aboriginal College now participating and another local school joining this year.
Ms Garth said the program has been a rewarding collaboration.
“I love learning about science and have a great love of natural history and I enjoy sharing that with the kids … it’s all about learning.
“It’s also about providing a more secure and less frightening future for kids.
“With all the negativity kids are exposed to I think they are very worried about their future, but by doing something like planting a native tree, or spreading some mulch, we are all doing our own little bit and so it’s not necessarily a feeling of helplessness; it’s not all bad news,” she said.
“It says there are things we can do, that we are tackling the problems and it doesn’t all have to be as frightening.”
She said the award recognised not only her contribution, but the work done by many people with the same passion and commitment to the environment.
“You don’t do it for the accolades, you do it for the enjoyment and, with Junior Landcare, you do it for the kids, because the kids want it to happen.”