Environmental Activities for Schools

Transcription

1 nvironmental Activities for Schools

2 The Living nvironment Trust Living Canals - Coventrian The Living nvironment Trust is an environmental charity based in Coventry, which aims to promote environmental and sustainability awareness within local communities, as a means of engaging and involving people in a range of experiences that will expand their own understanding of environmental issues and improve their neighbourhoods. Accordingly, the Trust uses the restoration of neglected inner-city green spes as a way to engage a range of community groups, whilst also serving to enhance and expand the existing biodiversity and develop important community and educational resources. Mission statement: A 25m long narrowboat was donated to The Living nvironment Trust in The Coventrian provides an invaluable opportunity for school children and community groups to experience the unique resource that is the Coventry canal. Trips take ple from Swan Lane Wharf and, cording to the duration, can travel in either direction towards Coventry Canal Basin or Hawkesbury Junction and return. Schools can request an educational commentary onboard, which highlights aspects of history and heritage, travel and transport, water ecology and sustainability; or alternatively, they can simply enjoy a trip along the canal! 02 The Trust delivers a range of informal and semi-informal environmental programmes including educational pkages in schools and children s green parties as a means of promoting a greater awareness and understanding from an early age. Many of the educational sessions are delivered in the field alongside work that is being undertaken by the Trust in areas of environmental management, so that the educational experiences are drawn from prtical engagement. In addition, a 25m long narrowboat - the Coventrian - was donated to the Trust in 2008 and presents a unique opportunity for children and community groups to understand the environmental aspects and heritage that is specific to the canal networks. The Coventrian is also available for private hire to cater for a range of social and corporate functions and children s parties themed around the Pirates of the Coventrian. To work with local communities in the restoration and revitalisation of neglected open spes to improve their environmental and ecological value, so that they can become valuable community and educational resources. Hawkesbury Junction 03 Coventry Canal Basin Swan Lane Wharf

3 xperience the Outdoors at The Alan Higgs Centre The Alan Higgs Centre is set within 80 res of open spe that is gradually being restored following many years of neglect Laid Hedgerows Butterfly Garden A management technique to enhance existing hedgerows, whilst benefiting wildlife all year round. Created as a habitat to observe the whole life cycle of butterflies. and vandalism with the aim of creating an ecosystem of high ecological value, whilst also providing abundant opportunity for educational and learning tivities. Sensory Garden Therefore, the Trust has developed educational tours of the site that provide an insight into the transformation, which An opportunity to experience nature in a different way that challenges the use of the 5 senses. uses intertive experiences and worksheets to assist children in their understanding of the various areas that have been developed. The areas that are included within the tour and intertive experience are: AY dit ch RD W ALLA mp tree stu po we X ce ss pa rk ILW AY g rv ice RA in fallen IGGS Cottage Garden R CNT ice ce AN H TH AL rv OW 2B wood ss PIT TIC SYNTH AC RR MAD CAR PA se ead tree/d LIN pylon CH T STUR PA 2 OW 2A MAD URTS po ALL CO NTB we r li ne s e1 e2 R AC RR T SKA PIT 3 PASTU T PA CH 1 AL IC SW COPP 4 SWAL rs popla LIF WILD pice w cop Willo ed retain A demonstration on the development of a small plot of land in order to attrt a range of wildlife species. ND D G AL SW e4 e3 Hedgerows LA pylon 5 t circle log sea RIVR SOW OW 3 MAD e holt Y ARA log pil RAL PLA NATU RIVR Hundreds of metres of native hedgerows that support and shelter a wide range of wildlife species. ND LA OD WO G D FOO TBRI Sowe DG ducational Pond Garden Allotments A walk along a section of the River Sowe, with the opportunity to see the resident kingfisher! Fitted and fully equipped with pond dipping filities and charts to match the catch! A live site demonstration on growing food for life vegetables organically. SOW Natural Play Trail A fun way to test balancing and climbing skills, along a trail of natural structures. tpath y Foo Valle River Sowe RIVR SOW co N'S NDSM GROU OUND COMP s MAD log sea 04 et rp ca CAR PA ne se ivy r li OW 1A t circle Over 30 res of natural habitat that support a wide range of invertebrates, from ladybirds and beetles to butterflies and grasshoppers. es h Meadowland OW 1B MAD Dead Wood Habitat A natural habitat to explore a variety of invertebrates, from woodlice and millipedes to spiders and beetles. 05

4 nvironmental Activities The Living nvironment Trust offers a wide range of environmental tivities for schools, either at The Alan Higgs Centre or within the school grounds. The tivities are developed in a modular format, so that they can be tailored to the specific needs, with sessions ranging from 1 hour to 1 day in length. Orienteering Bringing together an exercise of body and mind, whilst developing map reading, compass and team building skills. The tivities include: Treasure Hunts Learning intertively through a range of habitats and open spes, whilst developing map reading and team building skills - to discover the treasure! Birds of Prey Learn about birds of prey and enjoy an opportunity to intert with and hold the birds. (Available at The Alan Higgs Centre and potentially at the school, subject to the suitability of the area) Habitat Creation / Restoration nvironmental Crafts Developing wildlife habitats within the school grounds or Using arts and crafts, along with the building of wildlife at The Alan Higgs Centre, through prtical conservation boxes to understand wildlife and habitats intertively. skills. Minibeast Safaris nvironmental Games njoy a tour of The Alan Higgs Centre grounds with Learning about concepts of adaptation, camouflage, magnifying lenses and key charts to help identify the germination and food web through a range of intertive various species of minibeasts that can be found within the games and tivities. different habitats.

5 For more information contt: Raffaella Tentindo Trust Manager - The Living nvironment Trust rrtentindo@tlet.co.uk