Hands-on Activities

In this resource from Defence Dynamics, students are set a mystery to solve in small groups which considers the impacts of human activity on the environment.

Salisbury Plain is a military training area, yet it contains a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and is home to a wide range of species that have disappeared from other areas of the country. Grassland is suitable for military training and this has limited the exposure of the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) to intensive agricultural practices. As a result, it now contains the largest area of chalk grassland in Western Europe and supports a wide range of flora and fauna, which were once widespread but are now scarce in the UK.

The Scrub Clearance resource includes an article detailing a scrub clearance project. The video shows how the military uses the land.

Links

• Student Worksheet
• Salisbury Plain Clearance (article)

Topics covered

Critical thinking, environment, conservation

Relevance

This activity stimulates students to understand how environment and habitat conservation works, and what processes concur into the balance of the ecosystem. In addition, it also gives an overview of the impact of human activity on the habitats and what can we do in order to preserve them and their inhabitants.