Raising Rarity School's Conservation Program

Raising Rarity is a dynamic, interdisciplinary project that unites the expertise of our science, horticulture and learning teams to conserve and manage rare and critically endangered plant species facing imminent extinction.

We lead a hands-on conservation initiative with students from schools in both Primary and Secondary settings. By offering direct support, horticultural and scientific expertise, species discovery day incursions and significant touchpoints along the journey; we equip students and staff to take on the cultivation, maintenance and long-term monitoring of a plant species identified as endangered or vulnerable to extinction in their bioregion.

We aim to build capacity and foster a collective responsibility for safeguarding Victoria's threatened plant species. Our mission is to empower communities to take local action from the ground up, nurturing a growing generation of environmental stewards and share the vision and work to protect our state's unique botanical flora.

Program Outline:

1. RBG Incursion – Species Discovery Day 
2. RBG Excursion – Research Garden Design and Set Up 
3. RBG Excursion – Planting out 
4. RBG Excursion - Plant Monitoring and Maintenance 
5. RBG Incursion – Celebration Day – Seed Harvest and Handover

Initiating the Raising Rarity program at your school occurs in Term 1 and runs for the whole year. Depending on plant species, Celebration Day occurs in Term 4 or Term 1 of the following year.

Please get in touch with raisingrarity@rbg.vic.gov.au if you have any questions or fill in the Expression of Interest form on this page if you are interested in participating in this program.