CSV Action Earth^TM Awards 2008
supported by Morrisons Supermarkets

This year, we awarded prizes to the best projects in the following categories.

1. Wackiest Project Award: award for the most unusual location or type of project
2. City Slickers Award: award for the best urban project
3. Animal Madness Award: award for the best project involving wildlife
4. Green Welly Award: award for the best rural project
5. Transformation Award: award for the best planting, restoration, recycling or clearance project

The winner in each category each received £300 to help them develop their project, while the runners-up received £100.

Wackiest Project Award: award for the most unusual location or type of project

Cuttlefish Trail - Dorset Wildlife Trust, Wareham, Dorset
25 volunteers

This was a trial project to put structures on the seabed to encourage cuttlefish to lay their eggs and help increase local population after over fishing has reduced their numbers. A hand-made 'tent’ made of willow and some specially adapted old shellfish pots were used. The trail was monitored for eggs and other sea life on a weekly basis through the breeding season.

The project was very good at getting people interested and involved. Unfortunately a storm and poor underwater visibility disrupted surveying and although cuttle fish laid eggs in the bay we found none on the trail. However we will definitely do it again next year.

This was an original and exciting project that gets young people involved and inspired to help wildlife. We have had a very positive response from the media and other conservation organisation.

Dig For Dinner - Kew Woods Primary School, Southport, Merseyside
23 volunteers

The eco club at Kew Woods Primary School grew their own soup. The club, made up of 20 children aged between 7-10 years, meet after school every Thursday for an hour and in the spring planted potatoes, carrots, onions, spinach, broad beans, chives, basil and coriander in a raised bed. We watered, weeded and fought off snails until we harvested a super crop in July, which our school cook turned into super soup that we all enjoyed.

Containers were planted with tomatoes and a herb garden was created including rosemary, chives and basil. This was a super way for children to become involved in planting, nurturing, harvesting and eating vegetables. The project linked up well with our healthy schools initiative. It also motivated children to try this at home and eat more vegetables.

City Slickers Award: award for the best urban project

Budding Buddies - LHugh Smiley Nursery, Paisley, Strathclyde
18 volunteers

The staff, children and parents went to the garden centre to buy plants, pots and soil to decorate the outdoors of the nursery. A great time was had on 25/7/08 planting and improving the nursery grounds and local environment. The children had so much fun and parents, volunteers and staff worked together learning about how to look after our environment. This made the nursery environment more attractive to the community. Children also created a herb garden which will be used for cooking activities in the nursery.

Our project shows how even at the earliest of age children can learn how to look after the environment. The project is also continuing this year with every new child attending the nursery bringing a plant to add to our Budding Buddies garden.

Growing for Health - Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale, Oldham, Lancashire
35 volunteers

“A community garden was created last year but residents have been difficult to engage in using the area due to them lacking gardening experience. The event gave residents and the local school the opportunity to work on the project and learn new skills. Plants and seeds were planted out.

Children and residents from the Westwood Community have worked together to transform this community garden.

Seeds and plants were planted with the aim of creating a community allotment, which residents from local houses and pupils from Westwood Primary will look after and use in the future. The children from the school’s Eco-team have worked hard to see this project transformed, and residents are now keen on future involvement.

Animal Madness Award: award for the best project involving wildlife

Amphibian Avenue - All Souls C.E Primary School, Heywood, Lancashire
32 volunteers

Earlier in the school year, the pond was renovated by BCTV and year 4/5 children. The Eco-Team identified the need for a path to help with access to the rear of pond where newts and frogs congregated; they came up with 'Amphibian Avenue'. Year 2 children and staff volunteered to clear plants and overhanging trees and to lay a weed proof membrane (which was pinned down and covered with bark chippings and then 'jumped on'). The children's efforts were rewarded with a lovely, neat path and the appearance of numerous small frogs.

The children and staff who volunteered ended the day with a real sense of achievement - Amphibian Avenue was intended to help access to the pond and its wildlife. The children were delighted to show our caretaker the frogs they soon found. They worked hard as a real team and soon saw the practical advantages of the path as well as it looking much better. As one of them said, "It's been the best day!"

Our 'Amphibian Avenue' project was undertaken to help our pupils and the community meet their amphibious neighbours. We met our success criteria the same afternoon, thanks to a group of small, but very obliging, frogs! The children were delighted that their new path had enabled them to explore the environment more easily.

