We asked: How connected to place are you How does connection to place influence your life?
Additionally, we wanted to find out if there were differences between generations?
Key finding:
We were interested to find that in our limited survey, both staff and students of Kindlehill responded similarly to the survey. Both generations reported high interest and engagement with the Blue Mountains environment and community. Both placed value on experiencing nature, and on the importance of protecting it and addressing the impacts of climate change.
This was a limited survey where staff and students represented different generations.
There were 27 respondents: 11 staff and 16 high school students
The Survey analysis:
1. What is important to you about living in the Blue Mountains?
-Staff and student both place high importance on the environment and on family/friends
2. What concerns you about living in the Blue Mountains?
|
Staff (most rated) |
Students (most rated) |
|
The raising dam wall Climate change Loss of habitat |
Climate change Bush fires The raising of the dam wall |
3. If you could tell someone new to the Blue Mountains what is important to know about living here, it would be:
|
Staff (most rated) |
Students (most rated) |
|
World Heritage Area Dharug and Gundungurra Country |
Dharug and Gundungurra Country World Heritage Area |
4. We asked people which trees they could identify, and which birds.
Students and staff both have a high recognition of iconic trees and birds that are common in the Blue Mountains. Scribbly gum rated highest, and for birds – the black and white cockatoos.
5. We asked what stunned them to gratitude.
Both staff and students expressed high appreciation for nature and some quite eloquently suggesting the experiences were meaningful. Most common were the following:
· Changing skies
· The ever present views of the escarpments
· The trees, wildlife and places of water
· The vastness of place
Our findings
· In our School there is high interest and engagement with environment, and a sense of the beauty of place
· In our survey, people evidently care about the environment and place importance of recognising that it is Dharug and Gundungurra Country.
· It is likely these people have regular positive experiences in nature such as interacting with trees, birds and changing skies.
An indication
We think it is likely that people are motivated to protect the environment and to support initiatives that address climate change.
Our question
How representative of the wider community is this sample from Kindlehill, given the centrality of care for earth, care for people throughout the School curriculum and events?
