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Written for Birdwatch Ireland WINGS, published Autumn 2013

 

School for the birds

 

Mooney Goes Wild 'Nestwatch', has brought live footage of nesting birds into the classrooms, helping increase the interest in birds amongst primary school students. Lots of great work is being done by our schools, especially through the green flags scheme, which promotes environmentally friendly practises in schools. Over 92% of our schools are part of the scheme, and with over 3000 schools in the country, that's a lot of wildlife friendly areas. Schools are putting up nest boxes in the school grounds, assessing habitats, and increasing biodiversity in school gardens.

 

As part of the Green Schools Scheme each flag has a theme, and the 5th flag is 'Biodiversity'. To achieve this flag the school has to introduce and explain the concept of biodiversity to the staff and pupils. Then through a committee of parents and children, with help from staff, assess what wildlife and habitats the school already has, draw up an action plan to improve the situation, and then follow through on the action plan.

 

So if you're school is hoping to get the biodiversity flag or is generally interested in improving the school garden for wildlife I've a few tips for you.

 

First of all everything I've already written in previous articles is just as relevant to school gardens!! So get some back issues of WINGS and read up!!

 

The next thing to do is liaise with the school staff and make sure they're interested and supportive, and the most important member of staff in this regard is the caretaker. Yes this often forgotten member of the school staff is ultimately the person who will be given the follow up maintenance to do. I've helped plant hundreds of daffodils with school children only to have them mown down in full bloom by the caretaker, I've helped plant 400 native trees with children as part of a wildlife hedgerow, to have it be hostile to wildlife because it is continuously sprayed with herbicide by the caretaker to look 'tidy', and I've had two school vegetable and flower gardens bulldozed for extensions - so try to find out what future plans a school has before choosing a garden site.

 

One of the easiest projects to take on is a wild-flower meadow. The great thing about a meadow is it can be any size, literally a few square metres, or a whole field. If there is an area on site that is not regularly played on it would be suitable. Basically a wild flower meadow requires less maintenance, grass cutting is stopped at Christmas and not cut again until before school goes back after the summer. Although 'flowers' are pretty, and what comes to mind with a wild flower meadow, but flowering grasses are just as important for wildlife, various birds will eat grass seeds, and a wide range of insects live on grasses. Why not plant a mix of bulbs into the area for early colour, nectar and pollen?

 

A native hedgerow is great for biodiversity, providing a range of habitats and nesting opportunities. During National Tree Week in March tree saplings are available for free, and kids love planting trees. Ideally a hedgerow should be allowed to grow wild with brambles ( they provide important flowers for bees and berries for birds ) and other wild plants, and maintained as a dense hedge. Plant the saplings in a double or triple staggered row 50cm apart and trim annually, at least 1 m wide and 1.5m tall.

 

Any landscaping should include plants that have berries for birds e.g. mountain ash and crab apple trees, Cotoneaster and Berberis shrubs, ivy on walls, and every school garden should have autumn fruiting raspberries. They are ready in September when the children are back in school, are very easy to grow and prune ( just cut them all down to 10cm in winter), don't require staking and are big and juicy. What the kids don't eat the birds will!!

 

A mixed bed of flowers and herbs that will encourage insects into the garden are a colourful and interesting project to undertake. Children love scented or edible plants like mint, chives or lemon balm, all of which produce flowers to attract in pollinators. Encourage children to produce colourful plant labels.

 

A bird feeding station that is maintained- cleaned and topped up with fresh food- and includes a source of water is essential. It also allows an opportunity for the children to observe the antics of birds. Place the feeder with a view from a hallway , but not from a classroom as it might prove distracting from all the reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic!! Bird boxes can be hung, should there be a lack of natural nesting sites, but choose a quiet spot, away from school bells!!

 

Resources -

www.greenschoolsireland.org – for info on the Green Flag Scheme

 

www.treecouncil.ie/treeweek – for free native saplings

 

SEED (School Earth Education) is a joint group of Sonairte, The Organic Centre, Irish Seed Savers, Kerry Earth Education, The Wexford Organic Centre, Nano Nangle, Blackrock Education Centre, and the Marino Institute. Who can help schools with - Site Assessment, Garden plan design, Creating the garden, and practical gardening sessions with children

The Year Round Organic School Garden- is a great book on this topic to help anyone looking to work with children in an outdoor garden setting. For sale from The Irish Seed Savers Association and Kerry earth Project for approx. €15.