Book: Practical Conservation Chapter: First Steps Section: 1. Determine aims Metadata: Details Buy this book

Make a list of your aims in creating a nature area. Your main objectives will be to create a teaching resource for the school and to involve the pupils in a process that is not only creative but should also be fun. With this in mind you have then to consider what habitats you want to include. Here are some ideas to start you off:
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• Butterfly and insect garden
• Bird Table
• Chequerboard planting area
• Bulbs
• Drystone wall
• Troughs
• Seating area for elderly visitors
• Bird boxes
• Herb garden
• Lawn for ground-feeding birds
• Footpaths
• Pond
• Bird Garden
• Tree nursery
• Meadow
• Marsh
• Raised beds
• Hedges
• Fences
• Climbers on walls
• Coppice
• Bat boxes
• Woodpile
• Woodland
• Signs
• Heathland
• Nature trail
• Rockery

Creating your nature area takes time. To involve as many pupils as possible in the job, remember to leave room for future classes to develop the area and to create their own 'features' leaving them just the task of maintaining someone else's project is far less stimulating.

You may not have the space, time or money to include everything you would like consider the possibility of linking up with another local school to share costs and resources. For example you could have a butterfly garden in the nursery school, a tree nursery in the primary, and a woodland and pond in the secondary school.

Remember the purpose of education while you are 'on task'. The pupils are not just the workforce, they are being educated. Is the work to be carried out after school hours, during lunchtime or timetabled in the curriculum?

How much time do you have?

Carefully consider the future maintenance of the area before moving on to stage 2. Who will carry out the maintenance and what will be required of them? The school must be prepared to make a long-term commitment to maintaining the nature area.

Who can help you?:

• The Principal - his/her support is of vital importance
• Other Staff - will their classes be involved? Can they use the area in the curriculum?
• Grounds staff / Caretaker - involve them to work with you they are usually expected to maintain the grounds in a tidy condition and may have to be won round to the idea of planning a 'wilderness'.
• Rural Studies Advisor - for advice on design and plant materials.
• Pupils - not just the workforce can they help at the planning stage too? Consider how many will be involved and their age/ability.
• Parents - time on their hands and useful skills? Business contacts for materials? Access to a trailer?Fund raising by the PTA? Moral support.
• Outside help - BTCV, youth groups with muscle power, community training schemes for skilled help, local gardening experts...

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