An exciting new Biodiversity Garden has been developed at Laois Education Support Centre.
Below are some resources to help you find out more about taking some of these biodiversity actions in your own school grounds:
The Cúram Project
Laois Education Support Centre’s Cúram Project is part of our larger Community of Belonging programme.
Cúram (meaning care, in this case for the environment) was developed as a response to some of the feedback received relating to our new Biodiversity Demonstration Garden which is situated around Laois Education Support Centre. A number of schools told us that while they would be interested in developing elements of the garden in their own settings, confidence, gardening ability and cost are barriers to this. With this in mind, we designed a programme of extended support to schools who joined the Cúram Project. While our garden has many different features, we decided to focus on organic vegetable growing for this school year. We will look at providing support on the other elements in the future. No previous gardening experience was necessary to join the project.
The launch of Cúram and initial training took place in Laois Education Support Centre on Wed. March 19th. The aim was to provide support to 20 schools on how to work with their students to prepare, sow and care for a small organic vegetable bed. Paddy Madden, a very accomplished advocate of school gardening lead the course and helped teachers learn how to construct and care for simple raised beds in a school setting. Laois Co. Co. very generously provided schools with a set of resources including raised beds, seeds, gardening tools and other materials.
Cathaoirleach of Laois ESC, Liam O’Neill, a very experienced gardener, will be the local contact with schools for the duration of the project and will also provide school visits, if required, to support schools down the line and answer any queries that may arise.
Gardening for Biodiversity
For lots of suggestions on how you can help biodiversity in your garden, download the Gardening for Biodiversity booklet.
School Earth Education
SEED is a national network of educational centres and professionals with many years’ experience in primary and post primary environmental education, specialising in all aspects of organic school gardening. See https://www.schoolearthed.ie/
Green Schools
Green Schools is Ireland’s leading schools environmental management and award programme, working with primary and secondary schools across the country.
Heritage in Schools Scheme
The Heritage in Schools Scheme provides a panel of Heritage Specialists who visit primary schools to help children and their teachers learn about and appreciate their local heritage. The Scheme supports the stated aims and objectives of the Social, Scientific and Environmental Education (SESE) curriculum and provides an additional educational tool and resource for teachers.
GIY Grow at School
GROW at School is a food education programme that aims to enhance food literacy in primary schools.
Learn all about our garden birds, how to feed them, and how to make a bird box at www.BirdWatchIreland.ie The website also has worksheets and an action guide for primary schools.
All-Ireland Pollinator Plan
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is about everyone coming together to try to help biodiversity. You can access lots of resources, including plant lists, videos and lesson plans and even a How-to-guide explaining step-by-step how to create a Pollinator Plan for your school. You can also register your school garden and add your school to a map of pollinator-friendly sites.
Download the Hedgerow lesson plans toolkit produced by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
Brush up your identification skills and learn about recording and mapping biodiversity with the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
‘Puffin Rock Habitats’ is an educational project aimed to promote greater awareness and understanding of Ireland's biodiversity among families with young children, through a touring exhibition, workshops and activity book.
Learn all about Ireland’s Bats via Bat Conservation Ireland’s dedicated educational website: https://learnaboutbats.com/
The Irish Seed Savers Association is a good place to source seeds and Irish heritage fruit trees.
Engage with Nature is a dynamic school and garden website designed to assist teachers, students and gardeners in creating a sustainable environment and combating climate change. There are lots of videos and lesson ideas.