Children learn about ‘superhero plants’ as they help restore ‘Yorkshire’s Amazon Rainforest’

The collaborative project between Yorkshire Peat Partnership (YPP) and Keighley Creative brought Yorkshire’s wild and beautiful upland landscapes to children who might not normally be able to reach them, or even be aware they existed.

Pupils from Year 5 at Eastwood, Victoria, Riddlesden St Mary’s, Worth Valley, Holycroft and Merlin Top primaries were given their own “micro-peatbogs” to look after, with the aim of deepening the children’s understanding of the special bogs and landscapes without travelling to them.

In a video created by film-maker Finn Varney to celebrate the project, pupils talked about what they’d learned.

“Sphagnum moss is a superhero plant because it can hold up to 20 times its own weight in water,” said one pupil.

Others said: “Our class was given a very special bog in a box, and we collected rainwater from outside which we used to keep the bog very wet.

"It’s really interesting to see all the plants grow together, just like they would in a real bog.

“There are a lot of different textures and colours but some bogs aren’t very healthy.

"Their water was drained away and now the bog is too dry and sad. They need special help so they can get better.”

North Yorkshire contains 27 per cent of England’s blanket peat bogs, which are vital parts of the ecosystem.

The carbon they store is estimated to be twice that of forests and they play a key role in slowing the flow of water from the uplands into the river system, reducing the risk of flooding.

The project was to create a symbolic and collaborative artwork embedded in the landscape that would also help to restore peatlands on Denton Reserve, above Ilkley.

Led by YPP’s Engagement Officer, Lucy Lee, and local artist, Naseem Darbey, the project held a series of interactive workshops in the six schools.

These allowed the children to get creative in the classroom while learning about the environment around them and the importance of Yorkshire’s peatlands, their plants and wildlife.

Naseem collected the children’s drawings and burned them onto wooden planks using pyrography.

The planks were then used to construct a leaky dam as part of the peatland restoration on Denton Reserve between Ilkley and Otley.

A team of pupils and teachers from all six schools ventured up to the bog to install the dam, where it has now started to slow the flow of water off the moor.

The dam will, over time, be engulfed by peat as the bog grows around it, preserving the children’s art for centuries to come.

The pupils said: “We went on a special trip to Denton Moor to see the dam and the bog it was going to help – it was really cool!

“Our artwork will stay in the landscape and the dam will help the special habitat to recover and stay healthy.

“It’s amazing that we live so close to some of Yorkshire’s precious bogs. They are so important to fighting climate change – they are like our Amazon Rainforest.”

Nick Bailey, director of Denton Reserve, said it was fantastic to play a part in the initiative.

“It’s a privilege to be custodians of one of Yorkshire’s peatlands,” he said.

"Restoring this stunning landscape through increasing biodiversity, working on projects that capture carbon and growing more sustainable food is central to our mission.

“We’re delighted to be part of this creative community project and to see that the children have embraced it so wholeheartedly.

"The artwork on the timber dam is remarkable and we’re thrilled to know it will be submerging itself in the peat here over the generations to come.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said the scheme is an excellent one.

“I’m delighted to fund this fantastic work to educate and inspire our schoolchildren to connect with nature,” she said.

“It's vital that future generations understand the importance of protecting our natural environment, which has such a positive impact on our lives and our communities.”