NSWTR 2024 HR - Flipbook - Page 30
YEAR 3-4 SECTION
DATA+SPECIES SURVIVAL INTRODUCTION
THE BEAUTIFUL
BANKSIA CUNEATA IS
ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S
MOST ENDANGERED
PLANTS
BIODIVERSITY
BY NUMBERS
Ye
ar 3-4
Maths + environmental science
= a win for endangered species.
S
SPECIES SURVIVAL – MORE THAN JUST SUSTAINABILITY
BUSH BLITZ
PHOTO BY ANDREW CRAWFORD/DBCA
tudents tend to assume that maths skills are
exclusively reserved for the classroom. But in fact, data
has become essential to next-gen conservation e昀昀orts.
Climate change is bad news for our native plants and
animals, accelerating the extinction of plant and animal
life – 55 local wildlife species and 37 plants have
been driven to extinction since colonisation –
and impacting our natural resources.
Forests and rivers are disappearing at
a rapid rate, and reports state that it’s
something 83% of us regularly stress
about. So where is the land deteriorating
the most? How many species are crying
out for help? And what’s going on with
the weather?
The answers to all of the above lie in
maths – from probability and statistics to
measuring and model populations, to geometry
to calculate land areas to 昀椀nancial maths to
determine budgets for conservation programs.
Maths can reveal insights into almost any type of
environmental issue. Scientists use their data 昀氀uency when
counting wildlife, monitoring seasonal weather patterns,
and testing water and soil quality. And with citizen
science so readily accessible, researchers are increasingly
encouraging us to help them out from home.
Bush Blitz o昀昀ers an exceptional opportunity
for teachers to actively engage in conservation
e昀昀orts while enriching their classroom
experiences through the ‘Bush Blitz
TeachLive’ program. As Australia’s
largest biodiversity survey,
Bush Blitz allows educators
to join scientists in the
昀椀eld, actively participating
in surveys and gaining
昀椀rsthand knowledge of
the country’s diverse
ecosystems.
TeachLive empowers
teachers to bridge the gap
between the 昀椀eld and the
classroom, enabling them to
“teach live” by sharing realtime discoveries and experiences
with their students. This immersive
program not only enhances educators’
understanding of biodiversity but also inspires
a passion for conservation, fostering a deep
connection between teachers, students, and the
natural world.
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