The WaterLANDS Irish Action Site has kicked off its spring School Programme in local schools, with the goal of sharing knowledge about blanket bogs and emphasizing the importance of their restoration.

The School Programme is delivered in three parts. First, there is a school visit where members of the LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature team deliver a brief presentation about blanket bogs to the students. This is followed by an activity during which students can learn more about how to use scorecards and assess their own farms.

The second part involves a visit to a local farmer's bog, where students can explore the bog vegetation, learn about peatland pressures, and enjoy a day outdoors with the team, discovering the value of bogs and their importance.

In the next academic year, the team will collaborate with a local artist to conduct another in-class activity where students can recap what they have learned about bogs.

The School Programme will be conducted across all schools in the vicinity of the SAC (Special Area of Conservation) for the next three years, with the aim of reaching over 400 students by the end of the programme.

Photos and text courtesy of LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature.