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Education
Borders Forest Trust delivers a range of innovative educational projects aimed at raising awareness of our woodland heritage and the natural environment. We lead educational visits to woodlands for local schools, youth groups and community organisations and have developed a Forest School Programme in the region.
Forest Schools
Forest Schools use woodlands as alternative classrooms. They provide young people and adults with regular opportunities to achieve tasks and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a local woodland environment.
Forest Schools go beyond basic woodland visits and focus on specific needs of individual children by setting tasks that embrace their learning style and encourages further personal development. Forest Schools focus on "kinaesthetic" learning, a more practical, hands-on learning style rather than the more traditional reading and writing academic style. For this reason, Forest Schools are particularly beneficial for young people who struggle with conventional teaching styles.
The achievable tasks set during Forest Schools enable participants to succeed and subsequently develop confidence and self-esteem. Tasks such as using tools to cut timber and make implements, collecting materials and building structures also provide opportunities for participants to work together as part of a team, developing communication and social skills. The benefits of Forest Schools are vast and this is now becoming increasingly recognised by the education authority and Forest Schools are being encouraged across the UK.
Forest Schools was successfully piloted in the Borders by the Trust's Community Liaison & Education Officer, Anna Craigen. Based on the positive feedback from her Forest Schools work, Anna has gone on to develop the project further, offering Forest School training courses for Borders-based teachers in 2009 - 2010. These Level 1 – Introduction to Forest School and the Level 3 – Forest School Practitioners courses were a huge success, and funding has been secured for further training in 2011.
Woodland Education
As well as Forest Schools, the Trust's educational work ranges from guided walks and woodland events to craft activities and environmental art projects. These activities are tailored to suit each group's interests and abilities and are designed to enthuse and interest participants about woodlands. We also organise free, healthy, fun activities in woodlands for families to enjoy during the summer holidays.
Our thanks go to Forestry Commission Scotland, the Robertson Trust, the Ernest Cook Trust, the R S Hayward Trust, Cattanach Charitable Trust and John Watson’s Trust for supporting our education programme.
Green Grounds
Up till March 2009, the Green Grounds project was funded by Scottish Natural Heritage. This enabled BFT to support schools to develop environmental improvement projects in playgrounds, administering a grant scheme on behalf of SNH and providing technical and practical support.
This funding for this project sadly ended in early 2009, a comprehensive School Grounds Resources information document has been produced and can be downloaded here. This document provides all the information you could need to develop a project, including ideas, practical information, curriculum links, suppliers and contractors and useful contacts.
BFT also holds 2 boxes of School Grounds Resources available for free local to schools. If you would like to borrow them, please contact the BFT office.
For more information about our Education projects, contact Anna Craigen on 01835 830750 or anna@bordersforesttrust.org