Ta-Wit-Ta-Home - Kitbridge Enterprises Trust, Newport, Isle of Wight
17 volunteers

The project’s overall aim is to improve the biodiversity for British farmland birds, especially the dwindling population of Barn Owls, due to loss of habitat.

The children went in search of the Golden Squawk. Following the instructions of Professor Ta-Wit-Ta-Woo they discovered the Golden Squawk, completed the story and their task by learning about the barn owl, what it requires and putting up boxes to assist British farmland birds. They all received an Action Earth certificate.

The finders of the Golden Squawk were as mad as hatters. By using innovative teaching methods, the children experienced animal madness which kept them absorbed for the duration of the Action Earth task. It taught them to work as a team and appreciate the wildlife around them.

Green Welly Award: award for the best rural project

Bird Box Bonanza! - North Wales Wildlife Trust, Bangor, Gwynedd
12 volunteers

On the day, a group of 12 volunteers built and put up around 30 nest boxes at the 'Gwaith Powdwr' Nature Reserve, Penrhyndeudraeth (a former explosives factory site!). Some of the volunteers were already active on the reserve, but a few others were new to the site and have been regulars since which goes to show how important events like these are. It will improve the conservation value of the site greatly and hopefully will add to the 34 species of birds already nesting on the reserve.

As a former industrial site, this project has helped to improve the area's conservation value immensely. It also helped to get the local community involved in a site that was for years out of bounds because of its history.

Walk This Way - Cynwyd Community Group, Cynwyd, Denbighshire
14 volunteers

Cans and bottles picked up from Cynwyd's walks and beauty spots were sorted and recycled. Photographs taken of Cynwyd's most attractive features chosen for a calendar for 2009. Children helped with the sorting and wrote descriptions of the images chosen which will be printed beneath each picture with each child's name. Local businesses have sponsored the calendar and collectively paid for the printing costs.

Volunteers walked miles to identify problem areas that were blighting the countryside and later picked up the litter from these areas. The proceeds from the sales of the calendar are for our community children’s park.

The time spent on this project has been extensive covering a 1-mile radius of Cynwyd. The village children have been eager to produce written work for the project. Businesses approached have sponsored the project without hesitation. The beautiful images of Cynwyd will put it in a different light to the drab image it has at the moment and hopefully will encourage people to take a pride in the place they live in.

Transformation Award: award for the best planting, restoration, recycling or clearance project

Green Room - Lochee Parish Church of Scotland, Lochee, Dundee
22 volunteers

We turned a waste (dumping) ground into a garden area for use by the Holiday Club, Pre-School Playgroup and anyone who wishes a quiet seat. We cleared the area and turned over the bonfire area. 3 skips of rubbish were removed and slabs laid. We were given a lovely new bench and some flower pots.

The result really makes the area a credit to the beautiful church building to which it is adjacent. The hedges were all cut back and now form a great tidy framework for the garden.

We were helped by volunteers aged from 3 - 76 and we are all very proud and pleased with the comments. We had a great day of fun, fellowship and hard work, and the result was an area to be proud of. It will benefit all ages - Holiday Club, the Pre-School Playgroup as well as provide a welcome respite for shoppers on their way home.

Birds of a Feather - Higham Ushers Group Library, Higham, Kent
56 volunteers

The aim was to enliven the village library courtyard and encourage people to sit and enjoy the peace. The main encouragement to get folk along to help was 'adopt a Sunflower'. These had been started or needed planting up - and are kept watered for the summer. The flowers will enhance a plain wall. By appealing to all age groups we hope more people will go into the library and use their excellent service. The Sunflower with the fattest face (more bird seed) will be judged in September. We hope birds will investigate the honey suckle which will soon hide two nest boxes.

The villagers came to see what was happening and joined in. Many people donated items to make it happen. Many people gave time prior to the day to prepare the site. The project was mostly completed on the day. A bit of tweaking and staking the next day. People who have adopted a Sunflower are regularly watering, not just their flowers but also the communal garden. The librarians have had lots of complimentary comments. The fastest face Sunflower will be judged in September. Seeds will encourage birds and who knows the bird boxes may be viewed as next year’s home. We will be looking for more sustainable plants for winter and next year - locals are already looking at their gardens to see what can be transplanted.