Good Work-Donibristle P7s !

This morning saw a further stage in the work in Crow Wood to improve the biodiversity of wild flowers and all the other life that depends on them.

It all started at the beginning of May 2018 when P7 pupils and teachers from Donibristle Primary cleared the ground smothering ivy from part of the bank at the edge of Crow Wood.

A very dry summer meant that seed germination was very poor, but after the winter rains (mostly in November and March) some seed that had lain dormant in the soil finally germinated. To augment this it was decided to add seed of a mix of Scottish wildflowers and woodland meadow grasses to some parts of the bank. Blair suggested that it would be interesting to see the difference, and so the cleared area was divided into four parts, marked by sand strips, and one upper and one lower quadrant were designated for the additional wildflower seeds.

On a rather blustery morning, this year’s P7s, with Mrs Ritchie and parent helpers, came down to the wood and were each given a pot of the seed mix (with added sand) and, after spreading themselves out, carefully scattered the seed low down to the ground to ensure the seed was not all going to be blown away.

After that they went over to the other work area and continued to clear more of the dense ivy growth. Altogether, jobs very well done. It will be exciting over the coming months and years to see how the diversity of plants, and the range of creatures they support, develop in this area, all thanks to the efforts of these pupils and their teachers.