Anglesey

Anglesey Local Nature partnership created the Bug Housing Boom project in order to: build bug hotels and create wildlife habitat in schools alongside pupils to support biodiversity and nature and provide alternative learning opportunities. Provide schools with an outdoor learning resource that could support outdoor learning and education for the long-term. And increase understanding for and love of nature.

Bug Housing Boom aimed to improve and develop wildlife habitat, increase biodiversity, and raise awareness of environmental issues whilst educating and enthusing primary school pupils about nature and the environment.

Over the project the LNP have planted approximately 4,000 native bulbs, 300 plug plants, and 60 trees for hedging, built 11 bug hotels, planted fruit trees in several schools to help school provide fresh, healthy food for pupils, and delivered the project to at 11 schools instead of the proposed 9, as they were able to make the funding go further than originally anticipated.

Children have undertaken planting, building the bug hotels, and garden maintenance and development, and the Wild Elements team have also carried out other works on school grounds, such as sprucing up overgrown and unkempt areas, enhancing aesthetics and providing a space for outdoor learning activities. 500 children and 45 school staff took part in the activities.

Pupil survey results show that the children enjoyed the project and that they understand and like nature more/much more. Adverse weather proved the largest challenge, with sessions having to be reorganised due to the outdoor nature of the project. However the project was ultimately successful, and the 11 schools involved in the project now have an additional educational resource that can be used for outdoor education and nature connection activities.

Habitat has been created and improved to support biodiversity, pollinators, invertebrates, and birds through planting native flowers, trees and bulbs that will remain in situ for the long-term.

Children who took part in the project say that Wild Elements “taught me about how nature works”, “It was fun and I learned not to kill insects, and “I have learned that lots of bugs pollinate”.