Wildlife gardens a great way of attracting wildlife to your school whilst enabling you for to observe and experiment in your own back yard.

Using an A3 piece of paper design a layout for a wildlife garden that could be established within your school grounds. Your aim would be to attract as much wildlife to your garden as possible. Within your plan identify what you would plant and why. Then consider the aftercare requirements for your garden and how you would mange the garden once it has been established. (Don't forget management during school holidays!). The following guidelines may help you:

• The wildlife garden should be no larger than 5 metres x 5 metres.
• Work with nature, not against it, creating a mixed web of life.
• Provide a variety of habitats if possible ( e.g. Ponds, log pile, meadows etc).
• Native plants attract more native wildlife.
• Consider your surroundings ( local species, existing habitats ).
• Consider access requirements.
• Attract useful predators ( control of pests - ladybirds, frogs, hedgehogs,bats).
• Don't be too tidy!
• Consider gardens that avoid the use of toxic chemicals.
• Encourage death and decay.
• Wildlife gardens can be interesting and colourful.
• Have fun and enjoy yourselves.
  

£100 of Natural history books will be given to competition prize winners. Please write your name, age and school on the back of each entry. All entries to be submitted to the following address:

Competition winners will be announced on this web-site where winning designs can be viewed. All winners will be informed by post. Competition closing date: 31st December 2001-05-29

" This is really good for a hedgehog to nest in, shelter in, to store food and shelter in. When you make a box, never use wood that has been treated with chemicals, like woodworm treatment fluid. Make sure you cover the box with polythene and mound of soil and leaves over it, but make sure the ventilation tube is not covered."