King's
Sustainability
Strategy
T
wo years ago saw the
beginnings of a new initiative
started by Dr Poland which we
now know as KSS - the King's
Sustainability Strategy. This
was a ground-breaking project
for King's, to introduce awareness of our fragile
earth and demonstrate how we can at the local
level make a difference. The strategy is now well
established and recognised, and enthusiastically
supported by the King's community. Mr Stamp
will be taking over the strategy as of September,
assisted by Mrs Griffiths.
The strategy encompasses a wide range of
themes covering biodiversity, recycling, energy,
food, transport and education.
Biodiversity
This year has been a busy time laying the
foundations for the future of King's grounds.
A major tree planting scheme has been submitted
to the Planning Authority as part of the new
hockey pitches development, and has included
plans to negate the storm damage earlier this
year. We have been successful in our application
to be part of the Conservation Foundation's Great
British Elm Experiment, and we'll be receiving our
elm sapling in the winter - a commitment which
requires us to chart our progress online for its
lifetime!
by
Julia Griffiths
and Roger Poland
We put up 20 more nest boxes, making a total
of 60 within the grounds, 50% of which have
been recorded as being used. Pupils have been
able to watch the progress of a pair of blue tits
as they raised a family yards from the science
centre via a camera within the box. Another
new area behind the tennis courts has been
secured for wildlife, where the grass is left to
grow long during the summer months to allow
a diverse plant species mix to develop,
providing a habitat for insects, birds and small
mammals. A path has been mown to allow
people to walk to the tennis pavilion and to
view the Chaplain's allotment and rescued
battery hens.
Next year we start to measure our biodiversity,
and conduct important surveys of the King's
grounds, including birds, moths, other insects
and pond organisms. We will also be carrying
out a botanical survey (as part of the Plantlife
National Wildflower Count). These will all help
to create our own database for the college
grounds.
Recycling
We now have a working contract with Viridor
Waste Management to separate our waste
streams for paper, cardboard, tins, glass,
plastic and green waste. This limits our
general waste to landfill, thus reducing disposal
costs to us and potential pollutants. Pupils
support this initiative within their houses,
where they segregate plastic, paper and cans,
and throughout the school offices and
classrooms paper bins are provided. This year
paper reduction initiatives were considered, and
administrative procedures now use email
wherever appropriate, including all pupil
interim reports.
This year's printer recycling cartridge fund has
been allocated to the Opwall Biology
Conservation Trip to South Africa in recognition
of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.
Father Mark will be managing next year's
Aluredian
20
Roger Poland inspires the
next generation of scientists
during his last ever
pond-dipping workshop