Improving the woodland at Wonersh & Shamley Green Infant School
A team of volunteer parents, friends and staff from Wonersh & Shamley Green CofE Infant School joined the Surrey Wildlife Trust on Saturday to build paths and help maintain and improve the school’s woodland.
Wonersh & Shamley Green school is blessed with several acres of wild woods that are used in its Forest School learning. A Forest School is a type of outdoor education in which children use woods and forests to learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and how to use their initiative to solve problems and co-operate with others. Its a great way to build independence and confidence in children. Wonersh & Shamley Green Infant School uses its Forest School to help teach science and maths, creative writing, art and poetry.
The working party concentrated on cutting back brambles and clearing pathways yesterday. The woodland is very wet, with a large area of marshland, this means that the paths can get very muddy. Yesterday’s team flattened out the mud and then put down a significant amount of woodchip, kindly supplied by parent Tom Stobbart, to soak up the moisture and provide a dry surface for the children. Stepping stones made from logs were dug in to the really muddy spots to make it easier and more fun for the children to get around.
Some of the more adventurous volunteers cleared the stream of rubbish and natural mulch that was preventing a good flow. An hour in and the stream was running with a good current again, which we hope will help dry out some of the marshiness – not too much though as the marsh will attract interesting wildlife.
A wonderful chilli lunch was provided by PTA Chair Chloe van Beever and by lunchtime the sun had started to shine. All in all an enjoyable day’s work.
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