Tonight, Tuesday 23rd February, the Woodland Trust Scotland is co-hosting an event at the Scottish Parliament to launch its new Outdoor Learning Pack, which has been developed as a key part of their hugely successful project known as Branching Out West Lothian (BOWL).
BOWL encapsulated the Woodland Trust Scotland’s strongly held belief that an inspirational experience of the environment at a young age can leave a lasting connection with nature. The three year learning project was developed to support both young people and teachers in exploring their local woodland.
Over the course of the three years the project aimed to make the Trust’s landholding in West Lothian more welcoming and encourage local people to get out and enjoy woodland for learning and leisure. In particular it aimed to work with local schools to develop a Woodland Learning Programme which would inspire teachers to educate children outside in the woods.
In today’s risk averse world there are many concerns about taking young people out of the classroom and to over come this the Trust’s dedicated Woodland Learning Officer went into West Lothian primary school to work with teachers, providing Continuing Professional Development training sessions which would provide them with the skills and confidence to take their classrooms outdoors.
The project successfully changed perceptions the outdoor classroom is only for teaching children about natural history. The Trust developed a programme of woodland discovery days introducing other subjects such as art, science, literacy and geography.
The Outdoor Learning Pack was developed with teachers and provides inspirational exercises and ideas for teaching classes outside along with advice on feeling at home in the outdoor classroom. The pack will help teachers with lesson planning and ensure these multi-sensory sessions link to the curriculum.
Andrew Fairbairn of the Woodland Trust Scotland said; “The new Curriculum for Excellence gives teachers the opportunity to involve young people in learning outdoors. The Outdoor Learning Pack for primary school teachers is one tool which we hope will be used, to develop new ideas to engage with pupils – and it is available for free.”
He continues “For many children, getting outdoors and experiencing nature at first hand is an alien concept. We hope that through this project we have debunked many of the myths surrounding the outdoors and that teachers and pupils feel inspired to reap all the benefits of using the outdoors as a classroom.”
For further information visit: www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/bowl
Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
Jacqui Morris on 01355 578777 or mobile 07979 706675 alternatively call The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail
media@woodlandtrust.org.ukThe Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters.
The Trust has three key aims: i) to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees ii) to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future iii) to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free.
In 1984, the Trust acquired its first wood in Scotland. In the last 25 years the Trust has increased its holdings in Scotland it now owns 80 sites across Scotland covering 8,500 hectares. Further news can be accessed via this website.