| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Behemoth |
If you should go down to the woods....I'm off this afternoon and am quite excited. The Groundworks Trust team are at the school woodland/veg plot installing paths, raised beds, compost bins and an openair classroom area.Anybody else involved in school wildlife / veg programmes? We're just starting out - any ideas, suggestions. tips etc are very welcome. 
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| bernie-woman |
We have two primary schools involved in the local nature reserve - they frequetly come down to the reserve for pond dipping, bug hunts, making bird/bat boxes, tree identifiction, planting etc... great fun and fantastic for the kids to get thoroughly filthy
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| Behemoth |
Any links to bird/bat boxes designs?
It's NationalBird Box month next Feb I think. The kids ar eprimary age and I'm not sure they could make the boxes, they could probably assemble them though. |
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| tahir |
I really really need to get started with the kids at our school. The schools not interested at all so it'll have to be off our own back so I'll be monitoring this thread with interest. | ||
| Behemoth |
If the space is to be for community use there is all sorts of help available through Groundworks, BTCV, local employers doing their bit, and something called the living/open space. MOst can offer advice and labour and if it looks like a viable project there may even be grants available. | ||
| bernie-woman |
The kids we have down there are primary age and what we do is have a template for the designs -(two designs, one with a hole at the front and the other with a much larger area for the birds to get in) - we cut the wood into the various components and give the kids a kit each with some wood glue and then one of the adults follow with a bit of hammering, they are then involved with helping putting them up (not going up the ladders but holding the ladder, choosing which tree should have a box etc..), then we have a clearing bird box day also which involves the boxes being taken off the trees and being emptied of the inhabitants nest once the fledglings have left - this is always great fun as the kids get a chance to match the different nests to different birds and they love screaming eughh! at the droppings, mites etc.. that are inevitably in the boxes. Some links with templates http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/birds/thingstodo/nestbox.shtml A good link for the different diameter of holes required for different birds - http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/nestboxes/nestboxes/making.asp Bat box template - http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/nestboxes/batbox/building_the_box.asp Owl/kestrel box instructions http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/nestboxes/owlskestrels/index.asp |
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| tahir |
Yer having a larf, no way am I going for grants. My local BTCV fella is a good bloke, I'll speak to him about a few things. |
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| bernie-woman |
There is definitely money out there with a lot of it slanted at conservation education - most loacl authorities/councils have a bod who is employed as a funding officer who at the very least will let you go and sit infront of their computer to search on their funding software - all you have to do is put some of the project criteria in and the software will search for potentialy suitable funding applications
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| Behemoth |
In our case so far:
Council land, 25 year lease to local factory owner (to stop the land being built on). He's a Governor at the school. He's made the land available for the community and gets a reduction in his rent. He's fenced it to provide security to the woodland and his property. Yorkshire Water have helped clear part of the site of litter, flytipping and scrub. Groundworks are installing beds and paths. BCTV will help with woodland management. |
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| Behemoth |
Thanks for the link bernie woman.
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| Jamanda |
Our little boy's primary school does a thing called forest school. Every Thursday afternoon he spends in a wood doing various activities. This week they made insect hibernation boxes and and model caterpillars out of conkers and string. And they light a camp fire and make hot chocolate. As they move up in to juniors he will get to do more and more of it. He loves it.
The people who trained the school staff are here |
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| Penny |
These look good
http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/ Part of the Woodland Trust |