schools

wildlife gardens

Having environmentally friendly school grounds or a wildlife garden is a luxury that you may well think is beyond your schools means. The space available, tarmac playgrounds, the cost, the maintenance, vandalism problems, and lack of interest from pupils or staff are all problems that arise when addressing the concept of creating such areas. However, together we can overcome most of these hurdles with little difficulty.

FAQs

We don’t have much space – can we still have a wildlife garden?

You do not need much space to encourage wildlife into your school grounds, and many techniques and practises can be used to turn an otherwise small area into a sanctuary for wildlife. Even if you just left a bucket of water outside for a few months, you’d get a thriving little wildlife community in it.

We’re a tarmac school – what can we do?

Many inner city schools lack green areas altogether and think that there is very little that can be done on tarmac grounds but a tarmac area can most definitely become wildlife friendly. Some schools have done sterling work on such a surface, and the results can be amazing. The use of raised beds and large planter pots are a simple method of creating something from nothing.

We’ve got no money in our budget for this – what can we do?

Cost is the most regularly used reason for not developing school grounds. Some schools have more available resources than others, and are able to afford development using funds or PTA money. You can look to applying for grants. You could also consider fundraising. We have lots of other tips for reducing costs materials – where there’s a will there is a way.

What grants can we get?

Earth Calling are involved in a Council–run initiative ‘Grounds for Learning’ that provides funding ‘to encourage schools to plan and carry out environmental improvements in their grounds for the benefit of wildlife, amenity, schools and communities’.

How do we maintain our wildlife garden?

A wildlife garden is not the same as a low maintenance garden. If left alone, a garden will soon go out of control and become too wild. Regular maintenance, particularly during the spring and summer months, is essential for a healthy garden. Many of the maintenance tasks can and should be carried out by the pupils (weeding, leaf-clearance, planting). This not only keeps them interested in a project they helped to create, but also allows them to see and work in the garden out with specific wildlife studies. It then becomes their garden and they will show a loyalty toward it and feel proud in their achievements at its creation.