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01/02/2012
Brown Trout eggs ready for the schools' aquariums
Pupils at Hunters Bar and Porter Croft Infant Schools are all set to raise 400 Brown Trout in their classrooms, for release later this year into the Porter Brook River.
This successful Groundwork Sheffield project sees aquariums installed in schools and set up to mimic river conditions. Schoolchildren are taught about important environmental issues in a fun and engaging way
Brown Trout are an important ‘keystone’ species; an excellent indicator of the good health of our city’s waterways. Years of heavy industry left our rivers badly polluted, but over the last 30 years considerable environmental improvements have helped to restore Sheffield’s waterways as essential wildlife habitat.
Eggs have been delivered to both schools this week, and it will be the children’s responsibility to care for them over the next three months. Participating children will be tasked with daily feeding and water temperature checks to ensure the trout are fit and healthy and ready for release in April.
Groundwork’s Education Officer Hellen Hornby said: "Projects like this one are an excellent way to get children excited about the wildlife that lives within our cities. Sheffield’s rivers are homes to all manner of animals – from trout to water voles and kingfishers to otters – but many residents don’t consider a walk down by the waterside when they’re planning a day out to keep the kids entertained. Hopefully this project will help to get more people aware of some of Sheffield’s hidden gems!"
This year’s project is being delivered as part of the improvements to nearby Hickmott Road ‘pocket park’, which backs on to the Porter Brook. The site’s regeneration has been made possible thanks to funding from Marks & Spencer’s Greener Living Spaces campaign, delivered in partnership with Groundwork. The partnership has funded the creation of 100 green spaces, a network of new or improved green spaces at the heart of communities all over the country. The Hickmott Road park is the 100th and final site.
