School’s pledge for nature

Pupils and staff at South Molton Community Primary School are creating a mini nature reserve to promote wildlife and biodiversity.

They received a grant from Pledge for Nature’s ‘Nature Recovery Community Challenge Fund’ to carry out the project.

“They are recording, monitoring and managing a pond area - a habitat which is excellent at encouraging wildlife,” said Emily Willoughby from North Devon Biosphere.

“They are planting native hedges, trees and plants and the grant will also fund equipment for maintaining the area.”

A special Ranger Club has been set up, and they have already found a wide variety of wildlife including newts, water boatmen and pond snails.

Pupil Poppy said, “We have been doing a lot of good things for nature like sweeping leaves to create a habitat for hedgehogs and cutting branches that are dangerous.”

Fellow pupil Lucas added, “In Ranger Club we have been using tools such as rakes, loppers and litter pickers, to make the school grounds better than we found them.”

“The school is very excited to be involved with North Devon Biosphere’s Pledge for Nature, an initiative to create spaces for nature within North Devon,” headteacher Tom Parkin said.

No matter how big or small, every green space can be valuable for nature - if you would like to get involved sign up online: biosphere.org.uk/pledge-for-nature/about

Some of the team creating the micro nature reserve in the school grounds