Through a series of four visits per school, the Irish Seedsavers education coordinator will assist teachers and students through the process of defining biodiversity, assessing school grounds for biodiverse habitats, creating a plan to add biodiversity to school grounds, and implementing hands-on activities to increase biodiversity.
Primary school teachers and students, families of the students, and the wider communities in which the primary schools are located.
Workshop #1: Survey students and teachers to find out their level of understanding of biodiversity; explain why biodiversity is important; show visual presentation of types of species present in field, hedgerows and woodland habitats of County Clare, which can be attracted to school grounds if suitable habitat is provided
Workshop #2: Tour school grounds with teachers and students to survey existing habitats and species currently present; identify areas where new habitats (wildflower meadows, hedgerows, small ponds, orchards, vegetable gardens) can be created on school properties; create plans for school grounds that include short-term projects and long-term projects that can be implemented in future years.
Workshop #3: Hands-on projects with teachers and students to create new habitats for biodiversity on their school grounds. These projects will vary from school to school depending on their site and needs, and could include one or more of the following: making bird feeding tables and nesting boxes; planting fruiting hedgerows; restoring/improving wetland areas; planting vegetable gardens and orchards; planting native trees; planting wildflower meadows.
Workshop #4: After new habitats been created, the school grounds will be surveyed again with teachers and students to observe how the diversity of species has increased and list the species identified; a final project by the children to show what they have learned from the series of workshops – depending on the age of the children this may be written reports or drawings of what they have observed in the newly created habitats. Teachers will be provided with a publication, The Year-Round School Garden, to learn how to continue to utilize the habitats for educational projects throughout the year.
Timeline:
- April 2010: Workshop #1.
- May 2010: Workshop #2.
- June 2010: Workshop #3.
- June 2010: Open Day for parents and community to view new habitats created by students.
- September 2010: Workshop #4 with each school
Irish Seed Savers Association
Contact Details
Name: Aine Ni Fhlatharta
Tel: 061 921866
Email: aine...@gmail.com
Address: Irish Seedsavers, Capparoe, Scariff, Clare
Biodiversity Focus: Habitat type: Rural fields and woodlands of County Clare
Species: Wildflowers, native trees, birds, insects, amphibians, fruit trees, heritage vegetables
Geographic area: Five different primary schools in County Clare
