|
 |
|
Megan Hughes, a Year 4 teacher from Sychdyn, Flintshire recently put the activities shared on our ‘Shipwrecked’ training into practice activities with her learners. Ffion from our Health, Education and Natural Resources team caught up with her to find out how her Flintshire castaways put the Curriculum for Wales to use to secure a rescue. |
|
|
Pictured is a field of young oak saplings growing well at Maelor Forest Nursery near Wrexham. The oaks have been grown from acorns gathered by learners as part of our 2022 ‘Acorn Antics’ campaign which allows us to grow native trees from the seed of healthy local tree stock whilst connecting learners with the natural environment. A total weight of 825.13 kg was collected from 40 locations across Wales, generating £3,442.15 for the education settings that embraced the fresh air and scoured the ground for acorns. “We are proud of the Acorn Antics campaign and want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who took part as we continue to work together to ensure there will be plenty of Welsh oaks for our future generations to enjoy,” said Aled from our Health, Education and Natural Resources team. “Increasing the tree canopy across Wales is a crucial part of the effort to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Once they have grown a little more, the trees will be planted out in one of our woodlands, close to where the acorns were collected originally.”
Interested in taking part in our 2023 campaign? Why not watch Ysgol Pant Pastynog, Denbighshire pupils’ enviro vlog which shares their Acorn Antics adventure, or tune into one of our Acorn Antics masterclasses in July. Further information below.
|
|
|
Tune into the natural environment’s potential to promote health and learning with our online CPD webinars. We have the following webinars coming up soon:
Want to take part in our Acorn Antics campaign 2023? Join our masterclass! - 12th July @ 4.15 pm and 13th July at 3.45 pm.
'Tree-mendous' trees and wonderful woodlands -19th and 20th September @ 4.15 pm.
Trees and woodlands - what matters - 27th & 28th September @ 4.15 pm.
To book your place on any of the above webinars or for further information please visit our Tocyn Cymru webpage.
|
|
|
‘Enviro CSI - From crime scene to courtroom: Who’s committed the enviro crime, and can you ensure they do time?’
With an environmental crime having been committed, educators take on the role of trainee NRW Environment Officers to investigate the impact on a local river and take part in a day of cross-curricular outdoor learning, hands on activities and challenges.
2nd October, River Tryweryn & Dee - Frongoch, near Bala, Gwynedd (presented in English).
3rd October, River Tryweryn & Dee - Frongoch, near Bala, Gwynedd (presented in Welsh).
5th October, River Usk - Sennybridge, near Brecon, Powys (presented in English).
12th October, River Towy - Abergwili, Carmarthenshire (presented in English).
13th October, River Towy - Abergwili, Carmarthenshire (presented in Welsh).
16th October, River Teifi - Llandysul, Ceredigion (presented in English).
17th October, River Teifi - Llandysul, Ceredigion (presented in Welsh).
A £165 STEM Learning bursary available towards supply costs per attendee.
|
The 2022-2023 academic year has been busy, we’ve enjoyed working with a range of partners and have trained 904 educators over 17 webinars and 19 face to face training sessions. If you attended one of our training sessions and have any feedback for us on how we can improve our offer, we’d love to hear from you.
We’ll be sitting down to write our training program for the next academic year soon and will be offering a range of face to face and online courses to help you get your learners learning in, about and for the natural environment whilst helping you deliver the Curriculum for Wales. Research shows that effective CPD helps both learners and educators succeed and thrive, so remember to keep an eye on your inbox for our September issue to book your place on one of our free training courses.
|
|
|
In May, Wales received 41% of its long term average rainfall which was the second driest May in the last 25 years, with only 2020 drier. Following the extended period of warm and dry weather, Wales has been moved from 'normal' into 'prolonged dry weather' status. The decision is based on hydrological, environmental factors and concerns around the pressures high temperatures and lack of significant rainfall has placed on rivers, groundwater levels, wildlife and the wider natural environment across Wales. DRY: Diary of a Water Superhero is a book which has been Created by the Centre for Water, Communities and Resilience at the University of the West of England Bristol (UWE) and funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It encourages discussion on how we can prepare for periods of dry weather and what we can do on an individual basis to save water.
