Consultation process
NANN - Arran Locality4. How can the North Ayrshire Nature Network (NANN) provide local opportunities for education and green skills development?
For example:
- could the NANN provide an outdoor learning experience for school children, young people and our wider communities?
- how could the NANN be used to develop green skills like wildlife tourism, land management, ecologists, countryside rangers?
involve e.g. talks from woodland trust members
early education , education in schools green spaces
provide opportunity for young people to engage with nature by helping to manage it
'week off' timetable for pupils-outdoor learning, walking, gorge walking. start young to encourage primary schools-get them at an early age
arran outdoor centre-keep open
school should go into nature more. staff to pupil ratio blocks this. education services to help
Nation of Scotland but we could do more. Arran Outdoor Education Centre - what about adults? Plan for big Arran litter Pick. good to bring more people together (rather than same 100 people) -cobenefits.
yes! subsidised courses. target specific groups-teens, singles to do stuff in nature. rural skills. Fun! Prosecco and Pollinators. nature can be ernest, so make it fun!
forest school-awareness. eco activities, not enough for adults
Repurposing Whitefield Farm as a centre for learning about and exploring the nature on our doorstep would be a good start. Another possibility might be to engage with the Scripture Union who have a base at King's Cross which is not utilised all year. The local primary school in Whiting Bay is already engaging with outdoor learning experiences for children which have included visits to ACLI, to Robin Gray's 'farm' and visits to the shoreline at King's Cross. Initiatives up at ACLI include a Saturday morning gardening club for young children and their parents led by volunteers. The NANN could expand and develop initiatives like these by employing 'Nature Rangers' to provide local opportunities for education and green skills development. Have a look at the green health initiatives being undertaken by Nature Rangers across the NHS for examples of how to engage people of all ages with the nature to be found on their doorsteps. Connect with K A Leisure's Walking Group(s) and the u3a.