From School Field to Wildlife Haven

The first week of the Easter holidays saw the WildWater team heading over to Newark for an exciting new project at Mount CofE Newark Primary School. This time, the mission was to create a vibrant wildlife area—complete with a pond—where students could explore, learn, and connect with nature right on their doorstep.

It was all hands on deck from the start. The entire WildWater team was joined by the brilliant crew at Woodside Landscapes, who helped us tackle the heavy-duty groundwork, including excavating the pond and drilling the fence post holes. Safe to say, it was a busy Monday—we hit the ground running and didn’t look back.

With the area marked out in a corner of the school field, we began shaping the vision. The pond layout was mapped, along with a pathway that would guide students through the new wildlife space. As the team got stuck into digging out the pond and installing fence posts, others began scraping out what would soon become a pathway and seating area. By the end of day one, the transformation was already underway, and the wildlife area was taking shape before our eyes.

A key focus for this project was creating habitats where nature could truly thrive. Using the excavated soil and turf from the pond, we built a log mound—layering it over two rows of logs and blending it seamlessly into the surrounding ground. The result? A gentle hill that’s not only fun for children to explore, but also a perfect home for insects and small creatures.

By days two and three, the pond itself was fully dug out and ready to be brought to life. We lined it with protective felt before installing the liner, and then came the most rewarding part—adding rocks, logs and planting to create a natural, welcoming environment. This is where the space really started to feel alive.

We didn’t stop there. To support even more wildlife, we introduced a variety of small animal habitats. A hedgehog hideout was carefully constructed using a buried tree root to form a network of cosy tunnels, while a twig “wam” (a small stick tepee-like structure) provided an additional haven for insects and bugs.

With the habitats in place, we turned our attention back to the human visitors. The pathway was lined with felt and finished with gravel, creating a clean, accessible route through the space. Meanwhile, Pete—our trusty woodworker—crafted three beautiful benches from sleepers, giving students the perfect spot to sit, observe, or take part in outdoor lessons led by their teachers.

This project was another fantastic experience for the WildWater team. We’re really finding our rhythm with school-based projects, refining our approach so we can bring these kinds of spaces to even more schools. It’s all about giving children the chance to get outdoors, engage with the natural world, and develop a deeper appreciation for the wildlife around them—and projects like this are a big step in that direction.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•