Children help out in the community

Friday 09 March 2018

Pupils from Vale Primary School have been collecting marine plastic and removing sour fig from Rousse headland.

Over two afternoons 70 students from year six took part in outdoor activities at Rousse to learn about marine pollution and invasive plants and to help clean up the area.

The event came about because they have been learning about the planet as part of the Year 6 new curriculum. They have studied the layers of the earth, global warming and the effects of extreme weather conditions. This week they moved closer to home with this outdoor activity where they were able to learn about the local community and how to protect the island for future generations.

Half of the pupils took part in a beach clean, alongside learning about marine plastic pollution, where it comes from and what to do to prevent it. The other half removed a patch of sour fig from the grassland by the shore and learnt how invasive plants can be detrimental to the local environment. Sour fig is a non-native plant which is from South Africa and is threatening to cover a lot of our coastal grasslands including a number of areas at Rousse. 

Julia Henney, Biodiversity Education Officer organised the event and was delighted with the engagement shown by the children. She said: "They are a lovely group of students and it has been great learning outside. The children have really taken things in and done a great job in gathering beach waste and filling up a skip with sour fig, which is a danger to our bee's and butterflies. We have seen global trends in the decline of invertebrates and it is likely to be associated with such plants."

Pictured: Pupils Harry Le Maitre and Ella Neville with some of the items found on the beach clean

Pupil Ella Neville said: "We have been picking up rubbish from the beach so that dogs don't eat the rubbish and die. I like being outside and have learnt a lot."

Another pupil involved in the beach clean was Harry Le Maitre; he said: "Plastic is dangerous as it has chemicals in. I love helping the environment, I made a new year resolution to help the environment two years ago. Days like today are great as not only are you helping the environment but you are out in the fresh air; fresh air helps you think."

Braden Morris, aged 10, helped to clear the headland; he said: "We have been picking up wild fig as it is a spreadable species and it taking over all over the coast. If it takes over then the bees and butterflies cannot get to the flowers below to pollinate them. The best bit of today has been helping out the community and being outside especially when it is nice weather like today."

 Pictured: Braden Morris picking up sour fig

Equipment and the disposal of marine plastic was donated by the Guernsey Recycling Group and skips and disposal of sour fig was supported by island waste. 

Pictured main image: Year 6 at Rousse Tower