Education

The Northwich Woodlands is an ideal educational resource. You can find it to the north of Northwich, on over 323 hectares of formerly derelict land. It includes Anderton Nature Park, Marbury Country Park, Ashton's and Neumann's Flashes and Anderton boat Lift.

The woodland exemplifies the decline and dereliction of a local industry, and demonstrates how nature has worked to colonise bare land. It shows how people today affect the landscape (management of land; access improvements, installation of art works, restoration of Boat Lift & Lion Salt Works etc.). For example, Ashton's and Neumann's Flashes are typical of Cheshire's limebeds, the result of lagoons of industrial limewaste that was poured into the enormous areas of subsidence following the collapse of the salt mines. They are now designated as Sites of Biological Importance, having colonised with self sown orchids and other species normally found only on limestone geology. It truly is a unique area.

Would your school like to be involved with education activities? Together we can create an exciting programme of field trips and activities ranging from nature trails and art workshops to pond dipping and salt making. The industrial heritage of Northwich begins here, the site of the earliest local salt mines taking over from the Roman's salt making processes. The natural heritage (the site contains 7 Sites of Biological Importance and a Site of Special Scientific Interest) is not only a result of the industrial heritage but in some cases is the industrial heritage.

The woodland has potential to cover many aspects of the curriculum, offering a wide range of field visits for geography, sciences, history, art, technology and English. The partnership behind the project is currently developing an Education Strategy- we need you to help us! We need your help to develop activities around the curriculum so we can begin working on a strategy that is meaningful to you as teachers, and can be delivered in a way that's exciting for children and students. If you would like to participate - really get involved - please let us know.

The Rangers work closely with local primary schools and the site is used occasionally by local secondary schools. There are opportunities now to market the full potential of the community woodland as an educational resource to local Sixth Form Colleges, Colleges of Further Education, and to all the Universities and Higher Education institutions. The derelict land in particular is often used by post-graduate students for research and comparative studies.

If you would like your school to visit the woodlands or be part of the activities, please contact one of the Countryside Rangers at Marbury Country Park, on 01606 77741.

Verdin High School curriculum enrichment week

Every year, Verdin High School from Winsford visit Marbury Country Park as part of their Curriculum Enrichment week. They spend the day engaged in a range of challenging and fun activities including orienteering, blindfold games, designing an incredible creature and The Lion Game, plus a barbeque lunch. All go home exhausted but happy, including the teachers.

In addition, the Rangers visit the school for a half days worth of sculpture building using wood from the waste timber site. We provide the tools and the students provide the imagination, the results are always astounding.

Any other primary or secondary school wishing to get involved with activities within the Northwich Woodlands are welcome to contact us on 01606 77741.

Click here to go to our Kidzone - a website containing puzzles, posters and ideas for teachers

Click here to find about the different types of art the Woodlands have inspired.