Coolamon Landcare worked with local school students to design and plant native community gardens, creating a more attractive civic space while building environmental knowledge and community connection.
The issue
Community gardens and public green spaces play an important role in creating places for people to connect, learn and engage with their local environment. They can also enhance the appearance of towns, support local biodiversity and provide opportunities for community involvement and environmental education. Coolamon Landcare identified an opportunity to improve a set of community gardens and create a more attractive, functional and environmentally valuable civic space for the town. The existing gardens provided an opportunity to showcase native plants but needed redevelopment and a clear design to make the most of the areas. Coolamon Landcare also wanted the project to be more than simply planting a garden. The group saw an opportunity to involve local school students in the planning and implementation, giving them practical experience with native plants and helping them develop a stronger connection to their local environment and community.
The solution
Coolamon Landcare invited local school students to become involved from the beginning of the project. A planning session was held on site where students explored the existing gardens and learnt about native plants that are suitable for the local environment. Students sketched the existing garden beds, trees and plants and discussed what new plants would complement the site. They considered practical aspects such as how many plants could fit, plant spacing and how large plants would grow when mature. Coolamon Landcare then worked with the students to develop their ideas into a garden proposal which was submitted to Council for approval. Once approved, the students returned to the site to put their plans into action by digging planting holes, planting trees and shrubs and watering them in.
The impact
This project has created a more collaborative approach to developing the community gardens, with local students directly involved in decisions and hands-on implementation. Students gained practical knowledge about native plants, garden design, plant growth, spacing and environmental care, while also seeing their ideas become part of a real community project. The gardens will provide an attractive civic space that showcases native flora suited to the Coolamon area, while providing habitat and supporting local biodiversity. Involvement from planning through to planting has helped build a sense of pride and ownership among participating students, while strengthening connections between Coolamon Landcare, local schools and the wider community. The initiative was supported by FRRR, Priority LG, Rotary and Bunnings, who contributed funding, donations and resources to help bring the native garden to life.
Case Study: Growing Native Gardens & Community Connections
Author: Felicity Chittick
Capacity building – LEP23_036_LLC12_2