An interactive green technology trail featuring a range of micro-scale renewable energy demonstrators – from a mini wind turbine to pedal powered machines – is to be created at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.
The news was announced by Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, during a visit to the Garden with Professor John Harries, Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales.
It is seen as a significant boost to extend and develop the Garden’s educational work linked to biodiversity, energy and the environment.
Funding of £28,500 from the Welsh Assembly Government, through the National Science Academy, will support the STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Sustainable Futures technology trail, with an additional £42,000 to host an internationally acclaimed exhibition at the Garden illustrating the vital role that fungi play in the health of people and the planet.
The Deputy Minister said both projects will build on and complement existing facilities at the Garden and strengthen its role as an internationally recognised centre for conservation, education, and research.
The STEM sustainable futures trail, which is planned to open in Climate Change week this March, will, she said, create a unique educational resource for South West Wales and the rural community.
“I am delighted to announce this funding today which will support work already carried out at the Garden and enable it to extend and communicate its activities while also providing an exciting new family visitor attraction.
“The trail will help highlight the links between science, sustainability and biodiversity and help promote greater understanding of the importance and relevance of STEM subjects in all these areas.
“We need to encourage more people to take up science-related subjects and the Garden plays an extremely proactive role working with schools stimulating the interest of learners through a portfolio of curriculum-linked activities and events, ranging from botany to beekeeping.
“On a higher level, the Garden is rapidly becoming an internationally recognised centre for plant sciences research and is helping to train the next generation of plant scientists through its leading edge work and the provision of industrial placements and studentships.”
The Deputy Minister also paid tribute to the Garden’s extensive lifelong learning and outreach programmes which engage people of all ages, providing information on all aspects of sustainable development.
Dr Rosie Plummer, Director of the Garden, said the trail will provide a significant and unique opportunity to stimulate wide and active public engagement and debate on sustainability issues.
“As Wales strives to reduce its carbon footprint, accessible ways of demonstrating, communicating and promoting sustainable choices are vital. By developing this resource people will be encouraged and attracted to better understand the importance and impact of small steps they can take in their everyday choices and ways of living.”
Features on the trail will include a weather station plus a range of renewable technologies including wind, pv solar, biomass, water source heat pumps and pedal power.
As well as installing a range of renewable technologies, the funding will also be used to design and generate new learning materials, improve interpretation and develop on site digital and web enabled links to a number of demonstrator installations.
The grant award will also enable the garden to host ‘From Another Kingdom’, the first major exhibition in the UK to focus on the fascinating world of fungi, which was created and staged at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh last year.
Wales is the first place outside of Scotland to host the exhibition, which will open in the Great Glasshouse at the end of March and be backed by a programme of events, films, talks and other related activities around the Garden.
