A couple of years ago the environmental services manager in Aberdeen City asked his staff about their work with local schools and nurseries. The response he received was quite considerable. It includes:
- Help the school to design, develop or revitalise school green space and different wildlife habitats, in the school grounds for the benefit of the pupils and wider community.
- Advice about school garden and wildlife projects.
- Help to design and build bug hotels
- Advice on all things environmental, i.e. environment, horticulture.
- Help and assistance with Eco Schools projects.
- Talks to children and classes.
- Competitions such as litter posters, school beds, tattie growing, etc.
- Participation in service campaigns such as the In Bloom campaign and Clean Up Aberdeen.
- Help with designing and implementing new play areas.
- Access to the Countryside Ranger team. The team can come to the school or the school can visit the Rangers for a range of education activities such as pond dipping, minibeast hunts, bird watching, and tree study etc.
- Access to dog wardens, dog fouling campaign – Scoop the Dog.
- Duthie Park Rangers – schools can come to the park and enjoy a range of activities with the rangers including Groovy Growits.
- Service can provide park tours to talk over the history of some of Aberdeen’s parks such as Hazlehead and Seaton.
- Making the parks available for school events etc. Please contact to make arrangements.
- Consultation events i.e. Pets Corner, park improvements.
- Assisting with grant bids and submissions.
- Links to other Council services and outside agencies.
- Encourage and support school to submit projects for awards i.e. It’s Your Neighbourhood Awards.
- Supply of soil and compost.
- Planters – materials to build planters plus plants and vegetables to plant.
- Supply of spring bulbs and assistance with planting.
- Appropriate plants and trees.
- Stumps, wooden logs and other wood products cut from felled trees.
- Litter picking equipment, litter disposal and green waste disposal.
Almost all of the above services are offered for free but limited simply by the availability of time and staffing. The reason I post this is to help you consider if there is a person or service in your local council that is also being quietly supportive of schools and nurseries.
