THE Eden Project near St Austell will be streaming live to thousands of schoolchildren around the UK as it takes part in Protecting Our Planet Day on November 12.

The annual event features multiple sessions from various locations in the world and is free for schools and educators to take part in.

The sessions are led by experts working to tackle climate change, restore nature and inspire positive action.

Last year, 180,000 children tuned in to sessions, including many who connected with the Eden Project.

As well as watching live action from the tourist attraction, those viewing the sessions will have the opportunity to interact with other experts around the world, including researchers on board the RSS Sir David Attenborough as it journeys to Antarctica and mission control experts from the European Space Agency.

An Eden Project live lesson will take primary school pupils on a virtual field trip around the rainforest biome, taking in mangroves, coconut palms, coffee and bamboo.

They will learn about the world’s tropical rainforests and the crucial role they play in the fight against climate change despite only covering two to three per cent of the world’s surface.

Robbie Kirkman, education team lead at the Eden Project, said: “As an educational charity, connecting people with nature is fundamentally at the heart of what we do, so it’s incredible to be able to connect tens of thousands of schoolchildren around the UK with our rainforest biome here in Cornwall.

“Tropical rainforests are some of the most biodiverse-rich environments on Earth, yet an area the size of our rainforest biome (or two football pitches) is lost every 11 seconds to deforestation.

“Our live lesson will delve into the ways we can all feel empowered to take actions to protect these vital habitats.”

The Eden Project’s National Wildflower Centre will also lead a session on the importance of wildflowers for protecting biodiversity. Secondary students will journey inside the geothermally-heated plant nursery, Growing Point, the home of the National Wildflower Centre, to learn more about wildflower meadows.

To sign up for the Eden Project’s live lessons, visit www.stem.org.uk/enrichment/protecting-our-planet-day