Berry Public School opens new Plant Propagation and Natural Studies Centre

For almost 30 years Berry Public School has run a plant propagation program which was established as a cooperative project between Berry teachers, parents, community volunteers and a number of community organisations such as Landcare, The Berry Men's Shed, Berry Probus and The Berry Garden Club.

The group was originally established by Barry Virtue and Dave Johnson, with the new purpose-built centre funded generous donations from throughout the community.

"For nearly 30 years we've had volunteers coming into our school, they have planted tens of thousands of trees throughout our school community, the local community and well beyond," principal Bob Willetts said.

"After operating for many years out of a small corner space on the other side of the school, which was underutilised as a learning resource, we have been able to have this wonderful propagating centre and learning facility established.

"The centre will allow us, in a real rich, authentic way to bring the science curriculum to life.

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"As a school, we are so lucky to have such wonderful parent and community volunteers who bring in and share their incredible knowledge, skills and expertise with our students.

"Students walk away with a deep knowledge of plant propagation."

The program is a chance for the students to not only do something for the environment and school but provides a chance to learn and get their hands dirty.

"One the best ways to learn is to get your hands dirty," Mr Willetts said.

"To learn about fruits, seeds and propagation, it's one thing to talk about it or watch a video. It's nothing like coming in and getting their hands in the soil and experience how it really works and how works it our own community, linking the history of the town where the plants have been.

"It brings the curriculum to life."

The school crest bears the words, Growing in Knowledge, with Mr Willetts saying over the years thousands of students, teachers and volunteers have contributed to propagating and planting trees.

"The future of this whole part of the school, which is now seen as an environmental hub, is exciting"

Mr Willetts said you couldn't put a price on how much the centre was worth.

"You can't put into words, in a number value, what it is actually worth," he said.

"The in-kind donations, on top of the financial donations, on top of the time and energy would go into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"This is a world-class learning facility that all those volunteers and donations have created."

He praised long-time volunteers John and Lyn Clark who "took the concept, an idea and turned it into something incredibly tangible".

Mr Willetts said the school was "incredibly grateful" for the generous donations and grants from Berry Garden Club and Veolia Trust, Fulton Hogan, Berry Landcare, its ever-supportive P and C and the in-kind donations that have flowed from our parents and the community making the learning facility possible.

"We are also incredibly grateful for the passion, enthusiasm and knowledge of all of our parent and community plant propagation volunteers," he said.

"But we would not be standing here without the outstanding work of Lyn and John Clark who have created and seized on every possible opportunity to facilitate the development of this resource for our school.

"Their leadership and superhuman efforts to design and build this amazing place that contributes to our vision, to our school."

Mrs Clark paid credit to Barry Virtue and Dave Johnson who had started the project.

"If they hadn't done what they did we wouldn't have what we do today," she said.

"I've often said the only reason I come to plant prop is that I really like what we do and really think it's a valuable asset school community.

"It is a fabulous building and fabulous facility and apart from being a fabulous structure, it is what is going to happen inside that will be the most important thing.

"And the thing that will carry that forward is the volunteers, assisting the staff with what they need to do.

"This facility is so good to do the practical things you can't do in a classroom and kids need to have that practical experience.

"We are happy to teach the things we know."

Mr Clark said the enjoyment of offering kids choices was priceless.

"The more choices people have in life the better choices they make," he said

"And by starting off young, the children can see options that might interest them.

"We put options in front of students while providing knowledge about the environment as part of the science curriculum."

Mrs Clark and fellow volunteer Jenny Clapman cut the ribbon to officially declare the centre open.

To celebrate the students, along with a number of volunteers and teachers, planted out another section of the school's grounds with a number of trees and groundcovers.