The schools to receive the grants are Parkes East, Holy Family, Trundle and Tullamore Central Schools.

Students across Parkes Shire are progressing with projects like planting vegetable patches, learning about local flora and regenerating degraded areas around the school yard thanks to ongoing support from a local mining company. 

Northparkes has donated thousands of dollars in funding which helps teachers and their students develop projects as part of their school environmental management plans required by school curriculums- similar to those practised at mines like Northparkes Mines.

Environmental management plans at NSW mine sites can include establishing native vegetation, extensive monitoring of local flora and fauna and ensuring appropriate rehabilitation techniques.

NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said the NSW Mining EnviroSmart Awards program increases student awareness of environmental issues and pride in their schools, while also helping to raise community awareness of the way local miners care for the environment.

“Our NSW Mining EnviroSmart program supports students and their teachers to implement a local plan to take care of their schoolyard environments,” Mr Galilee said.

“Tasks as simple as recycling classroom waste or creating schoolyard composts encourage students to think about how others in their local communities – such as local environmental managers and engineers - responsibly manage impacts at nearby mining operations.

“As an industry, we work extremely hard to minimise our environmental impacts, and I’m proud that our NSW Mining EnviroSmart Awards program continues to go from strength to strength.”