Students take part in 24-hour wildlife survey

Students at a special educational needs college have teamed up with ecologists to find and identify the species found on their 80-acre site.

National Star College near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire took part in this week's "BioBlitz" with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust to assess biodiversity on campus.

Students are now working on strategies to support nature and try to boost the numbers of vulnerable species.

One student said she had learned how small changes can make a big difference to wildlife.

The students found that hedgehogs, rabbits, deer and foxes call the college's grounds home, as well as a huge variety of insects, including many butterflies.

Megan Adamou, a community action officer with the wildlife trust, said the event aimed to give students autonomy to decide how best to help the species they found.

"My mission in Gloucester is to make sure everyone has the opportunity to do something for nature - to build a relationship, to take meaningful action, to do something that makes nature more important for them and therefore protect it," she said.

"It's so easy to just say 'this habitat needs this, this is what needs to happen' - there's no co-ownership."

Students spent the weeks leading up to the event learning to identify different species and also considering ways to help them, such as building hedgehog shelters.

One student, Isabella, said: "Hedgehogs are vulnerable to extinction and we need to look after them, but small changes can make a big difference."

Elaine Hodgin, the college's sustainability lead, said staff and students were working to reduce the site's carbon footprint.

"It's also about educating the learners about what they can do with regards to climate change," she said.

National Star now plans to hold the event annually.

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