Town Scouts lend a hand to to create ‘ourdoor classroom’ (From Knutsford Guardian)
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Town Scouts lend a hand to to create ‘ourdoor classroom’
12:10pm Sunday 10th March 2013 in News
By James Wilson
Knutsford Scouts help to create the wild classroom. From left, James Woods, Nick Rowles from Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Edward Lawton and Janet Ward from INEOS ChlorVinyls
KNUTSFORD’S Scouts have lent a hand to help build an outdoor classroom on the banks of the River Mersey.
The 1st Knutsford Scouts group has helped Cheshire Wildlife Trust prepare an outdoor classroom at the Wigg Island Community Park on the banks of the Mersey.
The wildlife charity is set to hold the first of its new Forest School programmes at the reclaimed industrial site this spring.
The youngsters, aged 11 to 13, were able to get stuck in thanks to a new set of tools bought with funding provided by Cheshire-based chemical manufacturer INEOS ChlorVinyls.
The Scouts tackled an area of overgrown trees at the park, reducing their size through coppicing, a traditional woodland technique that allows for better access for sunlight and healthier re-growth, particularly in species like hazel and willow.
The additional space and pathways the Scouts have created will partner an ‘outdoor classroom’ made with giant logs, a centrepiece of the Scandinavian-inspired Forest School teaching technique.
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust took on the management of the Wigg Island Visitor Centre last year, and is now supporting Halton Borough Council in improving the overall wildlife value of the 23-hectare site from woodlands to wildflower meadows.
Nick Rowles from the Trust said: “It’s been great to have a helping hand from the Scouts, as coppicing is one task where many hands make light work.
“We’ll be kicking off our full Forest School programme in the next few weeks, after successfully trialling the concept at Wigg Island in recent months.
“Originating in Sweden and Denmark, the idea is to take children into the heart of wild habitats and use the surroundings to encourage, inspire and show them how to take responsibility for nature and the environment.”
Janet Ward, community relations manager from INEOS ChlorVinyls, said: “It’s a pleasure to be able to support this project as not only does it benefit Wigg Island Community Park, which is on our doorstep, but also provides an invaluable resource to many local community groups including Scout groups and local schools.”
