KEY STAGE theme 5 1 Biodiversity pictures key words mountain upland heather harebell
woodland tree forest red squirrel
farm hedge wall gorse
brent geese estuary tide salt marsh
coast rocky shore sea pink lichen KEY STAGE theme 5 2 Biodiversity
Habitats and Ecosystems The Mournes has a variety of different habitats each of which supports a different group of species. Habitats include various kinds of heathland made up mainly of grasses and heather, bogs and fens, native and planted forests, rivers and streams. Farmed areas of fields, hedges and sheughs also make important habitats. The coastline also includes a range of habitats, including Sand Dunes, Mud Flats and Estuaries - the features of these areas depends on how exposed or sheltered the areas are from the weather.
Species The pictures show Yellowhammer, Sundew, Raven, and Irish Hare, four of the rare and important species of the Mourne area. There is good news about the Yellowhammer, while the population of this small bird had been decreasing for many years its population is now increasing again.
The Life Cycle of the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly The butterfly feeds on blue flowers of Devil’s Bit Scabious. In the Mournes the Scabious plant grows in grassland at Murlough Nature Reserve. The butterfly lays the eggs on leaves. The larvae grow within a silk web emerging as black caterpillars. The Marsh Fritillary is protected by law now as it is becoming rare.
Nature Conservation - Protection and Management With increasing pressure from different landuses, areas of biodiversity importance are set aside and protected by law. Nature reserves provide important refuges for vulnerable species. Education is crucial and the Mourne Heritage Trust assist local people in projects to encourage biodiversity.
Threats to Biodiversity Our activities can have an impact on biodiversity in other countries. For example some wood on the market comes from important natural forests such as the Amazon Rainforest, rather than coming from sustainable sources. Some of the crops and meat imported from overseas has been the result of clearing of important forests and other habitats in other parts of the world. theme 5 - Biodiversity Teachers Resource project ideas Sheet KEY STAGE 1 KEY STAGE 2
Literacy Literacy Using the pictures compare two different Use the accompanying pictures to describe habitats. Habitats include upland heather, a walk through the countryside and how you mire, bog, woodland, river, dune, estuaries, feel about different habitats. rocky shores, forest and hedgerows. Write poems about the species and the issues Write a poem about plants, animals, insects or that they face. birds from the Mournes. Imagine yourself as Research different names for wildlife and one of them and how you feel about the find out local names – e.g. Blaeberry environment. and Bilberry – Gorse and Whin.
Numeracy Numeracy Observe the birds in your own school grounds. Find out about the different birds living in the Count how many of each type you see. different habitats and make a chart to Are there any changes throughout the year? compare. Create a collage of a typical Mourne scene out Make a map of the Mournes area to represent of fabric. Make felt pictures of species to stick the location and estimated area of each on. Count the different number of animals habitat. and plants. Use the Ulster Museum Habitas Online website to work out where some species occur within the Mournes AONB.
World Around Us World Around Us Study the life cycle of the Marsh Fritillary Investigate extinct animals such as the Irish Butterfly. Which habitats do they prefer? elk. Ulster Museum has a section on extinct Draw different wild flowers found in the mammals and is worth a visit. Mournes from different habitats and compare Investigate different seaweeds found along the shape and colour of the flowers. the Mourne coastline and compare the Label the main parts if you can. difference between seaweeds and plants. Follow a river in the Mournes from its source Explore the uses of seaweed – in the past and to the sea – describe the habitats it passes today. through, the width and form of the river as it Explore some of the issues to do with threats drops from high ground to lower ground and to ecology and nature conservation – climate the way settlement has impacted on the river change, development pressure and changes valley. to agriculture. Create your own wildlife area in your school grounds.
Creativity & Expression Creativity & Expression Create a collage of the Mournes with the Create the design for a wallpaper, curtain or different habitats and species present in each window etching using leaf shapes, flower habitat. patterns and footprints of animals found in Create your own map to show something the Mournes. which you feel is special about the Mournes – Write your own musical symphony about the e.g. a walk to your favourite tree and what biodiversity issues to do with the Mournes and you see. Take some digital photographs. another region from around the world. Create you own sculpture of a species found Create your own musical instruments from in the Mournes using clay or paper maché – recycled materials or things collected around Raven, Red Squirrel, Irish Hare or Sundew. your school grounds to perform your symphony.
