A Blooming Uprising: Primary School Activists

Eco Tribes is an initiative supported by Louth County Council, which encouraged ten primary schools in County Louth to create nature friendly gardens within their communities. The students celebrated the European Year of Citizens by becoming environmental activists. They learned about garden design, how to organise community celebrations, and gardening for bees and butterflies. They also collaborated with their local Tidy Towns group to transform a neglected piece of land into a garden. Each school performed music, drama, dance, poetry, or song for their public celebration.

A garden can be a public landmark within a community. A source of pride for children, who demonstrated high levels of teamwork, organic gardening skills, creativity and performance skills.

Their research, highlighting the decline of bees and butterflies within Ireland, has also demonstrated the importance of planting cottage garden flowers, herbs, and wildflowers.

The Eco Tribes project has raised the profile of Green Schools within their communities. Their inter-generational collaboration with adults working to revive their localities, has inspired a new generation of community minded volunteers.