West Lothian Schools produce woodland related films
What is your perception of woodland? Is it somewhere you can go to escape the stresses of modern life or is it somewhere to be avoided? Do you think it’s full of fluttering wood-fairies or home to a grumpy monster?! The Woodland Trust Scotland, part of the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, is undertaking a project to identify young people’s views on their local woods and discover where these attitudes have come from.
Funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots initiative, will enable the Trust to work with five West Lothian secondary schools, encourage the pupils to think about their local woodland and develop a film which will focus on the positive aspects of their natural heritage.
The initiative is part of the Trust’s Branching out West Lothian (BOWL) project which aims to improve the biodiversity value of the woods, encourage more people to get out and into their local woods, as well as enabling schools to use their local woods as a classroom, providing inspiration for learning across the curriculum.
Those involved with the Young Roots initiative will work together to prepare their own script, star in, direct and produce the films, which portray the natural environment in a positive light and encourage others to visit. The films will then be premiered at a local cinema later this year.
Kate Walters, Woodland Learning Project Officer, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity which we hope will have a lasting impact on those involved, and enthuse other people to explore the local woodlands that are available in West Lothian.”
Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland added:
“This is a great opportunity to for young people to visit the countryside to learn new skills and gain a better understanding of our natural environment. By encouraging more people to experience nature first hand we are stimulating their interest in the natural world and hopefully inspiring their enthusiasm for its long-term conservation. And what a great fun way to do it!”
The project has received funding from Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Executive, Forward Scotland through the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme and West Lothian Council.
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.