Ardtornish Primary School
Location: 20km north east of the Adelaide city centre
Key Contact organisation: Tea-tree Gully City Council
Weed Warriors history: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
In November 2002, Ardtornish Primary School in the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges SA, became the very first National Weed Warriors School.
The grade 3's & 4's eagerly took possession of their spider mites, a biological control agent or natural enemy of Gorse, Ulex Europaeus, a weed prolific in the Mount Lofty Ranges where is it is having a significant impact on both biodiversity and productive farmland. Through the Weed Warriors program, the Ardtornish students were committed to breeding the spider mites in their classroom for six weeks before releasing them at a local bushland reserve, providing invaluable assistance to their local community in the fight against weeds.
The Ardtornish Weed Warriors marked the historic occasion through by writing songs, stories and making artwork. All went smoothly with the inaugural National Weed Warriors program, expect for a minor setback involving a school cleaner and a can of fly spray! But that is a story for another day …