|
|
|
There are a lots of ways cycling is good for both us and the natural environment. Our Health Advisor, Steven Meaden explains how cycling is not only a fantastic way to improve your physical and mental health but also an eco-friendly mode of transport that can help reduce noise, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
In June this year teachers from 12 English-medium primary schools attended a face-to-face course in Talacre, delivered by NRW’s Health and Education Team and Flintshire’s Welsh Advisory Team, to gain ideas and confidence to teach in and about the natural environment through the medium of Welsh. |
|
|
Environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy are enabling education and community groups to develop their grounds for nature with the help of their free garden packages. Applications for ‘Local Places for Nature’ have reopened. On offer are small gardening packages, resources to develop orchards and large-scale food growing and wildlife gardens. Each one includes native plants, tools and materials, guidance on how to install and practical support from Keep Wales Tidy. “Developed originally to help fight the climate and nature emergencies, the benefits have gone far beyond creating vital habitats for wildlife; the new gardens have helped bring communities together and provided a much-needed boost to people’s health and wellbeing,” said Owen Derbyshire, Chief Executive for Keep Wales Tidy. “We can’t wait to see more groups and education settings getting involved over the coming months, creating new spaces for nature that will be enjoyed for generations. We’re expecting a lot of interest, so apply now to avoid disappointment.”
|
|
|
The summer holidays are great for spending time outdoors, being out-and-about with the family and re-charging those batteries. For ideas and inspiration for family friendly days out, check out our webpage.
Every woodland and National Nature Reserve has plenty of space for younger visitors to let off steam and get closer to nature. Some of our places also have family-friendly facilities like play areas, easy cycling trails and pushchair friendly walking trails. There are also cafés and toilets for when you need a quick pit stop.
Please remember to follow the Countryside Code whilst you are out and about.
|
Are you planning an event during Wales Nature Week? A week focused on Welsh wildlife, get in touch with the Wales Biodiversity Partnership if your education group or organisation are planning an event - they would love to hear from you! This year, participants are encouraged to discover and enjoy the wealth of flora and fauna that surrounds us, under the theme: 'Celebrating Nature’s Treasures'.
The Wales Nature Week video explains the theme with some stunning imagery. On the Wales Nature Week web page you will find a host of resources to help you take part in this years celebration of nature. There are resources you can use in your social media posts and for use in press releases. There is also a poster you can download and display in your community space, setting or home.
|
|
|
Play is one of the main ways in which children develop and learn. Through play, children learn about themselves and the world around them. To encourage families, child carers, playworkers and education groups to make the most of Wales’ best playground – our wonderful, natural environment, we’ve compiled some activity ideas, tips and tricks to help keep children engaged and build their connection to nature. Need simple ideas for Nature Play and Family Fun? Our simple activities can be enjoyed by families and learning groups, in the garden, local park, beach or woods or in school grounds. Playing these games will help children begin to learn about nature, develop their creative, language and maths skills while being physically active outside. |
|
 |
|
|
|
We’ll be taking in a break in August so there won’t be a newsletter that month, but we’ll be back in September with the latest news, new resources on wildfire, sand dunes, safe tool use cards, developing your grounds and much more. Until then, have a great summer and we look forward to catching up with you in the autumn term.
|
|
 |
Would you like regular outdoor learning updates and news? Why not follow the Outdoor Learning Wales Twitter account or join the closed Facebook Group which both offer a platform to keep up to date, spread the word of ongoing projects and facilitate discussions with anyone with an interest in outdoor learning and environmental education in Wales.
You are receiving this newsletter because you have previously attended a training course run by NRW or have requested to join the NRW Education or Outdoor Learning Wales Network Group mailing lists. We hope you found it useful but if you wish to be removed, please respond using the ‘Unsubscribe’ option below.
Alternatively, if you’ve been forwarded this newsletter and would like to subscribe so you never miss an issue, sign up here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
