Research for the family activity app Hoop in August 2019 revealed that under a quarter of children between the ages of five and 15 can name a robin or a badger, less than half can identify a stinging nettle and a whopping 82 percent failed to recognize a bumblebee.
This lack of engagement with the natural world is not only a tragedy for the children, who are missing out on fascination and wonder, but it also points to a deep failure in our education system. For this reason, I have lobbied for more than a decade for a qualification in natural history.
It’s possible to go through school, taking biology at GCSE and A level, and barely go outside. The Field Studies Council, which runs practical, outdoor classes for biology, geography and ecology courses, reports a steady decrease in the number of learner hours spent doing outside science.
For some science students the biology A level field course — which is just, on average, three days — will be their only opportunity to be involved in fieldwork throughout their whole formal science education, from five to 18 years old. We are educating future generations to be students of the virtual world rather than practitioners in the visceral, real one.
If you live in a city, you are likely to have been disrupted by the Extinction Rebellion, a ground-up movement of mainly young people who want to change the way we live on the planet to stop catastrophic climate change and loss of biodiversity.
Deep concern
Whatever you think of their activities, it shows there is deep concern about the state of our planet. Those same protesters are the ones who say they are let down by the school system. Many feel that what they learn at their desks is not sufficient for the challenges they know they will face.
This story is from the February 12, 2020 edition of Shooting Times & Country.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 12, 2020 edition of Shooting Times & Country.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside