Third annual ANSTO schools Shorebirds Competition goes National

Background

ANSTO is one of Australia’s premiere scientific research organisations committed to environmental research to understand the health of ecosystems and community education.  In 2018 ANSTO held its first Shorebirds Competition for primary school students in Years 3 to 6.

The competition aimed to raise awareness of the plight of shorebirds in Botany Bay and local habitats that are important for shorebirds and other organisms.

It supported the initiative taken by the Sutherland Shire Council in promoting shorebirds along their recently constructed shared pathway and well needed purpose-built shorebird roosting island in Woolooware Bay, on the southern shore of Botany Bay.

The competition aimed to raise awareness of the plight of shorebirds in Botany Bay and local habitats that are important for shorebirds and other organisms.

It supported the initiative taken by the Sutherland Shire Council in promoting shorebirds along their recently constructed shared pathway and well needed purpose-built shorebird roosting island in Woolooware Bay, on the southern shore of Botany Bay.

The competition also supported and coincided with an exhibition by 8 local artists at Hazelhurst Arts Centre entitled “The Overwintering Project: Bound for Botany Bay” that ran from 8 to 18 September.

Phil Straw, vice chair of the Australasian Wader Studies Group (AWSG) was invited to open this event with a presentation on migratory shorebirds in the East Asian Australasian Flyway. He spoke about the threats to these birds during their arduous migration between the Arctic tundra of Siberia and Alaska breeding grounds, and Australia and New Zealand, where the birds spend up to seven months of the year during their non-breeding season.

Due to the highly favourable response received from the community and schools in 2018, the Shorebirds Competition was run again in 2019, and expanded that year to include greater Sydney and Melbourne metropolitan areas.

 Shorebirds Competition 2020

The Shorebirds Competition 2020 opened on 24 March. This year, students from all regions across Australia are now invited to participate. In addition, students can now participate from home at a time when many schools may be closed in the months ahead during the coronavirus pandemic.

Students are required to learn about shorebirds and the threats to their habitats and then create a public awareness poster for a threatened shorebird in Australia. They may choose either a migratory or resident species.

With shorebirds as the focus, the competition highlights contemporary environmental issues and interconnections across different geographical scales. It provides an opportunity for learning in different subject areas: science, environmental sustainability, geography, literacy and visual art.

For teachers, the activity can be incorporated into class lessons to provide valuable learning outcomes that link to the Australian Curriculum, and sample lesson plans are provided for this.

There are great prizes to the value of more than $4000, that include education resources for winning schools and gift cards for winning students.

The Education Team at ANSTO is keen to connect with many children and communities across Australia and help spread awareness of threatened shorebirds. For expressions of interest or further information, please contact competition@ansto.gov

It is with pleasure that the AWSG endorse this effort to improve awareness of shorebirds and their habitats.

Key dates and further information

Competition closes: Friday 14th August 2020

Winners announced: World Shorebirds Day, 6 September 2020

For full information about participating and entry details go to:

https://www.ansto.gov.au/education/primary/competitions/shorebirds-competition-2020