Creativity and Design at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
The FEF have developed a series of new excursion opportunities that explore the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart. The program focuses on the multiple values the gardens provide communities, as well as the adaptations and survival of native Tasmanian flora in different physical conditions. Students apply their knowledge to a creative design challenge and use Forest in a Box – Design and Make to build a new feature for the Eucalypt Woodland that represents the values of the gardens.
Students were given a brief and allowed time to plan their design. As part of the criteria, their design had to represent the conservation values of the RTBG, as well as two other important values.
This group took the enjoyment value of the gardens to a whole new level! Students designed a leaf fighting arena in which participants had to collect their own leaves from around the garden (helping with the management of the area). While in the arena, the leaves would be crushed and turned into compost for the gardens.
For their design, students designed a 3D wombat using the blocks and dowel from the Species Hotel kits. The idea behind the design was people could enter the wombat and learn more about Tasmanian flora and fauna.
This design included a flying fox through the tree tops to visit ‘gum-nut’ stations. At these stations visitors could learn about different eucalypts and the story of collecting and storing seed for conservation.