YOUNG students at Faith Lutheran College will add bush tucker and indigenous plants to their orchard having shared in the latest round of environmental grants totalling $200,000.

The college’s junior school was awarded $1960 as one of 59 school bodies to receive a grant from the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board.

Faith Lutheran College’s Sustainable Outdoor Learning Environment (SOLE) program co-ordinator Annabel Biagi said the school community is thrilled with the support.

“Not only is this perfectly befitting of our SOLE program and values, the benefits for our school are threefold; the broad learning outcomes for our children, community education and reciprocity, and local environmental biodiversity and custodianship,” she said.

“We especially look forward to making use of the bush tucker plants in our Stephanie Alexander cooking units of work.”

Other nearby schools to share in the environmental funding were Light Pass Primary ($1275 for a new bin system), Mark Oliphant College Children’s Centre ($2000 for bush playgroup), and Nuriootpa High School ($2000 for a Blue Gum woodland greenspace project).

Meanwhile, just over half of the total funding has been granted to 19 SA community groups.

Friends of Para Wirra has received $9033 to help it continue the restoration of riparian vegetation  and the adjacent slopes of the South Para Valley, as well as provide bush care training with Scouts and Cubs, and host an environment day with young local students.

The Two Wells Community Nursery will be able to provide training workshops for existing group members, having received $4975.

And, the Friends of the Barossa Bushgardens has received $3910 for the installation of directional and interpretive signage within the Barossa Bushgardens.

NRM Board member David Greenhough said the grants will be funding exciting and innovative ideas.

“The community environment grants support community groups to do projects which promote the sustainable management of natural resources while helping to build skills, awareness and knowledge in the community,” he said.

“The school environment grants help support students to lead sustainability projects, or to connect with nature, biodiversity and outdoor learning.”