Wild Wild Woods!

All Arran's primary schools were visited by a roving troop of woodland animals as part of this year's Wildlife Festival. Rangers from the Galloway Forest (Forestry Commission Scotland), Eglington Country Park (North Ayrshire Council), and Brodick Country Park and Goatfell (National Trust for Scotland) teamed up to present a Wild Wild Woods puppet show. This was followed by an interactive session, where the pupils found out about the fantastic wildlife to be found in Arran's woodland. The children learned how to screech like a barnowl, roar like a stag, tell the difference between a squirrel and a mouse-chewed pine cone and why a bat hangs upside down, and much, much more! We're not sure who had more fun in the end - the rangers or the children!

The event was kindly sponsored by the Co-Operative with transport help from Stagecoach.

If you go down to the woods today.....

.............You might meet Carol from the Co-operative in a slightly worrying bunny suit and lots of wildlife rangers with furry animal puppets (what is the collective noun for wildlife rangers?).
Whats going on? Well without breaking the official secrets act I can tell you that Brodick Ranger service have called in mainland reinforcements to help them prepare for the primary schools workshops during the festival, so Lucy from FCS and Linda from Eglington joined Kate Corinna and Liz for some seriously creative sessions at Shore Lodge last week.
The workshops will be sponsored by th Co-op, who are becoming one of our key partners. The picture is of Carol presenting the rangers with a cheque for £655 at an Arran Banner photocall! Look out for the article in this week's Banner: www.arranbanner.co.uk
Thank you!

Whiting Bay Primary School wins a turtle

Remember the Cool Seas Roadshow at last years festival? All of the island's primary school children took part in a fantastic day of marine themed activities including life sized inflateable sea creatures.

The children created wonderful collages of sealife and best composition was judged by Howard Wood of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust. It was pure coincidence that Whiting Bay school won the competition (Howard is a resident in the village!).
In recognition of their fantastic artwork, last week the school won an adopted turtle, under the Marine Conservation Society's "Adopt A Turtle Scheme". Under the scheme, for as little as £3 a month, you can support the work of the MCS and other conservation groups in protecting turtles around the world. Whiting Bay Schools turtle was funded by the Wildlife Festival.

The children were presented with a certificate and information pack, as well as a toy turtle to enjoy.

To adopt your own turtle and to find out more about the scheme visit http://www.mcsuk.org/marineworld/adopt-a-turtle/turtle+adoption