The Royal Parks is the charity that cares for 5,000 acres of Royal parkland across London, playing a key role in conservation by connecting the capital’s wildlife corridors and creating habitat havens for many plants and animals. This includes over 4,100 species of invertebrates—animals that do not have a backbone, such as insects, spiders, snails, and worms, but which are vital to the environment because of their roles as pollinators, waste decomposers, and as a source of food. This year, thanks to a £600,000 award from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the Royal Parks has launched Mission: Invertebrate to inspire people with the amazing story of nature’s unsung workforce.
London schools are now being invited to join Mission: Invertebrate to discover the hidden wonders of this miniature world. By bringing the classroom to London’s iconic green spaces, The Royal Park’s free school sessions will educate and inspire pupils.
Held this autumn term, the sessions will be mapped to the National Curriculum and led by a team of experienced Learning Officers. The fascinating, interactive sessions have been developed for children from Key Stage 1 up to post-16 and A-Level, with a focus on what an invertebrate is and their form and function. The sessions will centre around three topics: pollinators, detritivores and food chains.
Schools will also be able to participate in an exciting competition organised by Mission: Invertebrate, which will launch at the beginning of the autumn term. The competition invites schools to design their dream invertebrate habitat in their school grounds, and the winning school will have aspects of their design created.
Dr Alice Laughton, who is leading the project, comments: “This is a fantastic opportunity for children to get involved and learn about the vital role of invertebrates in the ecosystem. All sessions are designed to be great fun and mapped to the National Curriculum, offering schools the opportunity to get children out into the fresh air whilst exploring and discovering more about London’s most iconic green spaces”.
If you would like to make a booking or to sign up to the competition, please visit: royalparks.org.uk
The Royal Parks is a charity (registered number 1172042) created in March 2017 to manage and fundraise for 5,000 acres of Royal parkland across London. Every year 77 million visitors enjoy London’s eight Royal Parks for their unparalleled opportunities for enjoyment, exploration and healthy living in the heart of London. The charity looks after eight of London’s largest open spaces: Hyde Park, The Green Park, Richmond Park, Greenwich Park, St James’s Park, Bushy Park, The Regent’s Park, and Kensington Gardens. The Royal Parks also manage other important open spaces in the capital, including Grosvenor Square Garden, Brompton Cemetery, Victoria Tower Gardens, Canning Green and Poet’s Corner.
