Nature Observation Session at Keio Shiki Senior High School

2022/07/29

Keio Shiki Senior High School is located in a quiet area, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It has a vast campus of 107,345 square meters, which includes a biotope, a bamboo grove, and a farm. The school is surrounded by a lush forest reminiscent of the Musashino woods, home to over 180 species of trees, more than 400 species of wildflowers, and a wide variety of wild birds, insects, and other flora and fauna. I believe there are few schools in urban areas that possess such a rich natural environment on their grounds.

In the fire-prevention reservoir on campus, spot-billed ducks have been coming to raise their young every year since the first nesting was confirmed in 1993. Unfortunately, there have been years when not a single duckling has survived to fledge due to attacks by crows, snakes, and other predators, but a few have managed to leave the nest each year. Both students and faculty find comfort in seeing the fledged ducklings return to the reservoir with their own partners.

Making use of this rich natural environment, we have been holding "Nature Observation Sessions" twice a year since 2007. Although they have been suspended in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we consider these sessions an opportunity for exchange, allowing local residents to get to know our school better. To date, a total of 1,802 people have participated in the 27 sessions held so far. During the Nature Observation Sessions, participants can walk around and observe the seasonal flora and fauna that grow and live on the campus. Third-year students who take biology class act as student instructors. At observation points set up across the vast campus, they provide various explanations to visiting groups, helping them learn about the characteristics of each organism. These sessions also include a tour of the Nobidome-yosui Aqueduct remains, a historical and cultural heritage site located on the school grounds.

After the Nature Observation Session, there are optional lectures given by our full-time teachers. Themes have included "A Guide to Field Guides: How to Identify Unknown Plants Yourself" in May, and "Classifying the Various Acorns and Fallen Leaves at Keio Shiki" in September, providing a time for learning together with the participants. Many families with children attend, and the event is very well-received, drawing numerous inquiries as the event dates approach.

Additionally, the school's natural environment is featured over two pages in our school prospectus under the title "The Four Seasons at Keio Shiki: Learning with Nature."

We hope that this accessible natural environment will cultivate a sensibility not only in our students but also in the wider community, encouraging them to reflect on the environments of Japan and the world. Finally, all of us on the faculty and staff hope that through events like these, our students will lead fulfilling school lives.

(Shinji Okamoto, Administrative Director, Keio Shiki Senior High School)