Laois Education Support Centre (LESC) recently launched Pollinator Lesson Plans for teachers aimed at enhancing biodiversity education in schools.
The initiative was a collaboration between LESC, the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) and Laois County Council.
The event, held at Laois Education Support Centre, Portlaoise, was attended by teachers from across the county and featured key figures in the field of education and biodiversity.
Pádraig Fleming, An Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, officially opened the event, highlighting existing work of the local communities to promote biodiversity.
Kate Chandler from NBDC highlighted the importance of pollinators in sustaining our environment and the crucial role education plays in fostering a new generation of biodiversity champions, offering teachers practical ways to integrate them into their schools and local communities.
Catherine Doolan of LESC expressed their commitment to the project, emphasizing how the lesson plans align with the curriculum while inspiring hands-on learning.
“This initiative provides teachers with the resources they need to bring the importance of biodiversity and pollination into the classroom in a meaningful way,” Ms Doolan said.
Liam O’Neill, Chair of LESC, highlighted the stark decline of pollinators of 75% over 30 years.
As part of the event, teachers who are part of LESC’s Cúram Gardening Project received educational materials for this year’s project – vegetable gardening – further reinforcing the connection between pollinators and food production.
The resources provided will help schools create pollinator-friendly spaces, fostering sustainability while engaging students in real-world environmental action.
The success of the launch marks an exciting step forward in promoting biodiversity awareness among young learners in Laois.
Schools are encouraged to implement the pollinator lesson plans and participate in pollinator-friendly initiatives throughout the year.
The booklet of 10 lesson plans are available for download on Laois.ie and a hardcopy is to be sent to every primary school in County Laois by the Laois Education Centre.
For more information, contact Lisa Doyle on ldoyle@laoiscoco.ie.
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