I’m pretty chuffed with assessor’s feedback so far on my Forest School Portfolio! Only Unit 3 and my Handbook to complete in the next 4 weeks. This has been a chunky bit of work to manage with a day job and family commitments, but it’ll be well worth it in the end! Shout out to all the #forestschoolleader s! #forestschool #forestschoolleadertraining #hackneyoutdoors #outdoorlearningforkids #outdoorlearning #outdooreducation #portfoliocareer https://www.instagram.com/p/CdILzDeIGy8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Thanks to @garden_therapy via @thegreenparentmag for the cute idea to make some pine twig gnomes from my old Christmas tree. I’m prepping to build natural mini-shelters with my FS group as part of a wider ‘survival’ theme in the next week and wanted to create some simple little people to inspire the kids to build shelters for. Voila! Love the idea to use pencil sharpeners to shape their little hats! #christmastree #reusereducerecycle #whittling #bushcraft #forestschoolideas #forestschoolskills #forestschoolleadertraining #forestschoolsession1 #gnomes #outdooreducation #getoutside https://www.instagram.com/hackney_outdoors/p/CYZG-Q4I5nA/?utm_medium=tumblr

I’ve been writing about methods of sustainable woodland management in my #forestschoolportfolio today (Unit 5) and was reminded by this timely post from @wildwoodtrustuk how the reintroduction of native animals such as Bison can help boost biodiversity! I’ll be pinching that example then 😃#forestschoolleader #forestschoolleadertraining #forestschool Posted @withregram • @wildwoodtrustuk Today is #EarthDay2022 and to save our planet we need to act fast! It’s going to take all of us. All in. Everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet. We all have to do our bit and so at Wildwood we have launched our Wilder Blean project in partnership with @kentwildlife . We will be releasing a small herd of Bison into Blean woods near Canterbury, funded by players of @peoplespostcodelottery . The project will promote stronger habitats by restoring natural processes that are able to withstand the current environmental crisis and species decline, and in the long run, reverse it. In the UK, lack of woodland management is one of the eight biggest drivers of species decline. Wilder Blean aims to bring transformational change through a controlled trial with bison; a missing keystone species that is able to naturally manage woodlands. In addition to consuming great quantities of grasses and feeding on shrubs, bison influence the vegetation by de-barking trees, breaking open dense undergrowth (by literally walking right through it), and creating bare soil patches (by dust bathing), which allows pioneer plants to move in. In addition, bison disperse nutrients (dung) and seeds across their territory. Breeding birds use bison winter fur as nesting material, and magpies follow the bison herd to pick off ticks and other parasites. To put it scientifically the bison are a catalyst for biodiversity. In 2007, bison were introduced into the Kraansvlak coastal dune reserve in the Netherlands. This project has been a great success: the bison herd is thriving and – thanks to the bison and other grazers – the landscape has regained the dynamic and varied dune formations it used to be known for. #earthday #conservation #britishwildlife #biodiversity https://www.instagram.com/p/CcpurKooaMU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Prepping to do some #watercycle and #waterfilter activities with the kids today at #forestschool in my #forestschoolleadertraining session 3! We’ll be exploring how to clean muddy water with sand and charcoal (continuing our survival theme) and then making our own water cycle inspired #woodenslice necklaces, perhaps with a lovely #onceuponaraindrop story if we get time! The kids love to make craft and to have a little treasure to take home from a session - so I always try to wrap that wherever I can. I also think having a physical item can help you to remember and retain information or at least a memory of an experience. It’s all drip 💧drip #water #learning #learningthroughplay #outdooreducation #ecotherapy #forestschoolideas #forestschoolleadertraining #forestschoolsession3 #survival https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ1Qwa6ok0Z/?utm_medium=tumblr

It was day 1 of my #forestschoolassessmentdays today - we practiced knots, tool use and camping cooking (sugar apples, popcorn etc) over the 🔥 fire. The latter being much welcome as it was freezing out there! 🥶 Sadly I’m not with the same group that I did my original training with ♥️ but as usual the new group was friendly & knowledgable .. as most #forestschool people seem to be #forestschoolleadertraining #forestschool #outdooreducation #getoutside #hackneyoutdoors #camping #outdoorcooking (at Stave Hill) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZHorwbIIFD/?utm_medium=tumblr

Quite chuffed that I got the kids talking about mushrooms at #forestschool today - specifically which were safe to eat and those which might give you tummy ache! We also sorted safe and unsafe foods from nuts, berries, tree bark, plants & minibeasts (yep!) after ‘foraging’ cards with photos of them on site using a handy map. At the end the kids could ID an on site silver birch tree ❤️ 🌲 (as well as know you can eat much of it!). More pics in my story. #forestschoolideas #natureidentification #wildfood #outdooreducation #getoutside #hackneyoutdoors #urbanforestschool #forestschoolleadertraining #forestschoolsession2 #lookandlisten #sensoryplay (at Hackney Downs) https://www.instagram.com/hackney_outdoors/p/CZAQJVXocZO/?utm_medium=tumblr

