The Manx Wildlife Trust’s biodiversity education officer visited The Buchan School to hand out prizes to the winners of an ’eco-art’ competition and see the siting of new bird boxes, hedgehog houses and insect hotels.

Sarah Watterson-Griffiths, head of art at the private school, said teachers and pupils were proud to call The Buchan an eco-school.

She said: ’The Buchan actively runs a range of eco activities and ensures its pupils are fully aware of issues such as the human impact on the environment, animal welfare, smart (ethically responsible) shopping, cruelty free products, recycling and the use of natural resources, to name but a few.

’We feel that children of the 21st century should be proactive, compassionate, responsible, appreciative and aware, in order that they can help to reverse the negative impact humans are having on our planet and the environment and to help prevent animal cruelty in all its forms.’

She added that the school believed it was ’essential’ that children should be educated to value and protect nature, wildlife, and our resources, and be able to make ’positive, good decisions on a daily basis that in turn have a positive impact for the good of all’.

’I’d like to thank Dawn Dickens, the trust’s biodiversity education officer, for coming into the school to talk the children and support our eco-school initiatives,’ she added.

Dawn said: ’I have worked with pupils from The Buchan School over several years and their ethos as regards the natural world and wildlife is demonstrated in conversations with the pupils.

’Through artwork, craftwork, field trips assemblies and talks which the Manx Wildlife Trust has helped with, the children are brought closer to the natural world, its importance and the pleasure it can bring. It’s a great introduction to the importance of caring for our world in a lively, meaningful and stimulating way, as well as the incredible biodiversity we have on the Island.’

Some of the initiatives undertaken by The Buchan eco-school include:

Vegetable garden

Vegetable and fruit from garden (organic) used in school lunches

Eco assemblies and talks - topics including wildlife care, Beach Buddies, plastic and the environment, cruelty-free shopping, hedgehog care, reuse and recycle

Bee hives

Honey production, beeswax products

Paper recycling

House plant maintenance in school

Litter collection

School eco signage

Wild bird feeding programme

Arts enterprise - making and selling arts and crafts product, proceeds donated to the World Wildlife Fund

Art and design department makes bird houses, insect hotels and hedgehog houses

Tree planting (KWC/Buchan groundsmen)

Wood maintenance

Staffroom waste composting