"Grüne Daumen" für Studenten an der University of Canberra

International students get green thumbs

A student in her final year at the University of Canberra has devised a plan through Greening Australia to help both the environment and international students.

Going on a series of field trips across the ACT, international and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) students from the University will be encouraged to make new friends and regenerate landscapes along the way in a pilot program called ‘Putting Down Roots’.

Bachelor of Community Education student Isobel Shearman came up with the idea as her final year project after she saw a need arising when she assisted at a workshop for international students last year.

"The students expressed that they were experiencing issues such as isolation and exclusion arising from cultural and language barriers," Ms Shearman said.

"We saw that it took up to two years for some to make friends in Australia, so there's a need for inclusion experiences for them but there's also that need to regenerate Australian landscapes due to our consumption, urban living, agriculture land and so on, so hopefully we can help both".

The free environmental and social field trips will see students travel by mini bus in small groups to seed collection sites such as national parks and the Greening Australia Capital Region nursery to collect native seeds, make clay seed balls, learn about propagation and seedling care and, of course, plant trees.

"When you take someone out to plant a tree it becomes quite empowering for them because they know that tree they planted is going to grow long after they have left the site," Ms Shearman said.

Now with a keen interest in environmental sustainability, Ms Shearman was a youth worker for four years before deciding to further her studies at the University, where she said one unit in particular, called Sustainable Communities, changed her way of thinking and brought this green idea on.

"That just changed my whole path - it was my inspiration to go and plant trees. That was certainly a life-changing course for me, it gave me awareness of everything we do and the impact we have on the planet.

“By just being aware I got my electricity down from $500 in winter to around $300, I had to call up and check they hadn't made a mistake!"

Ms Shearman's project is supported and supervised by Greening Australia Capital Region, an environmental restoration and community and engagement organisation where she is currently undertaking the project as part of her degree.

The free trips will be run by Mark Jones from the Seeds for Survival Program through Greening Australia Capital Region from December to February; with Ms Shearman submitting a report about the project when it is complete to test it's viability in the future.

Quelle: Kristyn Comino, University of Canberra,12. November 2009, CRICOS Provider Code 00212K