Essex Wildlife Trust
EDUCATION FIELD WORK ACTIVITIES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
KS 3 & 4, HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION
Essex Wildlife Trust is the leading conservation organisation of its kind in Essex.
Essex Wildlife Trust is a charity established in 1959 and the Trust exists to secure a better future for
the wildlife and people of Essex. We depend on donations and membership to fund the majority of
our work. We have over 35,000 members and 480 corporate supporters, and we look after more
than 7,250 acres of land on 87 nature reserves, 7 Visitor Centres and 1 nature park in the county.
All Essex Wildlife Trust sites offer a wide variety of habitats, all managed to increase biodiversity
and abundance of wildlife. The Trust has 7 visitor centres across the county and each site has an
experienced education staff and volunteer team, an indoor area, gift shop, toilets, cloakroom and a
wide range of field equipment. Therefore these sites offer great study opportunities to introduce
field skills, data collection, and appreciation for the outdoor environment for Key Stages 3 and 4,
and Higher and Further education programmes. In addition Schools Outreach Officers deliver
environmental programmes at schools and Forest School Officers deliver Forest School sessions at
local sites close to school as part of the Integrated Curriculum. The Community Wildlife Officer at
Chafford Gorges offers a diverse programme for community groups £200 donation per day + travel.
EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE
Please liaise with the education staff at the relevant site to discuss the specific programme offered.
Sustainability
Subjects covered include bio fuels, reduce
reuse and recycle, food miles, consumer
choice, energy issues, and what the individual
can do to help reduce their impact on the
planet. Sustainability is covered through a
range of orienteering activities, site tours,
general discussion, and indoor activities.
Woodland Management
Observe the effects of a range of management
techniques on the biodiversity and abundance
of flora in scrub and woodland. Pupils collect
data on managed and unmanaged areas using
quadrats, transects and identification guides
and keys. Management techniques such as
coppicing, thinning, under-planting and the
creation of glades and rides, and other
techniques can be examined.
Grassland Surveys
Use of a range of sampling techniques,
identification keys, quadrants and transects, to
collect data on biodiversity, abundance,
frequency, variation, and observe the effects of
disturbance and management.
Saltmarsh
Terrestrial Invertebrate Surveys
Using a range of field equipment including
sweep nets, pitfall traps, tree beaters and
containers, students will survey different areas
e.g. log piles, grassland, leaf litter to compare
biodiversity and abundance of invertebrates.
Countryside/Leisure and Tourism
Management
Students assess the effect of different human
uses of the Nature Reserve and the physical
impact it can have on its flora and fauna.
Footpath trampling can be measured around
the reserve and an environmental index survey
carried out to record pupil perception of the
surroundings. An introduction to the running of
a busy visitor centre facility. Looking at the
retail aspect of the centre, public events,
financial targets for sales and donations,
facilities available and the benefit this tourist
facility has for wildlife.
Orienteering
Many sites have a variety of orienteering
courses that can be included as part of the days
programme. Activity includes use of compasses
and maps.
Discuss plant adaptations and the importance
of the saltmarsh habitat. Study and observe the
different zones of this unique and declining
habitat.
Education Officer
Hanningfield Reservoir
Visitor Centre
Hawkswood Road
Downham, CM11 1WT
Phone: 01268 711001
Education Officer
Fingringhoe Visitor Centre
South Green Road
Colchester, CO5 7DN
Phone: 01206 729678
Education Officer
Bedfords Park Visitor
Centre
Broxhill Raod
Havering-Atte-Bower,
Romford, RM4 1QH
Phone: 01708 748646
Assistant Education Officer
Chafford Gorges Visitor
Centre
Drake Road
Grays, RM16 7RG
Phone: 01375 484016
FOREST SCHOOL
OFFICERS AND
SCHOOLS OUTREACH
OFFICERS
The Joan Elliot
Visitor Centre at
Abbotts Hall Farm,
Great Wigborough
Colchester, Essex
CO5 7RZ
Schools Outreach Officers
Phone: 01621 862992
E-mail: SchoolsOutreach@
essexwt.org.uk
Freshwater Surveys
Using survey pond nets and other equipment
catch and identify a range of species. Compare
and contrast invertebrates found in two different
freshwater ponds. A detailed look at
adaptations for breathing, protection,
movement, feeding relationships, and lifecycles.
Abiotic factors can also be examined and
include factors such as pollution within the
ecosystem.
Forest School Officers
Phone: 01621 862993 and
Mobile: 07912270232
E-mail: ForestSchool@
essexwt.org.uk
Orienteering – Photo: Becky Gibson
Reg. Charity N0. 210065
VISITOR CENTRE
CONTACTS
WEBSITE
www.essexwt.org.uk
Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the People of Essex
MAIN HABITAT STUDY AREAS
Available at secondary, further and higher
education specialist sites
Hanningfield Reservoir Nature
Reserve (Secondary Specialist
Site) (Near Chelmsford)
Eco Centre, woodland and freshwater habitats.
Bedfords Park Nature Reserve
(Near Romford)
Historic parkland, meadows, woodland and
ponds
Fingringhoe Wick Nature
Reserve (Near Colchester)
Scrub, saltmarsh, meadows and freshwater
habitats
Chafford Gorges Nature Park
(Near Grays)
Chalk gorge, freshwater habitats and grassland.
Abbotts Hall Farm (Near Colchester)
Conservation grade arable land, coastal
realignment project (seawall breach), salt
marsh and estuary.
All sites offer coach parking and cloakroom
facilities. Most sites have good accessibility for
disabled visitors.
Donations
As a conservation charity we invest in our
People and Wildlife work as a tool to further
wildlife conservation we therefore request the
following donations:
£6 per pupil for secondary school and £7.50
per student for further and higher education
(£100 min full day £50 half day). Outreach
Visits £200 per day + travel. Forest School
sessions (half day) £125 + travel. Community
£200 + travel per day
An invoice to cover the donation and feedback
form will be provided on the day or sent direct
to the school after the field visit. All field
equipment, planning, preparation, timetabling,
and master copies of worksheets are provided
for your visit. The emphasis of your school field
visit with the Essex Wildlife Trust is for students
to have a unique hands on discovery
experience. We can offer a wide range of age
and activity appropriate worksheets. We have
found many children and young people thrive
academically through non paper based
sessions. Alternatively these worksheets can
be provided as follow up classroom work. All
activities are risk assessed and these can be
sent upon request.
For more information please contact the sites
above or People and Wildlife Manager on
01621 862991.
Essex Coopers & Coborn
Company School Quadrat
Surveys at Hanningfield
The Essex Wildlife Trust
The Joan Elliot
Visitor Centre at
Abbotts Hall Farm,
Great Wigborough
Colchester, Essex
CO5 7RZ
Phone: 01621 862960
Fax: 01621 862990
E-mail:
admin@essexwt.org.uk
Essex Coopers & Coborn
Company School Pond
Surveys at Hanningfield
Website:
www.essexwt.org.uk
Company Registered
No 638666 England
Registered Charity
No 210065
VAT Registered
No 945 7459 77
Reg. Charity N0. 210065
Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the People of Essex