Inspiring Ecology

At Inspiring Ecology we offer top-quality, hands-on courses for students interested in ecology and broader biology.

Using state of the art facilities and equipment, combined with access to some of Scotland's best wild ecosystems, we provide students with unique experiences and skills which they will take into any career.

Environmental Education
At Inspiring Ecology we believe the best way to learn about nature is through hands-on experiences outside the classroom. Such experiences inspire passion, motivating young people to become independent learners and to develop as healthy, confident, enterprising and responsible individuals.

List of courses

Ecological Sampling Techniques

This course delivers meaningful training in basic ecological fieldwork. In this course we cover invertebrate sampling techniques - both terrestrial and aquatic. Students will be taught how to use quadrat line transects, pit-fall traps and kick-sampling for freshwater invertebrates. We will also discuss abiotic measurements.

Biodiversity & Food Webs

Students will collect some terrestrial and freshwater inverts from Loch Lomond and compare these with samples collected from urban regions. Students will complete activities related to energy transfers from primary producers to tertiary consumers. Biological indices for biodiversity will also be taught in the laboratory.

Food security & Fish Stocks

Food security will be discussed in the laboratory and current practices in aquaculture and wild fisheries in Scotland will also be explained. Students will be introduced to electro-fishing for juvenile salmonids, namely salmon and trout. Students will be taught how these surveys are used in real life situations and how to identify different species of fish.

School Visits

A school visit enables learners to engage with real life ecologists. As a result, this enriches the learning of particular topics covered in class and supports teachers in delivering Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes.

Working closey with the SQA Higher Biology Course Specification (c707 76), Inspiring Ecology educators can deliver all topics outlined in the Sustainability and Interdependence Unit.

Key areas this unit covers include:
Human dependence on sustainable food production
Photosynthesis in plants
Areas of food supply
Plant growth & productivity
Plant & animal behaviour
Crop protection
Animal welfare
Symbiosis
Social behaviour
Mass extinction
Biodiversity


School visits are not limited to secondaries and may be extended to primary schools hoping to cover project topics.

Any visiting Inspiring Ecology educator will hold appropriate Disclosure Scotland documentation.

Get in touch with Inspiring Ecology

If you would like to book a course, school visit or have any other enquiries please get in touch!

Email: inspiringecology@outlook.com