Balnarring Primary School has undertaken many projects as part of their AuSSi Vic and sustainability journey. One of the most rewarding has been in the development of Balbirooroo Community Wetlands and its associated woodlands & ephemeral wetlands. This project has seen a huge increase in biodiversity on the site, including significant wetland bird species as well as protecting & expanding an area of remnant Swamp Paperbark - a threatened regional flora. Along with an opportunity to provide an active ‘hands-on’ curriculum resource for the students of the school, it has created a wonderful community-based project which has shown that we can make a difference.

Following BPS's excellent implementation of an Energy Smart program leading to a 25% reduction in total school energy use, the ongoing development/revegetation of the Balbirooroo site & school grounds
 has led the school to seek formal accounting of the wetland as a bio sink.

To this purpose BPS is now looking to having the wetland registered as an operational 80 tonne carbon sink. This means that through curriculum and community activity, BPS is offsetting more carbon than they produce every year.

This is a school that Got Smart and Got Even!

School website:  http://www.balnarringps.vic.edu.au/

Wetlands website:  http://www.balnarringps.vic.edu.au/wetlands/index.htm