Combe Martin Bioblitz – 4 schools and 300 schoolchildren

A survey of coastal wildlife at Combe Martin attracted over 300 children from four Devon schools to celebrate British Science Week. The children moved round three different activities on their Bioblitz day to survey and find out more about coastal wildlife. They started with wildlife surveys in the rock pools and on the beach. Then they studied creatures and seaweeds under the digital microscopes in Combe Martin Museum. Finally they visited four stands with different science activities on the school field. The event was hosted by Combe Martin Primary School, one of the major partners in the Coastal Creatures project led by North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“The children lived and breathed science for a day,” said AONB officer Cat Oliver. “Their knowledge and enthusiasm was infectious, whether delving into rockpools, magnifying shells and seaweed or drawing the coastline with a long piece of rope. We would like to thank our major funder the Heritage Lottery Fund and our sponsors of the day, North Devon Council through their councillor grants. Without their support, this fantastic event would not have been possible.”

“Seeing the children from different schools working collaboratively and fully engaged with discovering our coastal wildlife was truly inspirational," said Combe Martin Primary's Sea School teacher Graham Hockley. "Such a large number of children working as mini inter-tidal ecologists, each one helping to find and identify coastal species will hopefully inspire them to go on and study STEM subjects, becoming the next generation to understand and protect our stunning coastline."

The day was attended by Combe Martin Primary School and Tiddlers Nursery, Bampton CE Primary School, Woolacombe School and Caen Community Primary School from Braunton. The activities provided on the school field included matching animals with their habitats on the AONB stand, making wildlife badges with the National Trust, identifying what bats eat with the Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat project and drawing the coastline with Exmoor National Park’s rangers.

All the wildlife survey forms completed by the children, Coastwise members and Museum volunteers from the day were checked by the Marine Biological Association. These will contribute to science nationally by being uploaded as records on the National Biodiversity Network.

Combe Martin Bioblitz - Dave Edgecombe, surrounded by fascinated children, explains the life of limpets

Combe Martin Bioblitz – AONB team on their stand, Combe Martin primary school children on Combe Martin beach
Photos copyright North Devon ANOB (All Rights Reserved)
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Coastal Creatures is a project hosted by the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is a partnership project working with Combe Martin Primary School, the National Trust, Coastwise North Devon and Northam Burrows Country Park. It is funded by the AONB, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Tesco Bags of Help and the four partner organisations. Grants from several Councillors of North Devon Council are supporting the Bioblitz and equipment for wildlife surveys. Contact: Cat Oliver on 01271 388893 or find out more about the Coastal Creatures project at www.northdevon-aonb.org.uk.