Follifields Talk

1. Follifields Talk Location: Follifoot Primary School (3 classes @ 20mins each)

2. What Wildlife might the site attract? • Red Kites (opportunistic hunters) • Hedgehogs • Foxes • Badgers • Field Mice • Rabbits • Roe Deer • Owls (Tawny or Barn) • Squirrels (Grey) • Bats • Insects: Bees, butterflies, beetles, moths

3. Signs to look for: • Tracks in soft ground, muddy areas or molehills • Droppings or Scat containing fur, bone, feathers and insect casings • Scent markers – a strong musky odour or scent • Scratching marks on trees, rocks or fence posts • A well worn, flattened path through grass or plants • Remains of eaten food: feathers, bones, empty nut shells or fruit stones

4. How we encourage wildlife: • We create somewhere they want to live • Provide a wide variety of different plants, trees and flowers to encourage insects. • Attract a wide variety of insects attracts small mammals (mice, voles, rabbits) • Plant Trees • Grow a hedge • Grow wildflowers • Create a wilderness area • Put up nest boxes • Protect existing habitats • Don’t drop litter or damage trees and plants

5. Why we encourage Wildlife and Biodiversity. • Biodiversity is a term which simply means 'the variety of life’ • Biodiversity is life. Scientists use the word to describe the links andvariety between all living things on the planet – including humans. • All life is connected, even if we can not see the connections. • We encourage wildlife, plants and animals, to create a healthy, sustainable balance of life. • By planting lots of different plants we encourage many insect types. These attract birds, small mammals, bats. Larger animals feed on the smaller. • Trees provide both food and shelter for many animals, birds, insects and plants • We all rely on biodiversity for our survival, because of the vast number of goods and services our planet provides for us.

6. What you can do. • Listening and looking for wildlife. • Talking time to sit and watch the insects, the birds and other creatures. When you are quiet you are more likely to see things then when you are noisy. • Not dropping litter which can harm animals and looking after the trees and plants, new and old. • Create wild spaces at home in your garden or in your school • Make a list of plants and creatures you see: insects, birds and animals. • Plants flowers to attract bees….bees are vital for biodiversity

7. Bees…quick facts • 70 of the top 100 food crops in the world rely on bees to pollinate them. These 70 provide 90% of the world nutrition • 80% of flower plants depend on pollination. (and trees) • Without bees we would have no almonds, apples, avocados, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherries, cranberries, cucumbers, sunflowers, watermelon etc • Bees can see the colour purple best so plant purple flowers (Buddleja, Lavender, Alliums and clover) • Bees can tell us how healthy, or well, our environment is.

8. Additional facts: Rain forest • More than half the world's approximately 10 million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical rain forest • At current rates of loss, the rainforests will be completely gone in forty years. • As a result of rainforest destruction, approximately half the world's species of plants, animals and insects will be destroyed in the next 25 years. • Due to rainforest destruction, the earth loses an estimated 137 plant, animal and insect species every day. • 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest materials

9. Additional Facts: The Northern Forest • over 50 million trees over 25 years. It will stretch from Liverpool across to Hull • Improving air quality in our towns and cities • Reducing flood risks • Increased tourism, recreation and timber production • Connecting people with nature • Improvements to health and wellbeing through welcoming and accessible local green spaces. • 800th anniversary of the 1217 Charter of the Forest. • 2017: Charter for Trees, Woods and People, reflecting the modern relationship with trees and woods in the landscape for people in the UK

10. Specific Trees and inhabitants. • Oak: 20-40m / 500 species supported/40 years before acorns/150 years before wood can be used for construction (Purple hairstreak butterflies.) • Silver Birch: 30m+/229 species of insect/improves soil quality/leaves attract aphids for ladybirds/ leaves food for moths (pebble hook-tip moth) • Hawthorn: 300+ insects/flowers eaten by Dormice/fruits by birds and small mammals/shelter for bird nests • Apple: 93+/ thrushes feast off fallen fruit and bullfinches are partial to the buds. Bushy specimens are excellent nesting spots for blackbirds. • Beech: 40m+/64+/ bark is often home to a variety of fungi, mosses and lichens.  (Orchids-red helleborine) seeds are eaten by mice, voles, squirrels and birds