School children bring sunshine back to the wattle

The sunshine wattle (Acacia terminalis subsp. Eastern Sydney) is an iconic Australian Acacia species. You may recognise its cousin (hint: it’s Australia’s floral emblem and a part of our coat of arms) – but despite its more famous kin, the sunshine wattle is endangered in New South Wales and its future is uncertain.

What is certain is that our committed threatened species experts, together with the next generation, are eager to get their hands dirty to protect threatened plants and species, starting right in their classrooms.

Classroom conservation 

Operation Wattle is a hands-on school-based initiative by Saving our Species. The project is enabling 100 grade 3 students from Balgowlah Heights Public School to learn about this beautiful native plant that lives in their neighbourhood. Along with developing projects to promote the species, students are growing plants from seeds to then plant back in the wild. 

Key to the project’s success is the support of Plantfulness, whose contribution of gloves and tools is keeping small hands safe while planting young wattle (tubestock) at North Head in Sydney Harbour National Park. These plantings will help increase the wild sunshine wattle population in the park.

Bonnie Hook, charity manager at Plantfulness, says, 'Plantfulness is thrilled to support the NSW Government's Saving our Species program. We believe in gardening for good, and we know that gardening can have such a positive impact on your mental and physical wellbeing. The earlier we can impart that on students the better!

‘Through this partnership, we are grateful to be able to work with and educate students on the importance of all species and their place in our ecosystem. By giving them the tools to do this work, their learning can be practical in its manner of actually saving species and will leave a lasting effect on their experience of working to save our important animal habitats.’

Erica Mahon, Saving our Species, Senior Project Officer says, ‘Operation Wattle inspires young minds by immersing children in the art of seed propagation to help safeguard the endangered sunshine wattle. Thanks to the generous support of Plantfulness, each child was provided with tools and gloves that are essential to plant their seedling and secure their decorated plant guards to protect the new plantings.'

• Read more about our Plantfulness partnership.

Start a conversation about conservation

Empowering young conservationists with the right tools is one of the ways we can secure the future of our threatened plants, animals and ecological communities across New South Wales.

Explore what your organisation can do by contacting the Saving our Species Partnerships Team to start a conversation about conservation today.