Learning in local greenspace

The project

Learning in local greenspace is a priority project in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Route Map. The aim is to get pupils learning in the outdoors regularly and often by 2020. It will involve over 100 schools serving some of the most disadvantaged areas in Scotland across 10 local authorities.

Aims and objectives

The project aims to overcome the barriers preventing frequent outdoor learning. For example, it will improve access to and the quality of local greenspaces. Building teachers' confidence to take learning outdoors will be another important objective.

Legacy

The project will encourage lasting change that will improve:

• approaches to teaching and learning
• pupils' achievement
• pupils' health and well-being

The project will also bring benefits for the wider community and local natural heritage.

Taking a collaborative approach

Scottish Natural Heritage will be managing the project. However, the keys to its success will be partnership working and its focus on tailoring the approach to individual schools.

We will be working with environmental organisations and local authorities to deliver the project. In addition to education, other key local authority departments include greenspace, parks management and ranger teams.

Resources

We have developed a resource to help you identify, access and use nearby greenspace for learning.

Beyond your Boundary: Easy steps to learning in local greenspace is for educators in all schools working in all subjects and with pupils at all stages.

It will help you to use and improve your local greenspaces and embed outdoor learning in your school curriculum. It also contains links to research highlighting the benefits of learning in local greenspace.

The online resource includes a questionnaire and template to help you develop your action plan. There is also a greenspace audit to help you assess a site's potential for outdoor learning.

There are a number of websites and apps listed below you can use to help support and enhance outdoor learning:

BirdTrack 
Friends of the Earth Bee Count 
Garden Answers Plant ID
Giving Nature a Home 
iRecord 
iRecord Butterflies
iSpot 
Mammal Tracker 
Nature’s Calendar 
PlantTracker 
Tree ID
Treezilla
iNaturalist

Award schemes are also a good way to help enthuse staff and pupils alike about outdoor learning.

We have also created some print outs to help you with your Learning in Local Greenspace wall displays, including various logos, icons, words, and lettering that you may find useful.

Case studies

You can find out how other LiLG schools have been engaging in outdoor learning by having a look at the case studies provided below:

Linnvale Case Study

Contacts

Please contact the project team at SNH for more information on this project:

Sue Munro, Project Manager (Policy and advice, Greenspace)
Email: [email protected]

Sharon Cunningham (Policy and advice, Outdoor learning)
Email: [email protected]

Zeshan Akhter (Strategy, Scottish Biodiversity Strategy)
Email: dougie.pollok@nature.scot

Danielle Thomson-Casey, (Learning in Local Greenspace Project Officer)
Email:  [email protected]

Find out more

Camera Trapping Project
Learning in Local Greenspace project downloads
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