Commissioned by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, this comprehensive educational resource was designed to empower primary school teachers and students to explore, understand, and protect Ireland’s native hedgerows.
The toolkit comprises four detailed lesson plans aligned with the Primary Curriculum, covering hedgerow identification, biodiversity surveys, habitat fragmentation, and practical conservation actions. The design approach prioritised clarity and engagement, ensuring that complex ecological concepts—such as wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity—are accessible to children from 3rd to 6th class.
Bespoke vector illustrations
Central to the project were bespoke vector illustrations created in-house, depicting native hedgerow flora and fauna, the five layers of a hedgerow ecosystem, and various survey techniques. These custom illustrations serve both educational and aesthetic purposes, providing accurate visual references for plant identification while maintaining a cohesive, child-friendly visual language throughout the booklet. The scalable vector format ensures the graphics work seamlessly across both print and digital distribution.
Special attention was given to information hierarchy and navigation, enabling teachers to easily locate lesson plans, activity instructions, and supporting resources. Interactive elements—such as stakeholder debate cards, scavenger hunt activities, and scientific sketching guides—were designed to encourage hands-on learning and foster a sense of environmental stewardship among young students.
The toolkit supports Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown’s broader biodiversity strategy and the Green Schools programme, providing a practical resource that extends learning beyond the classroom and into local communities. By combining robust educational content with thoughtful graphic design, this project demonstrates how visual communication can inspire the next generation of environmental advocates.
This toolkit is great initiative for Biodiversity and one I hope can be shared across classrooms in the country through other Local Authorities.
Minister Malcolm Noonan, Minister of State for Heritage & Electoral Reform