School children get back to nature in University meadows

School children from two primary schools enjoyed a day learning about biodiversity, wildlife habitats and meadowland restoration as part of the University of Reading’s Schools Meadows Day event on Friday 5 July.

The event took place at Langley Mead nature reserve in Shinfield, which is owned and managed by the University of Reading. Langley Mead is part of an ongoing project aimed at restoring agricultural land back into habitats for wildlife and plants.

Across the day, 180 children joined Professor Simon Mortimer, head of the School of Agriculture, Policy & Development, members of the University’s farm team and ecologist consultants from EPR.

In the morning, Year Two children from Shinfield Infant School spent time doing activities and learning about the role of seed dispersal in land restoration, discovering the wildlife that can be found at Langley Mead and the different types of habitats they live in.

In the afternoon, Year Six children from Shinfield St Mary’s CE Junior School met the cattle herd that seasonally grazes Langley Mead as part of the traditional management practices to maintain diverse grassland habitats. They also met some calves from the University’s dairy herd. 

Matt Knight, Ecology and Sustainability Lead at Shinfield St Mary’s CE Junior School, said: “This is the second year where we have teamed up with the University of Reading to celebrate Meadows Day.

“The children absolutely loved it; the calves were a big hit! It’s really great for them to learn firsthand about farming techniques and animal husbandry. They also got to explore the wildlife located in the fields beyond our boundaries. We’re really grateful that the University is able to share their expertise with our children.”

Molli Cleaver, Community Engagement Manager at the University of Reading said: “It was wonderful to see the school children engaging with nature and learning about different aspects of biodiversity and habitat restoration.

“Langley Mead is a beautiful open green space that the University has carefully restored as a traditional floodplain meadow. This is important not just for our natural environment but also for learning and health reasons, as Reading experts in education and psychology have shown. We are proud to be able to share this fantastic resource with our local community.”

The event was organised as part of the University’s wider National Meadows Day activities, on 5-6 July.

Langley Mead is 18 hectares of countryside along the banks of the River Loddon, with a series of walking loops, wildlife habitats and areas of natural beauty. It is open to the public throughout the year.