The Vale of Glamorgan Council has unveiled a new wildlife garden at Sully Primary School, featuring hundreds of native plants species to promote biodiversity.
In partnership with Morgan Sindall Construction and Groundwork Wales, the purpose-built wildlife garden aims to encourage students to engage in a range of hands-on outdoor activities whilst also learning about the environment and conservation.The project aligns with the Council’s Project Zero initiative to become carbon neutral by 2030 and comes after it declared both climate and nature emergencies.
More than 500 species of native pollinating plants and five native trees were selected by local growers – including Comfrey, Cowslip, Wild Cabbage and Elder and Alder Buckthorn trees.
Four bee logs made from a local Cherry tree and seven volunteer-made bird boxes were also installed.
As a nod to the school’s links to nearby beaches, the plants and trees were specifically chosen to withstand windy conditions, ocean spray and can also thrive in salty soil.
Children and volunteers also set about work on the 70 metres of hedgerow around the school’s playground, which will provide a much-needed food-source to wildlife, essential for creating long-term biodiversity in the area.
Cllr Bronwen Brooks, Vale of Glamorgan Cabinet Member for Sustainable Places said: “It is vitally important that we take care of the natural environment around us and protect it for generations to come.
“This beautiful garden, the result of hard work put in by volunteers and children in the community, will help nurture local wildlife and reduce carbon emissions, improving air quality and helping to tackle climate change.
“I’d like to congratulate all involved in this project for the positive contribution they have made.
“This new space at Sully Primary School is the perfect example of the Council’s on-going Project Zero commitment to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions.”
Andrea Waddington, Headteacher at Sully Primary School said: “The children really enjoyed helping to plant the hedgerow and the wildlife garden area.
They loved finding out about the wormery and are being very diligent in ensuring the worms are being fed and the soil kept moist.
The wildlife garden and hedgerow is still very much in its infancy. We will need both to develop a little more prior to the children fully engaging with them.
