School Workshop: Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Us: Why the fuss?

This workshop unpicks the complex relationships between people and the natural world. It tells the story of how a damaged and degraded rainforest ecosystem in Costa Rica was repaired. Welcome to the ‘Miracle at Matambú’, a story of hope and an example of how humans can do much better!

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Workshop overview

We begin the session by defining what we mean by biodiversity and highlighting the key drivers of biodiversity loss, before introducing the story of Matambú Forest Nature Reserve, Costa Rica. This story tells of how a once flourishing rainforest ecosystem was degraded by multiple generations of logging and cattle farming. The students play an ’up and about’ game to model how this can happen.

Matambú, however, is a story of hope, restoration, and the power of people to make a difference. With this as the focus, the students are challenged to take a journey around our Rainforest Biome to discover just why tropical rainforest biodiversity is important and crucially how the rainforest at Matambú was restored over the last 25 years. This is known as the ‘Miracle at Matambú’.

On returning to the Core, the students share their understanding of the ways in which we depend on rainforest ecosystems and their biodiversity as well as the initiatives and actions that are effective in protecting and repairing them. Finally, supported by the use of creative artwork and infographics, the students consider what they can do to help biodiversity closer to home, as part of their everyday lives.

Visiting teacher

“ One of the most educationally rich venues to have taken groups to visit. I would hope all pupils at our school could visit on a rite of passage. ”

Practical information

This workshop enables students to:

Use a case study to explain why biodiversity, natural systems and ecosystems are important
Discuss the drivers of biodiversity loss
Identify actions that they can take to help protect and enhance biodiversity abroad and at home

We've designed the workshop to help teachers cover the following subject areas:

KS3 Geography - Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems.

KS4 Geography - Issues related to biodiversity and to the sustainable use and management of ecosystems. Overview of how humans use, modify and change ecosystems and environments in order to obtain food.

KS3 Science - The interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem, including food webs and insect pollinated crops. The importance of plant reproduction through insect pollination in human food security. How organisms affect, and are affected by, their environment, including the accumulation of toxic materials. The importance of maintaining biodiversity.

KS4 Science - The importance of biodiversity. Positive and negative human interactions with ecosystems.

KS3 and KS4 Citizenship - The rights, roles and responsibilities of citizens, the role of parliament and democracy, the role of citizens and parliament in holding those in the power of government to account, actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally, and beyond, the roles played by public institutions and voluntary groups in society, the ways in which citizens work together to improve their communities.

The workshop costs £7.95 per pupil with a minimum charge of £159 per group (includes VAT). Maximum group size is 35. The cost includes:

A facilitated workshop with our Education Team
Free access to the Eden site for the day
All equipment needed for the workshop
Free teaching resources enabling your class to prepare for the workshop and to follow up on the activity
A personal welcome from the Education Team at the entrance
A base for your bags in our purpose-built education centre, The Core
A space to eat your own lunch

The price includes free entry for accompanying adult helpers, whose participation is essential to the success of the day (please note our suggested adult/pupil ratios are as follows: Early Years Foundation Stage, 1:3; Key Stage 1, 1:6; Key Stage 2 and 3, 1:10; Key Stage 4, 1:15; Key Stage 5, 1:20). You’re welcome to bring more helpers if you’d like. Additional helpers are charged at our group booking rate.

We also offer a free preparatory visit to Eden for teachers wanting to plan their school trip, which should be booked in advance.