Information Communication Information Communication and Technology and Technology Using the Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust Using suggested websites find out about the website find out about the Brent Goose – life cycle of the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly – the where it migrates from and to, what it feeds different stages of its life, the issues it faces, on, the countries it links with, the issues it how it is recorded and monitored and the faces when it arrives along the Northern management issues it faces. Ireland coastline to include the estuaries around Mourne. Teachers theme 5 Support Information Biodiversity
Summary Information Rivers are important wildlife corridors from their source to mouth supporting characteristic species like Grey Wagtail Theme 5 focuses on the rich biodiversity interest of the area and Dipper. and the issues around biodiversity. There is a wonderful mosaic of different habitats. A habitat is a particular Woodlands and forests are important refuges for many grouping or community of species. Habitats in the Mourne bird species. There are deciduous trees (they lose their area include upland heath, bog, grassland, river, woodland, leaves in winter) and coniferous trees (with needles that forest, coastal mudflat and shingle, rocky shores and sandy do not drop throughout the year). A native woodland is beaches. The large areas of farmland are also vital to the made up of primarily deciduous trees like Oak, Ash and mosaic of diversity and biodiversity in the Mournes. Species Hazel. They might sometimes have coniferous trees like rich hedgerows, sheughs, grassland and small copses add Holly or Pine. Red Squirrels, moths and birds such as the to the network of habitats for our native wildlife. Jay are part of the native woodland ecosystem. Forests have been planted commercially over the years. Better Upland heath includes the unenclosed areas of mountain and more diverse forest practices more recently have led and includes plant species such as Heather and Bilberry or to forests becoming more diverse and hence of greater Blaeberry. The Raven typically soars over the mountains. ecological interest. The coastline consists of a variety of Bogs have a higher water table and are wetter places and important and vulnerable habitats. The rocky shores include plant species such as Bog Cotton and Asphodel. support beautiful orange lichens and flowers such as Sea Dragonflies and other insects are common in this habitat. Pink. The mudflats and estuaries are like a `food larder’ for birds with the many worms and shelled invertebrates such as Cockles. Grasslands are more than just for agricultural use. A species-rich grassland that has not been treated with The Mournes and Slieve Croob area are home to some chemical fertilisers is an important conservation resource important and notable species such as the Marsh Fritillary sustaining a wide range of insects, butterflies and birds. Butterfly found at Murlough nature reserve, the Irish Hare Agricultural intensification and the increasing use of rye found on farmland, the Brent Goose found on the mudflats grass has led to a reduction in the areas of species rich and Yellow Horned Poppy on the shingle along the coast. grassland. This has been further impacted by the use of Dundrum Bay and Carlingford Lough have been recognised herbicides and pesticides. as being of international conservation importance.
Resources and Websites ‘Mourne Country - Landscape and Life in South Down’ E Estyn Evans, 2005, Dundalgan Press, Dundalk ‘Biodiversity Strategy for Northern Ireland’ Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group, The Stationery Office 'The Mountains of Mourne - A Celebration of a Place Apart' David Kirk. Appletree Press 2002 www.mournelive.com local information, an interactive map www.ehsni.gov.uk/pubs/publications education resources and information on biodiversity, protected areas, earth science information on rivers and water quality www.nationaltrust.org.uk information about local sites to visit www.habitas.org.uk loads of information about flora and fauna in Northern Ireland www.rspb.org.uk/countryside education resources, information about birds in NI. www.ulsterwildlifetrust.org.uk education resources, information about habitats and species www.floralocale.org.uk information about local plants, their distribution and folklore www.wwf.org.uk education resources and information about conservation campaigns www.wwt.org.uk/brent/brent_now.asp information about the project to trace Brent Geese migrating to Northern Ireland from northern Canada www.butterfly-conservation.org/edupub/education/watch/a4.zip factsheet about butterfly cycles www.foe.co.uk education resources and information about conservation campaigns www.seaturtletrust.org.uk information about Leatherback Turtle www.woodland-trust.org.uk information on native woods and education resources www.cvni.org.uk volunteers projects, tree planting projects, information on native trees www.mcsuk.org.uk information on marine conservation www.nienvironmentlink.org information on conservation campaigns and community projects Written, designed and produced by Celia Spouncer www.cee.org.uk Council for Environmental Education – links to education resources with Alphaset Design. www.curriculumonline.gov.uk/casestudies/geography.htm provides video examples of applying the curriculum Photographs reproduced with kind permission from Mourne www.ltl.org.uk information on creating wildlife areas in school grounds Heritage Trust, Marty Johnston, www.ecoseeds.co.uk Information on wildflowers and how to plant them Steve Murphy, Ernie Wilson, David Thompson, Celia Spouncer, Environment This is Sheet 5 of a series of 7 themes - Mountains of Mourne, Evidence of the Past, Food from the Mournes, and Heritage Service NI Living in the Mournes, Biodiversity in the Mournes, The Mourne Coast and The Mournes - A Place to Visit. and National Trust. Thanks to teachers at All Children’s and Cedar Integrated The education sheets should be used in conjunction with Mourne Heritage Trust Facts Sheets to be found in Primary Schools for their the education folder. Additional information about the Mourne Heritage Trust and it’s activities is available assistance in ensuring that the on the mournelive.com website. More copies of these sheets (and CDROM version) can be obtained from the sheets are appropriate for teachers of Key Stage 1 and 2. Mourne Heritage Trust. This includes an electronic version for a classroom whiteboard education system.