Julimar Conservation and Forest Alliance
Lynn Phillip
IN THE last two years, at the Environment Matters marquee at the Toodyay Agricultural Show, we have had the wonderful opportunity to talk with our younger generations and hear what they perceive is happening in our natural environment.
Importantly they gave us their perspective of what we should be doing about it.
Since these young people are the ones who will inherit what we leave behind, for better or for worse, it is fitting that we listen to what they have to say.
While engaging with the youngsters, whose ages ranged from 6 months (with much input from Mum) to young teens, it seemed to us that they are more alert to what is happening in our natural world than many adults.
That includes, dare I say it, those in our governments of all levels and persuasions.
One day they will be voters so look out!
In 2023, when asked why they think forests are important, the children gave us some great responses which they wrote on colourful cardboard leaves.
They then illustrated the leaves and hung them on our message tree.
Here are some examples of the children’s contributions:
“The trees give vital protection for animals and oxygen.
We need trees to breath and trees also give habitat to animals.
If we did not have trees we would die because they give us everything.
One response from a young teen stated:
“It’s 2023, we are already facing a global crisis of global warming and now the destruction of forests. We still need forest otherwise our ecosystem will suffer.”
In 2024, when we repeated the exercise and asked the children what they wanted to see in Julimar Forest as a National Park, they had an overwhelming desire to see:
“More native animals, wildflowers, places to camp, trails for bush walks, big healthy trees, mushrooms and fungi, lady birds and butterflies, snakes, bobtails and thorny devils.”
One heart felt message simply read “help me please save the forest”.
I think David Attenborough would be proud of our young people, I know I am.
But surely it is not up to our children to take on the burden of changing the world.
As we know, one Swedish teenager did just that, and very successfully I might add, but it is not something we would or should expect of our young people.
They should be able to trust their elders to provide a happy, healthy and safe place to grow up.
As adults, the responsibility lies fairly and squarely on our shoulders.
We are the ones who need to be making the difference, contacting our political representatives and pointing out to them the environmental and social problems.
We need to be telling them what we expect them to do about it.
What better time than the lead up to our State and Federal elections.
As we know, the opinions and actions of voters can be powerful so please Mums and Dads, make the push for a better future for our kids.
As a local organisation based in Toodyay, Julimar Conservation and Forest Alliance is working do just that.
JCAFA has been rallying public support with a movie night, information stalls and creating and submitting a public petition asking our state government to protect Julimar State Forest as a National Park.
Our band of conservation-minded members realises the intrinsic value of this vast local asset and is determined to save it from misuse and neglect.
Not only are we doing this for the sake of the forest and every living thing that depends on it for their very existence.
We are doing it to ensure a healthy future for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
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