Andover Youth Shoots - Nature in Harmony Exchange Project update
Our Nature in Harmony Exchange Project youth team had their October session on Saturday 14th. For the first session of the new academic year, we decided to go over some basic ecological theory with them. The weather was good, sunny and mild, so we walked around Harmony Woods, pausing in places to go over several key terms before continuing. Here's what a few of the participants had to say about it:
Lily: "The October session was really interesting to learn some theory which improved my understanding of nature whilst we walked around, I enjoyed it a lot."Kitty: "To start off we walked around the woods talking about the theory side of nature. After walking we headed back and watched the Druid ceremony [for the dedication of the new Dragon Garden]. Once that was finished there was a storytelling about the legendary dragon that lived [in the nearby village of Wherwell] and there was lunch and cake. To finish the day we planted wildflowers around the Dragon Garden."
Matt: "At this month’s Exchange Project session we took a bit of a different route to what we normally do. Laura and Alex worked together to teach us about the basic terms within ecology and biodiversity. After this we had a Druid ceremony to open the new Dragon Garden that has been designed by one of our Trustees and formed by volunteers of the charity. The garden is in memory of a late friend of the charity."The session finished earlier than usual as there was a special community event going on, which most of the group stayed to attend: the celebration of the Dragon Garden, the new landscaped garden that Andover Trees volunteers have been creating in Harmony Woods. It included a Druid ceremony, storytelling of a local dragon legend, and wildflower planting. You can read about the event here: www.andovertrees.org.uk/news-list/2023/10/dragon-garden-dedication.
We didn't get any photos of the session itself, but here is one of the Druid ceremony, and another of NIHEP participant Kitty scattering wildflower seed on one of the Dragon Garden mounds.
