Conservation

Butterfly conservation on Salisbury Plain Training Area

Synopsis

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) owns 171 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which are managed by Defence Estates. Across the defence estates there are some amazing and very rare species and habitats that are conserved under the MOD's biodiversity project and managed as part of its ongoing work to ensure that training areas are fit for purpose.

During this lesson students complete a mystery exercise and investigate how the population of rare and vulnerable marsh fritillary butterflies is growing on Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA).

The primary purpose of the MOD's estate is to train their service personnel for peacekeeping duties or deployment to conflict zones around the world. This lesson presents two extreme ends of the conservation spectrum for students to debate. At the human activity end, the land is being used quite aggressively to train on and at the other end, very rare and vulnerable species are being conserved. What is interesting about this extreme context is that it demonstrates the balance achieved by the MOD.

MOD Topic

Butterfly conservation on Salisbury Plain Training Area

Curriculum Checklist

1.2 a.
1.3 a, c
1.4 a
2.1 a
2.4 a

Curriculum Links

• Geography
• ICT
• Citizenship
• Art
• English

Prior Knowledge

During KS3 students learn about habitats and adaptation. This knowledge can be revised and reinforced by applying their understanding to an MOD conservation case study.

Learning Outcomes

Lower ability students will:

• Have some understanding of what is meant by biodiversity, conservation and sustainability.
• Be able to recognise some ways that human behaviour can positively and negatively impact on habitats.
• Be able to recognise how habitats can be conserved.
• Have some opinion about the importance of conservation.
• Be aware that the MOD does conservation work in the UK.

Average ability students will:

• Be able to explain and give some examples of what is meant by biodiversity, conservation and sustainability.
• Be able to identify some ways that human behaviour can positively and negatively impact on habitats.
• Be able to identify how habitats can be conserved.
• Have an opinion about the importance of conservation.
• Know that the MOD plays an important conservation role.

Higher ability students will:

• Confidently explain and give examples of what is meant by biodiversity, conservation and sustainability.
• Be able to identify and explain how human behaviour can positively and negatively impact on habitats.
• Be able to explain how habitats can be conserved.
• Have a clear and justified opinion about the importance of conservation.
• Understand the MOD's important conservation role.

Lesson code

SC12