Several years ago we applied for a small grant from Melbourne Water to create a habitat which will encourage frogs to our school grounds. Students researched to explore what kind of environment would be conducive to frogs and their food source to survive, breed and thrive in. Using the grant and a generous donation of the liner from one of our families, our parent community worked to develop this area.
This is an area in which students may only visit with a teacher. This is unusual in our gardens as our students play freely in all areas of our school, however students understand that this habitat while it provides our students with a variety of learning opportunities, has been created to increase biodiversity and in particular to create a safe area for frogs to breed. Our students respect this and no one enters without permission. This area is maintained by our students and it is used for ponding lessons, art sessions, planting etc.
At this stage, eventhough many other creatures and birdlife visit our pond freely, we haven't spotted any frogs and we continue to monitor this habitat and hope that the frogs living nearby will hear about this great place to live!.
This working bee with our school families in 2007 planted out the area.
This is our Frog Habitat now. The pond refills via harvested rainwater from the Music Room roof and runs down into the rocks leading to the pond. Plants are establishing and we resist from making this area too "neat" in order to provide a natural place for our frog population...when they come!
