SEEN meeting 26th June 2024, hosted at the Hawthorns Centre, at Southampton Common
Safety and Ecology at Southampton Common
Dawn Bannatyne, Head Ranger, Southampton Common,
A Short walk on Southampton Common and talk about management issues; plus an overview of their work and how the Rangers can offer advice to schools about improving grounds for wildlife, etc.
Dawn talked about some of the challenges of looking after a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with high public usage. Southampton Common is a species rich urban park, but the SSSI status is largely due to the nationally important population of great crested newts which breed in the miniature boating lake. Dawn explained that in order to retain the SSSI status the newt population must be monitored and protected and discussed the management of the lake. Dawn highlighted that allowing dogs to swim in the lake, contaminates the water with insecticides from flea treatments.
Dawn also explained the damage that fire does to the Common, as a potential fire risk as well as scorching the soil leaving the ground with little ecological value. This adds up to a large area annually mostly due to the number of disposable BBQs used each year. Please find attached a poster about this, please do share.
Samantha Munslow – Ecologist Southampton Common, also wanted to share the following links although she is aware that many of you will already be aware of the following, please share.
· Home | Education Nature Park
· Sustainability Support for Education
· Bupa UK Foundation Community Committees (bupafoundation.org)
Forest School in the City – Adaptable outdoor activities for nature connection.
Hannah Boussot, Bevois Town School
“It is important for all of us to take the time to stop for a moment and notice the nature around us; after all, caring about nature is the main reason why we are interested in environmental education in the first place. We did an open-ended scavenger hunt encouraging us to look for the smaller details, actively engaging with our immediate surroundings, followed by a 5-minute sit spot to holistically experience nature with all our senses. We discussed feelings of calm, wonder and peace afterwards.”
Hurst Spit to Lymington Strategy, Linking the local environmental strategy to curriculum topics
Penny Buddery, Environment Agency
Penny is starting to deliver a schools engagement programme and discussed the strategy applied to the curriculum. She asked the group to consider the feasibility of referring to a local strategy to curriculum topics. She welcomed feedback on best practice to take back to consider as their delivery methods.
Activities of the Upper Shirley High Eco Committee
Joseph Davies, Upper Shirley High
Joseph presented findings on the importance of the environment for young people. He provided an overview of the ‘plastic problem’ and the steps that Upper Shirley High are taking to highlight the problem and make a positive impact including building a greenhouse out of reused plastic bottles and other work on enhancing their grounds. He promoted a plant based diet as a way of reducing environmental impact, linking this to health and the food provided in schools. The slides from his presentation are attached.
Let’s Go Zero
Libby Terraz, Climate Action Advisor,
A network of free, independent experts to accelerate schools on their journey to become more sustainable and zero carbon.
Support for schools is available in many forms including site visits, report writing, and climate action plans. 1 in 10 schools have signed up to the project. Please see attached slides.
The Map and Leaves and A ship in the Dark
Yarrow Townsend, Author
How far do seabirds migrate and why? What stories might they have to tell us? And what’s putting them in danger?
To celebrate the publication of A Ship in the Dark, children’s author Yarrow Townsend is offering a limited number of free assemblies for schools in the Southampton area in July 2024. This interactive and informative session shares some of Yarrow’s adventures on the water, her love of seabirds and how the real science of bird migration inspired A Ship in the Dark. Best suited for Year 5-Year 8, this assembly can be up to 45 minutes long, for any group size.
Yarrow’s first novel, The Map of Leaves (Chicken House, 2022) was a Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week and was shortlisted for the prestigious Branford Boase Award in 2023.
For bookings, please email yarrowtownsendauthor@gmail.com
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