Schools Project
The Problem
The RSPB has been working throughout the Lee Valley with a number of partners to encourage the bittern by buying and creating new habitat for this endangered bird. The success has taken the bittern from only 11 heard to be booming at the start of the project to 55 in 2004.
This project invites young people to take part in the next phase of the project by providing ideas on what can be done to encourage people to support bittern conservation and find out more about conserving a species that is not easy to see. This is a real conservation problem for young people to work on. This is not an iconic species that everyone finds accessible and easy to see. The problem posed is what can be done to make bitterns more interesting to people.
What the project offers
- The active participation of young people in helping to conserve the bittern in Britain. Participating schools and youth groups will have the opportunity to research and develop action plans to be presented and discussed with professional conservationists.
- Curriculum-related ideas to stimulate projects which discuss, record and measure ways to encourage people to help save rare species. They have to research the bittern and write a report making recommendations to RSPB staff. Schools are using the project as part of a geographical, scientific and citizenship projects, with obvious links to literacy.
- A free activity service is available: a project worker could run a series of three sessions within your school if you would prefer someone to come and run the sessions for you.
- Input into the RSPB: ideas generated and submitted in written form will be used by the RSPB to develop the conservation strategy for the bittern. The young people in your school or youth group will be able to monitor the success of the strategy after its implementation.
How the pilot will work
- A review of methods and interviews to produce the education materials to indicate how conservation issues link to action planning within a citizenship, science and geography framework.
- A first visit by project officer to schools in the pilot area to discuss the project with relevant staff and identify what curriculum emphasis is needed.
- Introductory session to explain the project and tasks involve.
- Work with teachers on researching further information identified as important in the first session.
- Follow up visits to monitor progress including the opportunity to present ideas to RSPB staff.
Click here to see a poster made by some of the pupils at Cardinal Newman Upper School, Luton.
To read the results and update of the Bitterns Project click on the link below:
Bitterns Project: Results and Update December 2005 by Wayne Talbot, Project Worker.
The following report - What we think of bitterns- has been developed by young people from the following schools and youth groups:
St John the Baptist Lower, Ware, Herts
Haringey Cub Scouts, Haringey, London
Worcesters Primary School, Enfield, Middlesex
Stanborough Park Primary, Garston, Watford
Waltham Holy Cross Junior, Waltham Abbey, Essex
Galliard Primary School, Edmonton, London
Cardinal Newman Upper School, Warden Hill, Luton
RSPB Youth Group, Sandy
Click on the Link What we think of bitterns to read the report
