Tumut Community Preschool Unveil New Duck Feeding Sign at Pioneer Park

Published on 05 November 2019

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Students from Tumut Community Preschool joined Councillor Andrianna Benjamin at Pioneer Park on Friday 1 November to unveil new signage at ‘the Duck Park’.

The sign, designed by the students of the preschool, informs park visitors of the issues created when feeding bread to the ducks, and offers suitable, healthy alternatives.

The children from Gindhay Room commenced a class project in June researching the diet of the ducks at Pioneer Park. They undertook a survey of what people fed the ducks and found most people fed them bread. 

Bread is often a favourite choice for feeding ducks, however bread is like fast food for ducks, of little nutritional value, and can make them sick. Also, uneaten bread sinks causing nutrient pollution, which in turn leads to an increase in the soil bacteria that can cause disease in water fowl.

For many local families, feeding ducks at Pioneer Park and other local waterways is an enjoyable way of interacting with wildlife.

“The Preschool students researched healthier food options that people can feed the ducks instead of bread and wanted to share their information, so they came up with the idea of a sign,” said Gindhay Room Early Childhood Teacher, Lauren Sargent.

Tumut Community Preschool Student, Lacey Martin, said “the sign tells people not to feed bread to the ducks. If they keep feeding the ducks bread, the ducks will get angel wings.”

Councillor Benjamin said “This is a great community project, initiated by the students of Tumut Community Preschool and they are to be congratulated.

“Many visitors to Pioneer Park may not be aware of the healthier alternatives for the ducks and geese here, so this is a great way to educate the community and improve the health of the wildlife and the lagoon.”

 

 

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