SWINDON Council's rangers team is encouraging schools and colleges to take part in its environment education programme.

The programme looks at different areas of nature and wildlife in Swindon and demonstrates the way rangers work.

The activities can take place at any of the country parks and nature reserves in Swindon, as well as open spaces.

Rangers are also willing to go into schools to give talks. The education programmes include Wonderful Woodland, which looks at the world of woodland beasts.

It is suitable for younger children and involves dressing up sessions for the children, as well as modelling a mini-beast out of clay.

Waterlife teaches younger children about what lives in ponds.

They can go pond dipping in a country park or nature reserve and catch tadpoles.

There will also be a classroom activity in which children create their own pond creatures out of materials they find on a scavenge hunt.

Older children can take part in activities where they get to meet a number of animals which have been rescued by the wildlife rangers.

This takes place at Coate Water Park for two hours and the animals on display will include the friendly Doreen the Barn Owl and Colin the Coot.

The children will use bird hides at Coate Water to identify the different birds at the reserve.

To find out more write to: The Education Ranger, The Ranger Cottage, Coate Water Country Park, Marlborough Road, Swindon SN3 6AA.