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3.1- Assignment (Unit 1): Explain the importance of flora and fauna identification for the Forest Schools leader

  • Writer: Naomi Harvey
    Naomi Harvey
  • Jun 12, 2024
  • 5 min read

Section 1: To recognise how the natural space may influence us.


When using our forest school space, we need to understand the nature surrounding us, any limitations and responsibilities we have in using the area. We need to look at these different aspects for the purposes of health and safety, wellbeing perspective, understanding the biodiversity value and how our actions can affect these. The way the natural space can influence our lessons is due to many factors, such as during the autumn weeks, we were unable to use our space a few times, due to the wind being so strong it was unsafe for us to take our children to the setting, we also have to be aware of what is growing in the surroundings and if there is something that is poisonous that grows every year, we may have to change the area we teach whilst it is active.


One of the main responsibilities of a leader in a setting is being able to identify poisonous plants, trees and fungi. It is important to be able to identify if something is life threatening if you touch, smell or eat anything available in the woodlands. We teach the children whether we are in our own forest school setting or if they are visiting another, it is important to follow our golden rules - 'No Lick, No Pick, be careful with that stick, and stay in the boundary' the children that attend our sessions understand that they should not pick anything, due to its possibility of being poisonous, but also that this stops growth and we should not do anything that may affect nature. 'No Lick' indicates that they must not put anything in their mouth, including their fingers, as they may touch plants or the ground which could then transfer anything that could be poisonous. 'Be careful with that stick' is mainly a safety point of view so children do not get hurt, but also to understand they are not to break any twigs or trees that are alive and growing. Finally 'stay in the boundary' is a big one for our group sessions, as we have a few boundaries that lead to danger, such as a stream and the children need to be aware where they are allowed to go and the reasons behind the restrictions.


A good way to identify plants is by using an app on your phone, there are a few out there that can help, I personally use Picturethis and Google Images, this way you can identify the item and retrieve all sort of information, such as if it is dangerous, what you are able to use it for, for example there are a few plants in the wild which is believed to be used for herbal medicine like wild garlic. Another good reason for using the app is that they can give you different variations of the plant and explain if they flower and when that might be, so although it may be pretty it could still be harmful!


At our setting, we also have print off sheets which contains the most common flowers and fungi in the area and what we need to be aware of.


We also need to be aware if there are any protection laws in place for our area, within dorset we have a few protection laws for heathland and certain endangered species. A good way to check is by going to www.gov.uk and you are able to check what wildlife and plants in your area (for example Dorset) are protected and the steps you need to take in protecting the species.




Section 2: Identify the opportunities afforded through understanding the natural space and the flora and fauna.


It is important to understand the natural space and how we are able to preserve, or even enhance the space because we are only borrowing the space, it is not ours to change, it is there for the wildlife and vegetation and we are merely learning from it and enjoying it.


By understanding the animals that live on the site and how we are able to help them is so important. We need to know what we do and do not do to help the wildlife flourish on their own and what we need to be aware of to not bring any harm or disruption to the environmental elements.


By possessing knowledge of the natural space and what flora and fauna we have within our space we are able to tailor and deliver customised lessons for our particular space and what we are able to offer and discover in our space.


With having the knowledge of what we are able to offer and discover in our space, this allows the children to build confidence and their own skills of identification and understanding the importance of looking after the wildlife and the reasons why we do this.


In conclusion, by having the understanding of our natural space and the flora and fauna we are lucky enough to have in our setting, it allows us to create rich and impactful lessons. These opportunities not only enhance the children's learning, but can also contribute the conservation and appreciation of the ecosystems




Section 3: Identify the responsibilities a Forest Schools Practitioner has in caring for the space and the learners using it.


As a forest school practitioner there are multiple responsibilities towards the environment and the children that we are teaching.


We have to maintain the natural environment we are teaching in by following practices such as minimising impact, preserving natural habitats and promoting biodiversity. A way we can minimise impact is to not pick any live flowers or plants and affect any growth, this also goes for setting up our 'base camp', we can create a seating area with logs, but not put them on top of any vegetation, restricting them to grow, we do this in an empty space to minimise the impact. We are also very strict when the children build bridges or dens, they are expected to put the logs back where they found them.


We are able to promote biodiversity by learning and teaching the children the different species we have in our area, what they eat and need to survive and what we can do to prevent harming them. Also if there are any areas of plantation, we can help by planting native species and encouraging new growth.


As a forest school practitioner, we also have a responsibility to keep the children safe, and this is where our knowledge of the local plants and animals come to use. We are able to protect them from anything poisonous and may cause harm. By knowing our surroundings we are also able to protect the children from any danger outside of the boundaries.


References: wildlyeducated.com - Documents







 
 
 

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