Task 3: 2nd Class: Biodiversity In Our School Grounds

In Bandonbridge we try to keep as many different plants as possible. This furze bush is flowering now. It is important for the local insects to visit our furze bush flowers.

We have lots of wild flowers such as daisies and dandelions. We also have buttercups. They are just coming out for spring now.

The leaves are beginning to blossom on our trees. We have lots of native trees in our garden and around our grounds.

Our football pitch is looking like a wild flower meadow right now. Our old stone wall is a great place for biodiversity to flourish. Lots of plants and animals can grow safely between the stones.

We have areas of long grass which we don't cut. We have lots of fruit trees planted out the back of the school building.

What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variety of animals and plants found on this planet, including the diversity of habitats in which they are found.

• Diversity of species is not evenly distributed throughout the planet because life depends on many factors, including climate and habitat. For example, tropical regions support more animal life than polar regions because the climate is less challenging than polar regions.

• Biodiversity is important for sustaining life on earth because it provides clean air, water, soils, food, clothing, materials and medicine.

• Plants, animals and climate work together to maintain the balance of nature and this known as the balance pyramid. The nature balance pyramid (opposite) is made up of decomposers, producers, herbivores, carnivores and top carnivores.