Year 12 trip to the Blackdown Hills Eco Hub

News - Jul 22

During Belonging Week, a group of Year 12 students got the fantastic opportunity to visit the Blackdown Hills Eco Hub for a day where we learnt about a variety of topics ranging from the importance of dung beetles to biochar as a sustainable alternative for peat.  

We were able to get hands-on and help to make the biochar by packing the wood, burning it and mixing it with different liquids such as watered down manure, which our guide kindly offered to do for us. We were then taught about how dung beetles are essential in ensuring that rainwater is able to percolate into the soil rather than run off into reservoirs and cause flooding. Finally, we were able to connect with nature and do some foraging, which I found particularly peaceful. We learnt about the different medicinal properties of plants and how they can be used to make foods and drinks such as dandelion wine! We are very thankful to have been given this opportunity to learn so much about the variety of different topics and we would love to return.  

The quality of activities and of educational opportunities was very high, and we have more activities planned with the Eco Hub, with a talk in school and projects interwoven with the school curriculum.  

Written by Rose B, Year 12