When Mount Lawley Senior High School Chaplain Andrew Paul caught wind of a new conservation cadet scheme for WA youth—Bush Rangers WA—he stopped the school principal halfway down the stairs to put his hand up to be the Cadet Unit Leader for the school.
Twenty-five years later, and Andrew still proudly holds the position, and has grown the Mount Lawley Bush Rangers WA cadet unit from nine cadets to 125.
“What started as something that people didn’t understand has become a cadet unit with a fantastic and vibrant reputation within our school community,” Andrew said.
“Since 1998, we’ve been meeting every Monday after school for two hours to learn about camping and the environment, and to plan our next trip.”
The Bush Rangers WA cadet program is part of the wider Cadets WA program facilitated by the Department of Communities. The program is coordinated by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and empowers young people in high school to explore and discover the importance of conserving Western Australia’s unique natural biodiversity.
Bush Rangers was established in 1998 alongside the Emergency Services Cadets, Police Rangers, Air Force Cadets, Army Cadets, Navy Cadets and Surf Life Saving Cadets. This year, Bush Rangers is proudly celebrating 25 years of empowering young people to play an active role in conserving WA’s natural environment, through practical hands-on experiences. Today, schoolteachers from more than 70 cadet units around the State dedicate time to the program, most of it voluntary, in addition to their regular teaching or assisting duties.
Making a difference
Cadets participate in a range of activities that develop leadership and life skills, and a sense of community responsibility and service, with tailored experiences for students with a range of abilities, giving them an opportunity to take part in conservation projects that make a real difference.
“The early days were tentative,” Andrew said. “The whole process was new. There was funding, so we started to buy some basic camping equipment — tents and rucksacks—and developed the start of our camping program.”
The benefits of the program go beyond conservation, by also making a positive contribution to the development of young community leaders.
“It is a chance for our senior cadets to practise their leadership skills, because they do most of the teaching,” he said.
“In preparation for the camps, senior cadets are in charge of the food, packing the equipment, organising our tents and making sure that everyone has a place to sleep at night. It means that they really do get to practise leadership, and they pass on their roles to the new cadets before they leave.”
Hands-on conservation
Students complete tasks ranging from revegetation, rubbish collection, wildlife monitoring and fencing, both in their schools and in other areas.
“On the camps, cadets participate in a range of community service and conservation activities,” Andrew said.
“We have brushed out tracks in Shark Bay, weeded in so many places I can’t remember, helped to fix walking trails, cleaned marine debris from beaches, built new fences and removed old fences.
“We have worked in national parks as far afield as Francois Peron, Cape Range, Leeuwin-Naturaliste and D’Entrecasteaux national parks, learning about the areas and the specific environmental concerns.
“Through it all, the cadets have worked diligently, proud of the efforts they have made to help the environment.” Cadet coordinators play a key role in supporting individual schools.
“It was the people who built our cadet unit,” he said. “It was the instructors, mostly teachers, who volunteered their time after school and at camps. They encouraged and taught the cadets, which led them to see parts of Western Australia that they had never dreamed of.
“And it was the cadets as well, who quickly took a sense of ownership over the program and their part in it.”
“Personally, Bush Rangers has been a wonderful journey that has taken me all over the State.”
Supporting cadets
A recent count showed there were nearly 2900 students supported by more than 320 unit leaders and instructors across WA. School teachers from cadet units volunteer their time to lead and support Bush Ranger cadets. These dedicated individuals give many hours to the program, most of it voluntary, in addition to their normal duties.
“I am indebted to the wonderful instructors who have helped me to build this wonderful cadet unit—people like Vick, Kevin, Bill, Tanyuska, Sharon and Aimee. But best of all, we have been able to share it with the next generation, and to help them to appreciate and be inspired by our amazing environment,” Andrew said.
Bush Rangers WA still holds the title for the highest participation numbers from Aboriginal cadets, female cadets and students with disability across all the cadet programs in WA.
“Personally, Bush Rangers has been a wonderful journey that has taken me all over the State,” Andrew said.
“I have cleaned the weeds from Jindawurrunha Pool at Millstream, marvelled at the gorges of Karijini, swam with turtles at Turquoise Bay at Ningaloo, walked the beaches in the south-west, visited the enormous rocks of the Wheatbelt and looked across the stunning views from countless hilltops.”
Beyond the bush
River Rangers WA cadet program is also coordinated by DBCA and is aimed at primary aged students with an emphasis on understanding and helping rivers, estuaries and waterways.
“DBCA’s Parks and Wildlife Service has given the program a focus that has been nothing short of outstanding. The investment of their time in people influences the way that cadets see and enjoy the environment,” Andrew said.
The program continues to help students understand how properly managing the natural environment can help ensure WA’s natural biodiversity assets are conserved and protected for future generations.
“It has been a busy 25 years, but extremely satisfying. We still meet up every Monday afternoon, and we still look forward to our next trip.”