Greater biodiversity benefits all living things and provides opportunities for learning and teaching both while creating and while using and maintaining a biodiverse space.
To allow young people and adults to engage with nature we can take simple steps to bring nature into our school grounds – the spaces we visit every day.
Drongan PS classes are involved in developing their school grounds as part of a John Muir Award. This Drongan Primary School John Muir Award Sway is being used to keep track of progress.
EA Clean Green Education Award and Eco Schools Scotland
Greening the Estate can contribute towards both the EA Clean Green Education Award and Eco Schools Scotland award. In particular, planting for wildlife can be an element within your School Grounds and Biodiversity topics, two of the Green Flag Award 10 Topics.
Go Wild About School Grounds
The website Wild About Gardens has many suggestions to help gardeners (and schools) take action to support nature. Included are booklets with comprehensive guidance for a range of activities that would help bring nature into your space. Themes include:
Grow a Secret Garden for Butterflies
Tree Planting
EAC schools have been involved in a tree planting programme through I Dig Trees . Working with TCV Scotland in excess of 2000 trees have been planted in school grounds over the last few years.
I Dig Trees tree planting guide 2020
How to videos – How to Plant Your Trees
EAC LOST Tree Planting and Tree Care Lesson Grid and Eco Systems and Food Chain Investigations Lesson grid
More resources and support for tree planting and care can be found at Tree Council.
Trees have a huge role to play in carbon capture and therefore in Climate Action. Trees and the EAC LOST Carbon Cycle Lesson Grid and the Carbon Game can be used to introduce the concepts behind it.
Galston Primary P7 class created a fantastic video as part of their John Muir Award to talk about why they were planting trees in their school playground and the role of trees in climate action.
Follow Up Activities and Caring for Your Trees
The Lost Woods project has created resources to help you if you have decided to grow some free trees from collected acorns!
Change Grass Cutting protocols
Changing the way that grass cutting is done can make a huge difference to biodiversity. The classic school ‘field’ is frequently an underused resource. These links show what can be achieved by allowing grass to grown and suggestions for making it happen in your own establishments.
Making the Cut – Grass Cutting in EAC Schools
Grass Cutting Agreement Document Framework
Press Release – Making the Cut Biodiversity and Grass Cutting in EAC School Grounds
Use your outdoor space to explore RME themes Design and Create a Labyrinth and Labyrinth Example and What is a Labyrinth? Leaflet
Turn your School Grounds into Hedgehog Friendly Spaces
Hedgehogs are one of the UK’s most best loved mammals appearing in many children’s stories and appreciated by gardeners for their slug eating ability. Unfortunately, the UK population is in decline – hedgehogs are listed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’.
30th April – 6th May is Hedgehog Awareness Week, 2023
There are many simple things we can do to support local hedgehog populations. These resources from the People’s Trust for Endangered Species will tell you more about the practical action you and your class can take and help us learn about hedgehogs and the role they play in local ecosystems.
Hedgehog-hazards-leaders-notes and Hazards
This fun film from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society shows how we can turn gardens (and schools grounds) into a UK wide nature reserve.
Planting for Pollinators
Pollinators (which include butterflies and bees) need our help if they are keep doing the important work they do in creating a balanced and rich environment for us all to live in. Bug Life have created Bug Life Activities for Schools .These include Bug Life Scottish Education Pack and the B Lines School Pack a series of pollinator focused activities.
Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) promotes the conservation of bumble bees and biodiversity and includes a BBCT Learning Zone. Lots of suggestions for fun and practical outdoor activities BBCT activities, crafts and games.
The Polli:nation Maintenance Booklet is a useful guide to managing school grounds for the benefit of children and pollinating insects.
In All about the bees you will learn how EAC Logan PS have brought bees and bee keeping into their school grounds and includes films showing the Logan bee keepers in action.
Log Piles and Deadwood as Wildlife Habitats
Many creatures (from small mammals to invertebrates) will find shelter and food in a simple log pile. RHS Advice on Deadwood and Wildlife Habitats is a comprehensive guide to improving biodiversity in your space at very little cost.
RSPB Wild Challenge Activity – Habitat Heaps shows how easy it is to involve even the youngest pupils in school grounds development and earn an RSPB Schools Wild Challenge at the same time!
Find out more about the significance of deadwood in our local ecosystems and take part in a Citizen Science project The Dead Good Deadwood Survey.
For information on other Citizen Science projects you can become involved in TCV Scotland Citizen Science Overview
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Planting for wildlife and caring for trees is a means to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals
https://www.globalgoals.org/15-life-on-land
https://www.globalgoals.org/13-climate-action
