William Patten School lacks onsite biodiversity, making it hard to educate and engage its 433 schoolchildren with outdoor learning, environmental and climate education and the benefits of urban rewilding. Existing borders are overgrown or in shade.
We want to create a new outdoor learning space & biodiverse borders and habitats to attract more wildlife, which in turn will create opportunities for schoolchildren and the wider community to engage with wildlife and nature, and make the site more climate resilient. Specifically we need to raise money to:
Remove 165m2 astroturf from the site
Trim existing trees for health and bring in light
Plant native hedge trees such as elder, hawthorn and rowan
Plant ivy & other climbers for privacy and air quality improvements
Replant existing borders to create woodland and wildflower/ grassland areas
Create wildlife habitats throughout, eg rock, log, leaf habitats, bird and bug borders, deadhedges
Build a raised mini pond
Replant an existing border to create a community pollinator friendly medicinal herb garden
Build a permanent outdoor learning shelter and community space, for all season class use, Nature Club and Eco Team use and community use
Create a new mini pollinator-friendly sensory garden space for smell, sight, hearing, sound, taste
Create a new mini messy nature play space including a mud kitchen and potting area
Create a new wildflower lawn and mini-orchard
Build in new water recycling/water reuse facilities and composting
Improve the existing Edible Garden to allow more vegetable and fruits to grow
The plans will help the school to improve air quality, climate resilience (improved water reuse, drainage and carbon capture) and attract greater biodiversity of wildlife, and give the school community new opportunities to learn while planning and delivering the work.
The project will also create new permanent spaces which can be used by the school and local community outside of school hours for nature connection - such as the outdoor learning space and herb/sensory gardens.