Fieldwork resources on CD
Go to the resources section on our website to see our suite of Fieldwork resources available on CD.

Agriculture and Land Management Fieldwork Kit
This fieldwork kit for schools was written by Dianne Hanna, an experienced geography teacher.  Although published in 2001 the fieldtrips are easily adapted to VELS and current VCE courses.  The units contain detailed teachers' notes, student fieldwork notes and activities, ideas for related class work and support materials for each of five themes:

» Farming - a comparative study of different enterprises
Participation in this fieldtrip will expose students with limited knowledge of agriculture to different farming enterprises and provide them with an overview of the production systems, the inputs and outputs and the work of the farmers. It is also meaningful for those with an understanding of agriculture as it encourages more detailed study if appropriate. The fieldwork covers both irrigated and dryland agriculture and can be adapted by teachers for any farming enterprise they are able to visit. The teachers' notes include suggestions for identifying appropriate farms to visit and Food and Agriculture in the Classroom staff may also be able to assist teachers arrange farm visits.

» Salinity in the Shepparton Irrigation Region

Explore the issue of salinity in the irrigated areas at nine sites in the Goulburn Valley. They include saline affected rural and urban land, examples of monitoring programs, and some of the management strategies on both public and private land in the context of the salinity management plan for the Region. The unit provides teachers with sufficient local and background information to complete the fieldwork with their students.
Of all the fieldtrips in the kit this one is most specific to sites in the Shepparton region. It is possible to complete it in one day from schools located, for example north of the Eastern and Tullamarine Freeways in Melbourne (up to two and a half hours travel). Otherwise information about inexpensive accommodation suitable for school groups is provided.

» Water Quality

Uses the Waterwatch program to investigate the natural and human-induced changes in water quality down a catchment. The case studies and fieldtrip examples are in the Goulburn Catchment. However the unit is a model which can be adapted for other streams and their catchments. The suggested fieldwork is based on the physical and chemical indicators of water quality, but again can be adapted to include the biological indicators.

» Native Vegetation

Investigates the changing attitudes and uses a range of examples to explore the change over time in the approach to protecting and managing existing vegetation on public and private land. It also looks at different ways of replacing vegetation cleared in the past and of using vegetation on farms, urban parkland and roadsides.

Focuses on the implementation a Whole Farm Plan on a specific farm or it could involve the development of a Whole Farm Plan. The unit contains a case study of farm in the process of implementing a Plan, along with varied support materials and related activities, some of which are useful for upper primary and lower secondary levels.

The Kit is now out of print.  Check your school library for a copy.

Contact landlearn.program@dpi.vic.gov.au, DPI Creswick or phone (03) 5824 5523 if you would like to obtain a copy of the Farm Forestry - trees at work CD.