I ran my #forestschoolleadertraining Session 1 today and we made mini-shelters for twig gnomes as part of my winter ‘survival’ theme! We discussed the importance of shelter and what to consider when making one in nature, then practised tying knots including tripod lashes to make the frame. The site was also full of worms today so a few worms also got an impromptu shelter made. Lucky worms! #forestschoolideas #forestschool #outdooreducation #skillsforlife #scouting #naturecrafts #denbuilding #minishelters #forestschooluk #smallworld (at Hackney Downs) https://www.instagram.com/hackney_outdoors/p/CYuCB5CIs_G/?utm_medium=tumblr

Brrrr! A chilly day out making cute #willowwreaths for Christmas with the kids at #forestschool today! It was sadly our last session of the year. However next year we’ll be together again - though I’ll be leading six sessions as part of my #forestschoolleadertraining Level 3 (I recently passed Level 2 but have rolled straight onto 3). So I’ve also got a whole lotta work to do on the portfolio come January! I’ll definitely be including willow in my future activity planning though - it was so simple to make these little wreaths by making a willow circle and then threading fir, Ivy and holly leaves within. #outdooreducation #outdoorlife #forestschoolstraining #forestschool #forestschoolideas #christmascrafts #willow #wintercrafts #christmas #hackneyoutdoors (at Hackney Downs) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXTtvBXoa1U/?utm_medium=tumblr

Apparently grove snails (or brown lipped snails) come in many colours to potentially help camouflage them against hungry birds. Can you tell I’m doing the nature ID part of my Forest School portfolio? #grovesnails #forestschoolleadertraining #brownlippedsnail #natureidentification #natureid #hackneyoutdoors https://www.instagram.com/p/CTownkEoD0B/?utm_medium=tumblr

Fabulous last day of #forestschoolleadertraining today - during our final reflection we all made some (cute to creepy!) ‘talking heads’ to wave as we shared our feelings and thoughts on the last 5 weeks. Lots of positive feedback to @thehiveoutdoors and @earthwildlondon - everyone said how much the training had helped them reorientate themselves after a very strange year by helping them to slow down, connect with nature and connect with common souls who also want to make a difference to themselves and others through environmental and outdoor education. So a big thanks to all the crew! Next step - planning sessions! #forestschool #forestschooltraining #forestschoolideas #outdooreducation #nature #getoutdoors #hackneyoutdoors #outdoorlearning https://www.instagram.com/p/CPbDHkdnhW8/?utm_medium=tumblr

I absolutely loved the plant identification work we did last week as part of my #forestschoolleadertraining.⠀ ⠀ Being able to recognise some of the wild plants and trees around me helps me be more mindful: I’m more in the moment when I’m out & about as I’m looking for anything I recognise rather than worrying about tomorrow or yesterday. ⠀ ⠀ It also makes you realise just how much our native plant life mattered to people before we had pharmacies or could jet asparagus in from around the world. People could literally kill or be cured (or at least helped to stay healthy) from what they knew and what they used. Nettles for example - not just the plant of every child’s nightmares; also one of natures’ top sources of Vit C and A. Hemlock on the other hand...yikes⠀ ⠀ . #foraging #nettles #plantidentification #plantID #forestschool #outdoorlearning #wildfood #plants #nature #hackneyoutdoors #herbalism #botany #science https://www.instagram.com/p/COpiUVYHA8a/?igshid=3o4e3p2vtunt

Today I did a #forestschoolleader rite of passage and made my own mallet! Working with other trainees under @thehiveoutdoors @earthwildlondon I sawed a length of Hazel wood, shaped a handle using a bill hook and then whittled it down with a sheath knife, before using it for a spot of #hapazome leaf printing. It was fab to make something with my hands from wood - I’ll now be adding this to my campervan kit to knock the awning tent pegs in! #forestschoolleader #forestschoolleadertraining #forestschoolideas #forestschool #outdooreducation #outdoorlearning #stavehillecologicalpark #getoutdoors #sustainableliving #nature #natureart #woodworking #hackneyoutdoors #maths #engineering #stem (at Stave Hill) https://www.instagram.com/p/COTBRr7n3J-/?igshid=6q7h0jz0c26a

Excited that I will finally be starting my #forestschool training on Friday with @thehiveoutdoors ! Looking forward to learning something new that is frankly super wholesome, practical and relaxing. You’re never too old to try something new and add new strings to your bow (literally perhaps in my case 🏹). I’ll be sharing pics of my adventures! #learning #wellness #resilience #forestschoolleadertraining #forestschool #journalling #forestschooldiary #hackneyoutdoors https://www.instagram.com/p/CN7yqBVHJRr/?igshid=k6gwgyi07nez