We have applied for the Community Environment Action Fund for a Biodiversity School Garden.
We will have to follow an assessment criteria which will be used to rank eligible proposals. Decisions on funding will be based on this ranking.
Raising Biodiversity Awareness
- The children will learn about Biodiversity in the school garden and the different range of species found in the locality.
- We will invite local environmental groups to give workshops and advice as we need to keep spreading the word, especially to the next generation.
- We will get involved in National surveys in conjunction with The National Biodiversity Data Centre (e.g. Butterfly / Bumblebee surveys) on the Biodiversity Ireland website.
- We aim to plant a wildflower area with early, mid and late flowers which will provide colour throughout the year and will create more food sources for our pollinators.
- Build Bird / Bat Boxes, bird feeders and Bug Hotels and erect a bird bath near feeders. The children can get involved in cleaning / maintaining the feeders and monitoring and recording the birds visiting our feeders.
- We plan to have a ‘green roof’ in part of our school garden which will provide a home for plants and bugs.
- We will develop a Habitat Map which will provide a better understanding of the various species that surround us.
- Pupils will have a more meaningful and hands-on learning opportunities.
- Developing and managing for biodiversity in our school garden means working to improve the ecological qualities which will maximise the opportunities for people to experience nature close to hand.
- In a world of changing climate, over reliance on the earth's resources and loss of biodiversity, we would like to get our school community involved in a wider movement of change towards a sustainable future.