School on a mission to make space for wildlife to thrive!
The value of a plot of land is often calculated by how many properties can be built on it, but students and their teachers from Galway Community College are on a mission to show that sometimes, the greatest reward from land can be reaped by giving it back to nature.
As part of a project coming in under the umbrella of Galway National Park City, GCC Science and Geography teacher Tom Flanagan is coordinating the re-wilding of a 10-acre plot on the Renmore side of Lough Atalia – making space for wildlife to thrive.
“The land was acquired by the old VEC in 1987 with the idea that it could be used for a recreation space for students and for sail training,” explains Tom of how the site came into the ownership of Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB).
Having trained students on the water there for the past 10 years, the ecological value of the site was always clear to Tom.
“When GCC got involved in Erasmus, we started to work with schools in Spain and Croatia and we were all looking at ways we could do something to address climate change – something both students and teachers are interested in.
“From it, we were granted quite significant funding for a three-year project on biodiversity loss in the city,” says Tom, who is coordinator of the GCC Erasmus programme.
The aim of the rewilding project is to look at corrective actions that can be taken to make the area a haven for wildlife, particularly as it’s a habitat for various species of birds, not to mention seals and otters.
“It had been used for grazing cattle but we feel there’s more of a benefit for ecology, wildlife and biodiversity if it’s allowed return to a flood land – to allow the reeds, rushes, irises and wildflowers flourish.
“Biodiversity on the whole will increase if it’s allowed return to its natural state,” Tom says.
Because of the ETB’s involvement, the land will offer the added benefit of becoming an outdoor classroom, something Tom believes in invaluable in educating young people about the natural world. The area will still be used for recreation, but in a way that’s respectful of nature.
“We will use some of the Erasmus funding to erect robust seating for an outdoor classroom where we can teach students about biodiversity and wildlife.
“We are so lucky to have this on our doorstep – it’s a chance to have a nature reserve where students can carry out research,” says Tom. GMIT carried out an extensive survey of the land in 2012 which provides them with an invaluable resource, he adds.
“For years, we’ve been teaching ecology to students by bringing them to the Burren when actually, there is an abundance of nature right here on their doorstep. I brought students down and we sat there for five minutes and saw seals – they had walked past Lough Atalia every day on their way to school and never knew there was a seal population there.”
Because the area is owned by GRETB, it will be open to several Galway schools. It will also be a resource for groups like Birdwatch Ireland and Conservation Volunteers Galway, says Tom.
“We have already given Conservation Volunteers Galway access to the site and they have put out rafts which became a nesting site for wild terns last year. We will work with any group that’s interested in ecology.”
With the rise of youth activism on environmental issues, young people’s interest in the topic is growing and this project is a tangible way for students to do something about the climate and biodiversity crisis, says Tom.
“Students are very passionate and knowledgeable about this. They’re frustrated because they’ve been learning about this their whole school lives and they know what needs to change, but they don’t see it happening. This offers them a way to connect with nature.”
“This is about letting nature do its thing, but also to have access to nature for recreation and for an outdoor classroom where young people can learn,” says Tom.