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Case Study
Focus DIY's GREEN THINKING from FOCUS message is being used to improve
a quarter acre site at a local primary school. The aim of the case study is
to demonstrate easy ways to do your bit for the environment. It will comprise
a series of mini-projects designed to improve the environment in some small
way by using Focus 'green' products such as composters, peat-free compost
and FSC sustainable timber.
Although the case study uses a school, all the projects will be able to be adapted to be used at home or work.
Oakhill
Primary School
Oakhill
Primary School is a typical moderate-sized primary school on the edge of Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire. It accommodates around 300 children aged between 4 and 11 years
old.
It is situated in a mixed residential area, comprising council and older private terraced-style housing, adjacent to a large tyre factory. Fortunately, the school enjoys spacious grounds and has been given the use of four council allotments covering a quarter of an acre.
The school is working towards Eco-school status, a graded award scheme designed to encourage awareness of environmental issues and better use of energy within schools. As part of its plan to achieve Eco-school status, Oakhill Primary intends to make full use of the allotment to help the environment and to use as an outdoor classroom.Plans include:
Composting
and irrigation: The school already has Healthy School status, children
are encouraged to bring healthy packed lunches and snacks instead of sweets
and crisps. As a result of this, a lot of fruit waste is generated each day.
The plan is to collect this daily and compost it rather than throwing it away.
They also plan to collect rainwater for watering the fruit and vegetables.
Growing fruit and vegetables: As well as being educational, allowing the
children to grow their own fruit and veg organically will help to reduce the
school's carbon footprint in a small way but will hopefully encourage the
children to grow their own at home. They plan to build raised wooden planters
(from FSC timber) and use other free-standing planters filled with peat-free
compost. A safety-glazed greenhouse will allow them to grown tomatoes, cucumbers
etc and fruit bushes will also be planted.
Wildlife:
The allotment and school grounds already hosts a wide variety of wildlife.
In addition to typical garden birds, foxes, squirrels, bats and hedgehogs
regularly use the grounds. One side of the allotment has a mixed native hedge
and some years ago, the children planted around 100 native trees. Before the
winter, they plan to make a bird feeding area with a reed or willow screen
along the playground railings to allow the children to watch the birds feeding
without disturbing them. They also plan to make nest boxes and hedgehog and
insect hibernation boxes. A pond is also a possibility.
Fencing, decking, paving, seating:
The area already has a circular path installed but certain parts regularly
become waterlogged. The school plans to add stepping-stones in these areas,
which prevent water run-off, which can contribute to flooding. A small area
will be decked with FSC wooden decking and FSC wooden picnic benches installed.
They also plan to use FSC wood for fencing, gates, sheds etc.
The work so far
Many of the allotments adjoining the school have been unused for a number
of years. They have therefore become overgrown with brambles and other weeds
and rubbish has been dumped on the site. The first job was to clear the site.
This was done over a period of six months by volunteers. A circular ash path
was laid and grass seeded in the central area to create a lawn. The allotment
is now a blank canvas ready to be transformed.
Oakhill
Primary School allotment, as it was in November 2006...
...and
in May 2007
Eco Schools
If
your school would like to register for the Eco Schools award, visit their
site at www.eco-schools.org.uk
(England and Wales) or www.ecoschoolsscotland.org
(Scotland).
It is vital that schools lead by example on environmental issues as each school
is responsible for spreading the message into hundreds of households.
