251 children attended one of the three days hosted on the North Yorkshire Moors
Children from across the north of England stepped into the biggest outdoor classroom this week as the Regional Moorland Groups, Countryside Learning and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) got together to stage Let’s Learn Moor events.
They were held at eight locations in the north of England this week, and provide an opportunity for children to meet the people and organisation that help to protest our stunning moorland landscapes and species.
More than 50 partner organisations are also involved and this week they 'hit' the 10,000 mark, meaning that 10,000 children have been part of Let’s Learn Moor since its launch in 2017. Almost 3,000 children took part this year.
Andrew Gilruth, for the Regional Moorland Groups, commented:
“Many of these children are unaware of the wildlife and biodiversity on the moors and how humans interact with this wild environment.
“It’s fantastic to see and hear how much they gain from the Let’s Learn Moor days.The whole community benefits enormously, and working with BASC and Countryside Learning means that we can deliver the best possible day of learning for local children.”
Across the eight venues, over 50 partner organisations were involved, meaning that the children learnt about a wide variety of things, from conservation and predator control to the prevention and dangers of wildfires, how the police use drones to find missing people, how the sponge-like sphagnum moss holds water on the moors and helps prevent flooding, as well as the countryside code.
While most of these children have moorland on their doorstep, that doesn't mean that they all visit regularly. Little things like learning about why taking sandwiches on your picnic is a better idea than a disposable barbecue, or how an off-lead dog can disturb ground-nesting birds, all help to ensure that future generations are able to experience the beauty and biodiversity of England's moorlands.