Woodland Explorers Week

For the last week of the summer holidays, the Alderney Wildlife Trust (AWT) launched a new programme for children aged 7 – 13, with thanks to funding from the Youth Commission for Guernsey & Alderney and the Guernsey Insurance Corporation’s Conservation Award!

What is the 'Woodland Explorer Week'?

The ‘Woodland Explorer Week’ led by Team Wilder Community Support Officer, Abigail de Castellawas dedicated to providing a space for Alderney’s children in which to explore the Alderney Community Woodland (ACW), increasing nature connectivity and raising awareness of the natural environment.

To look after our planet, it’s important to become more confident and resilient in the outdoors. Research highlights that nature disconnection directly correlates to a lack of interest in nature conservation - without this, we are less likely to take care of our surroundings or to appreciate the benefits that the natural world provides. To ensure that they can reconnect with the environment in adult life, it is imperative that children have the opportunity to build a foundation before the age of eight.

The Woodland Explorers will be the first stage in the AWT’s programme to inspire Alderney’s youth to explore their own relationship with nature, supporting children to become curious, enjoying how it feels to play with natural resources and finding joy beneath the woodland canopy.

Where did it take place?

Alderney is relatively hilly, with historically few trees which made finding a suitable spot for the programme a small challenge. Nestled within the ACW is an almost flat area within a Sycamore copse, a perfect location! The protection provided by the trees’ branches makes the area cooler, and with a circular placement of trees just the right size, our Wildlife Volunteers and the local tree surgeon set to work clearing the site, ready to hoist a parachute shelter from the tree canopy.

This provided our classroom. Underneath the parachute we placed a log circle ready to welcome twenty enthusiastic Woodland Explorers ready to discover a range of activities that supports their curiosity and imagination.

Day 1: Woodland Introduction

On the first day, after discussing and establishing some site rules together, we invited the children to get to know their new area. Gloves on, they took to making ivy vine wreaths, weaved a dead hedge that created a pathway to the entrance, created benches and decorated signs to adorn the woodland. Very quickly the site became their home. We spent the rest of the afternoon making eco-paints from natural resources to decorate wood slices, tree trunks and tote bags. ‘Hape Zome’ is a Japanese term meaning leaf bashing. When our Wildlife Volunteers cleared the ground, we kept all of the ivy vines and branches to allow the children to be resourceful. Using a pebble, some fabric, a log and some petals kindly donated by the Alderney Flower Shop, the children also utilised ivy leaves, bracken, and berries to bash the colour pigments onto the fabric.

Day 2: Hammock Hangout and Den Building

Spending time swaying in a hammock brings a range of health benefits, from the physical to mental and emotional. As part of DD Hammocks’ charity donations, we were kindly gifted five hammocks and tarps to play with as part of the Woodland Explorer programme. The group were split into two where they naturally fell into their own teams. From building structures out of natural materials they gathered, to learning different knots and tying up hammocks to gently swing in, they put their creativity to good use. Our final session will be a certificate ceremony, and as the group previously began to decorate Jenga shaped pieces (from some donated oak offcuts) they can play games that they helped to make!

Hand-made frame for eco printing with berries

Day 3: Woodland Crafts

On Day 3 the children were asked to make a picture frame out of sticks, with some choosing to make flags and scrolls as well. Using the eco-paint, the children brushed, flecked and stencilled fabric with turmeric, beetroot and blackberries. While some made their own colour combinations, others were keen to go and gather their own berries to experiment painting with (which may have been tasted before meeting the paintbrushes!). Co-creation is an important part of nature, biodiversity and the way things interact with one another, and so we gave the children an opportunity to paint a large piece of art together. With their new-found love of eco paints, they decorated the fabric using different techniques including pressing leaves like stamps. Every so often excitement would fill the woodland because a spider or other insect had been found. One boy made friends with a snail during his hammock hang out, another, a ladybird.

Day 4: Mini-Beasts

The fourth day was all about the incredible insects they had been becoming acquainted with over the past few days. Our Ecologist, Matt Lewis, came along to lead part of the session on moths and butterflies. Our weekly Morning Moth Mayhem enables us to record and submit the moth species we find in our non-harmful moth traps. Matt brought a few of the moths along with him for the children to observe before releasing. Care was taken when passing them around in their sample pots whilst sharing complete joy over the different colours, shapes and sizes. Matt also shared a glimpse into walking a Butterfly Transect, a method we use to identify and count butterflies. Equipped with butterfly nets, magnifying glasses and excitement, we set off on a walk to see what we could find. The children had a great time hunting and their favourite find of the day was a Wasp Spider.

Before packing down the site we asked the children to build a den for the minibeasts they had encountered and they took time to create, engineer and build their mini dens, from slides, balconies and beds, to swings, parks and entire houses. The children themselves then judged the winners who will be awarded with minibeast magnifying pots at the grand finale.

Day 5: Certificate and Campfire Ceremony

The week was ended with a Certificate and Campfire Ceremony to award the attendee’s for all their creativity and imagination. The log circle was transported to Essex Farm ready for our finale. The weekend Moth trap had provided us with 3 large moths, a blue underwing, and 2 hawk moths. The children loved holding these gentle giants and were fascinated by the way they warm their bodies up before flight. Nature Mobiles were made using drift wood and pine cones and foraged leaves before cooked green flatbreads on an open fire. We made sure to discuss the importance of keeping safe when working around a flame and modelled this behave perfectly when toasting their vegan marshmallows. The session ended with their well earned certificates and a thank you to the resources, woodland and staff for such a wild week.

We'd like to say a HUGE thank you to the volunteers, supporters and donators who helped make the Woodland Explorers programme not only possible, but also a massive success!