These resources will assist in engaging primary and secondary school students to gain a greater understanding of the sustainable management of Australia’s natural and environmental resources and heritage.
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Sustainable living
Sustainable living practices aim to maintain a lifestyle that is consistent with the natural balance of the Earth's ecology. The outcome of sustainable living is to reduce the carbon footprint created through modern life and to leave the Earth's ecology healthy and safe for future generations.
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Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of all life forms on earth -- the different plants, animals and micro-organisms and the ecosystems of which they are a part. Humans depend, directly and indirectly, on living systems for our health and wellbeing. No matter how technologically advanced we are, we rely on food, fibre, materials and energy from nature for our continuing existence.
- Protecting the environment and biodiversity
- Green Kids Guide to Threatened Species
- Threatened Species and ecological communities
- EPBC Act Threatened fauna
- EPBC Act Threatened flora
- Feral Animals
- Invasive Species
- Weeds
- Wildlife Trade and conservation
- Species profile and Threats Database
- The Protected Matters Search Tool
- Databases and maps
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Marine
Australia's vast oceans provide many benefits to its people and its visitors alike - as a source of food, recreation, and a range of industries such as minerals and energy that contribute to our economy. Our oceans, and the life in them, need to remain healthy, productive and resilient so that future generations can enjoy them as we do now.
- Coasts and Marine - What is Australia doing?
- Discovery – explore the mysteries of the deep: Teachers resources
- Great Barrier Reef: Student and teacher resources
- ReefED: Teacher resources
- ReefED: Guardians
- Marine Species Conservation
- Marine Pollution
- Coasts and Marine
- Kids Discovery Game and Minke whale video
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Heritage
Heritage includes places, values, traditions, events and experiences that capture where we've come from, where we are now and gives context to where we are headed as a community. Our heritage gives us understanding and conveys the stories of our development as a nation, our spirit and ingenuity, and our unique, living landscapes. Heritage is an inheritance that helps define our future.
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Land
Land is all around us, from the wide open plains, high mountains, flowing rivers and suburban areas. The land is our environment and provides us with clean water, clean air and healthy soils, as well as maintaining our unique biological diversity. Unfortunately some human interactions with our land creates changes to the natural landscape and in some instances we cause damage to waterways, plants and animals. Through the Caring for our Country initiative, activities are undertaken to maintain landscapes and biodiversity while balancing our lifestyle and production needs.
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Water
Australia faces major challenges in ensuring our water recourses are shared and managed sustainably. Australia's water is vital for healthy river systems and wetlands and is also needed in the agricultural and manufacturing industries to produce food and products.. The Water for the Future program takes action to address water shortages around the country, and these actions are shaped by the best available information on water availability and the way we use water.
- Water for the Future
- Water – key concepts search
- Australian Water Education Toolkit
- The Murray-Darling Basin: Balancing the priorities of agriculture and the environment - Teacher guide and lesson plans; lower secondary
- Northern Australia and the Wet Tropics: Water extremes and sustainability - Teacher guide and lesson plans; lower secondary
- The Lake Eyre Basin: A unique river system worth maintaining - Teacher guide and lesson plans; lower secondary
- The Great Artesian Basin: Water in the dry interior - Teacher guide and lesson plans; lower secondary
- Discovering Wetlands in Australia: Primary classroom resource
- World Wetlands Day
- Exploring Wetlands
- About Australian Wetlands Database
- Water quality
- Lake Eyre Basin
- Water Down Under – The Great Artesian Basin Story
- History of Water Management in the Murray-Darling Basin
- Water for the Future – Local stories
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Parks
Parks Australia supports the Director of National Parks, the federal park agency, in conserving Australia's biodiversity and cultural heritage. The Commonwealth's terrestrial protected areas, including six national parks (three jointly managed with their traditional owners) and two botanic gardens, are managed by Parks Australia. The national parks range from tiny Pulu-Keeling, a pristine atoll far out in the Indian Ocean, to the iconic World-Heritage-listed Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta and the Booderee National Parks.
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Indigenous Australians
The Australian Government has a long history of working with Indigenous people, particularly in natural resource management and heritage related activities. We recognise and respect the knowledge Indigenous people have in managing Australia's land, fresh water and sea, and in conserving biodiversity. Indigenous Australians are key partners with us in managing Australia's environment and cultural heritage.
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Antarctica
Antarctica is the highest, driest, windiest and coldest continent in the world and located right at the bottom of the world. Although Antarctica is one of the harshest environments on the planet it is it also one of the most vulnerable and needs our help to protect it. Australia is one of a group of nations who have signed the the Antarctic Treaty and there are now measures in place to protect Antarctica's plants, animals and prevent pollution of world's most pristine environment.
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Waste and Pollution
Waste is created when items are no longer fit for use and are thrown away. Waste can be as small as rubbish from a chocolate wrapper and as large as an old television. Pollution, like waste and is caused when substances end up where they shouldn't be, for example chemical pollution in our waterways or exhaust fumes from cars polluting the air and our atmosphere. The Department is helping to address waste and pollution through The National Waste Policy which is an efficient and environmentally responsible approach to waste management in Australia.
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Atmosphere
Atmosphere is a layer of gases which surrounds the earth. The Australian Government has taken decisive measures in recent years to protect the atmosphere and continues to work to improve the quality of air in urban areas and to promote the recovery of the ozone layer. The focus is now on improving fuel quality and reducing vehicle emissions, transport options that reduce pollution without impacting on access and mobility, management of wood heater emissions and the monitoring and management of fine particle pollution.
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Laws and regulations
Laws and regulations are rules which govern issues and areas of importance. The department is responsible for legislation enforcing and monitoring a number of specific regulations around national environment law, fuel, water, pollution, heritage places and shipwrecks.
Additional resources
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Posters and stickers
Looking for a poster for your project?
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Other useful links
Still looking for information? Here are some links you might also find useful:
- Multimedia and photo galleries
- Databases and Maps
- The Protected Matters Search Tool
- Australian Alps: Education Resources
- Murray Darling Basin Authority: Education Resources
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority: About the Reef
- Bureau of Meteorology: Students and Teachers
- Future Sparks
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Education
- LivingGreener: Take action
- Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
- Green Vehicle Guide
- Waterwatch Australia
- CSIRO: Education
- Indigenous resources
