Something exciting is happening at National Trust for Scotland’s Threave Nature Reserve… A 100-year landscape restoration project is now underway, with new wetlands, grassland and woodlands on a former dairy farm. This week sees the launch of associated learning materials that allow the project to be plugged into the curriculum and act as a case study for students nearby and far afield!
The Balance in Nature Learning Resources are aimed at second and third levels of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, ages 8 -17. However, teachers will be able to adapt the resources for younger children and for older young people sitting their Highers. The resources are linked to five beautiful and informative ecological films entitled: Trees, Water, Grasslands, Biodiversity and People, all filmed at Threave Nature Reserve and drawing from their pioneering approach to Landscape Restoration. Each package has three sections: Outdoor Learning, Science and Interdisciplinary Learning (including: expressive arts, social studies, RME, Technology, and Health and Wellbeing). The resources are ground breaking, in that they are linked to a real landscape restoration project that people can visit, and, they are truly interdisciplinary. Primary Schools will be able to use them to cover a diverse group of subjects while also fulfilling their commitment to contextual Learning and Learning for Sustainability. As Secondary Schools move towards a more interdisciplinary approach these resources showcase how subjects can work together under the Learning for Sustainability umbrella to give young people a high quality and meaningful learning experience.
The learning materials, video and supporting information is now accessible to all on the Glenkens Hub website, here: https://glenkens.scot/reports-resources-archive/threave-landscape-restoration-project-learning-materials.
For more information about the wider project, visit: https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/threave-landscape-restoration-project-our-100-year-vision.
The learning materials were created in partnership between the Galloway Glens Scheme and the team at National Trust for Scotland’s Threave Estate. Jan Hogarth, Galloway Glens Education & Community Engagement officer, said:
“We are delighted to share with teachers and educators our groundbreaking ‘Balance in Nature’ Learning Resources linked to five beautiful films about different aspects of the 100-year Threave Landscape Restoration Project by ecological filmmaker, John Wallace. I want to thank all the committed individuals who have helped create them, including, the Threave Nature Reserves rangers, the Crichton Carbon Centre’s education officer, filmmaker John Wallace, and Falu studios for the fabulous user-friendly graphic design.
We invite teachers and educators from across Scotland teaching Learning for Sustainability to use the learning resources in and out the classroom and encourage schools to visit the Threave Nature Reserve to see first-hand the fantastic landscape restoration work that is taking place there.”
Mary Smith, Engagement Ranger on the NTS Threave Team, added:
“We have been delighted to contribute the Outdoor Learning sections to these learning materials, based on John Wallace’s films about the beautiful habitats at Natural Trust for Scotland Threave Nature Reserve, and what they mean for people and nature. The 100-year Threave Landscape Restoration Project is full of opportunities for supporting and promoting biodiversity and climate awareness and making a difference by taking positive action – we hope that these materials will inspire and support educators and learners to make deeper connections with the outdoors locally and across Scotland, just as we are constantly learning and growing ourselves in relation to the landscape here.”
The Galloway Glens Scheme is an initiative of the Council’s Environment Team, funded by a range of partners including The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Drax, the owners of the Galloway Hydro Scheme.
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