THREE schools from Times Territory have come together to discuss how they can improve the natural environment around them. Students from Howe Dell and Green Lanes, both in Hatfield, and St John s in Lemsford, held the first North Hatfield Eco Summit at

THREE schools from Times Territory have come together to discuss how they can improve the natural environment around them.

Students from Howe Dell and Green Lanes, both in Hatfield, and St John's in Lemsford, held the first North Hatfield Eco Summit at Lemsford Springs Nature Reserve, to learn more about wildlife in Times Territory and how to preserve it.

The pupils took part in several activities including pond dipping and bird watching, before taking part in a debate on what can be done to safeguard the wildlife and natural beauty of spaces such as Lemsford Springs.

Their ideas will be presented to key community groups, including Hatfield Town Council, in the coming months.

The summit was organised by Howe Dell head Debra Massey, as a way of encompassing the views of children from the area on how to make North Hatfield a greener place.

The year 5 and 6 pupils were assisted in their explorations by staff from the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT), which in partnership with the WHT, is running the Save Our Ponds appeal; a campaign to restore and maintain pond life across Hertfordshire.

Danielle Porteous, marketing and fundraising manager for HMWT, said: "We're delighted to have schools using our nature reserves to inspire their students to get closer to wildlife.

"All three schools involved in the eco summit have already committed to working with us on the Save Our Ponds appeal during this school year, which is great news for our work for conservation - and for wildlife!"

For more on this story plus pictures, see this week's Welwyn & hatfield Times, out now.

For more information on the Save Our Ponds campaign, see our micro site at www.whtimes24.co.uk