As part of the Year 11 ATAR Biology course, students are required to complete fieldwork in order to measure the impact humans have on our environment. On Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 October, the Year 11 Biology class travelled out to the Perth Hills Discovery Centre near Mundaring Weir. Students participated in two days of ecological fieldwork with the aim of collecting data on the animals and plants that live in the area.
During the camp students learnt about the geology of the Perth Hills, the flora and fauna species that are found on the Darling Escarpment, and how fire effects the West Australian bushland. Students also had the opportunity to meet rehabilitated animals including a Woylie, some adorable joeys and an Echidna named Lulu who just loved to have her belly tickled.
Overnight students helped set up some Sheffield and Elliot traps to capture animals to be measured for conversation uses. We managed to encounter a small marsupial called a Mardo which we successfully measured before releasing back into the wild.
Overall the camp was a big success with lots of useful data obtained and gave students a great insight into the important work biologists do in the field to track the effects of climate change and human development.
A big thank you must go to Ms Randall for her support on the camp and to all the staff at the Perth Hills Discovery Centre for their expertise and knowledge of the area.
Mr Alex Boyer – Humanities and Social Science Teacher