BEING given your own stretch of woodland to develop and manage is a real commitment, but pupils at Currie High have risen to the challenge with fantastic results.
With their second Green Flag for eco achievement tucked away under their belts, youngsters and staff at the Edinburgh school are justly proud of their eco credentials.
In fact, the school's love of environmental issues dates back to 1989 – long be
fore other schools were showing any interest in caring for the environment, and way before the Eco Schools programme was thought of. The ancient Curriehill Woodland Strip, bordering the school campus, had been ravaged by Dutch Elm Disease and was being used as a local dumping ground, before pupils stepped in and turned it into an outdoor classroom and an area for environmental study.
The project was led by former Currie High teacher and local community activist Roley Walton in conjunction with Edinburgh Wildlife Group and Edinburgh Urban Forest Project. This has definitely been a labour of love for both Roley and many, many youngsters from the school. The results are spectacular. Over almost 20 years, the waste ground has been transformed into a local beauty spot and outside classroom. A pond and marsh have been created as well as a wildflower garden.
In 1998, the wildlife corridor at the school was extended by the creation of a new woodland when pupils and volunteers planted 3,000 native Scottish trees, including oak, rowan, ash and willow. The strip of land was renamed Roley's Wood in 2001, and is now a community wood, which is open to the public at all times.
"We are particularly proud of our eco work and our second Green Flag as we feel we are making a real contribution to enhancing the community, taking care of our local and global environment and giving pupils a sound preparation in being responsible citizens," says Currie headteacher Kate Paton.
The global theme is further enhanced by the school's partnership with Chogoria High School for Girls in Kenya , which also manages its own area of forest.
"The schools have been exchanging information about their work and we have now prepared a resource describing this for use in the geography curriculum," adds Ms Paton. "Shared curricular projects are also undertaken in English, biology, modern studies and geography."
Currie High, which has 972 pupils, is further enhancing its environmental credentials by installing an 11kw wind turbine and solar thermal panels, to help produce the building's electricity. These renewable energy devices are the first of their kind in an Edinburgh school.
"My vision for the future is to ensure that all pupils and staff have an increasingly keen environmental awareness," says Ms Paton "I want this to be part of their everyday lives at the school and also to impact on society both locally and globally."
