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As mentioned previously our investigation is into Nature but also into who we are and how we feel. Its an investigation into how being outdoors can impact our Mental, Physical, Emotional and Social Health. The piles of logs, pine cones and smiles on faces certainly shows that our investigation is going well!!

As a cold day reached a warm conclusion we decided it was time for a break. The time had flown past as it normally does when we are Out and Active! It was time for a warm drink and before we knew it our Countryside Ranger Friends had it all arranged with warm drinks and warmers smiles flowing from the tap. We commented on how being outdoors can impact us all so positivley in many ways and agreed that this would play a part in all our lives moving forward. So with our time within the beautiful Pollok Park coming to a close (for now) we decided there was time for one last photograph.....until next time!!

Our investigation into Nature and Health took us to the nearby Greenfield Park where we would work with Countryside Ranger Gavin. Out task today - planting young trees and building upon the great work carried out by other schools and members of the Community. Countryside Ranger Gavin showed us the trees we would be planting that ranged from Mighty Oaks (ot they would grow to be) to Crab Apples and Hawthrone! We talked about the age and possible history of the trees that hung over us and wondered if what we we doing today would last as long and have as great an impact. Only time would tell....

Dividing into pairs we set off with spades in hand and sapling stored safely in a storage area on site. We looked at the site and decided to plant the trees in no particular order so that they would look natural once they matured. The ground was damp and tree roots battled against us as our spades split the earth. We talked about the massive age of the trees as we worked and used the word 'generations' a lot as we wondered. And with this in mind our work continiued with Countryside Ranger Gavin always on hand to ensure we knew exactly what to do...

Team work!!!! In the images above we see our teams hard aty work digging and planting the young trees. As always we worked together, making decsions and plans of where each sapling should go. The highlight of the day came when a local person walked past with her dog and approached us. She talked to the groups individually and when we came together at the end of our planting day we learned that she had simply wanted to thank us for the work that we had been doing and the contribution we had made to her local area. Social Wellbeing?? It definitely was along with a boost for mental and emtional health as once again the smiles on our faces gave us away!! As the tools were cleaned and stacked we asked each other if our trees would become tall and proud, would they become parts of adventure for local children many years from now as they played in the small Greenfield Woods???

19th September 2023 To start our John Muir Adventure on our site, we held a landing ritual, collecting naturals things to place in the centre and sharing something we were hopeful for as we develop a relationship with our site. We all lit candles and sat for a minutes silence and be thankful for the earth and the wildlife.

Some of us built a pond for amphibians and reptiles to have a sanctuary and place on their. We chose a quite spot on our site, out of the way. It took us three weeks to dig the pond, all at different levels, for the different species. We lined with some roofing plastic and secured it with stones and soil. We are looking to add some ponds plants by collecting from safe spots and other ponds in the community.

We created a hibernaculum for reptiles and amphibians to be dormant for the winter months. We dug a shallow hole, filled with pipes that went to the surface as entry points for the wildlife. Then we covered with wood planks and grass turf and covered the whole thing with autumn leaves. We located it near the pond for the wildlife to access easily.