Survey reveals children lack knowledge of nature

Jul 10 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

How many of the pictures above can you identify? (Answers at the bottom of the page)

SURVEY results released yesterday will come as a shock to naturalists and Newcastle United fans alike.

The National Trust study shows that one in five children in the North East could not identify a magpie – one of the UK’s most distinctive birds whose numbers have soared threefold in the last 30 years.

The trust says that children in the region spend so little time outdoors that much of what is common wildlife remains alien to them.

In the North East, 47% of youngsters who took part in the survey couldn’t tell the difference between a bee and a wasp.

The survey also found that:

:: Just 55% of children in the North East could correctly identify an oak leaf – the national tree and a powerful symbol of England

:: Only 48% correctly identified a barn owl

:: One in four failed to recognise a Red Admiral, Britain’s best-known butterfly

:: 70% of parents in the North East thought they knew more about wildlife when they were youngsters than their children do now

:: 60% felt that this was partly due to the fact that they spent too little time with their children as a family outdoors .

When it came to identifying fictional creatures, however, nine out of 10 children could name Doctor Who’s enemies, the Daleks, and a similar number were able to identify Star Wars’ Jedi Grand Master, Yoda.

Factors behind the findings are thought to be that children now play outside much less than previous generations, are driven to school, have less freedom to roam, and are more preoccupied with TV, games, computers and other gadgetry in the home.

Jason Gaskell, head of the People and Wildlife team at Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: “It is our job to give youngsters that knowledge and we go into schools for environment and wildlife-themed activities.

“Somebody needs to tell children the difference between a starling and a blackbird. If you get youngsters excited about wildlife, you get them hooked.

“With TV and games consoles, children get their ‘fix’ immediately but going outside and looking for wildlife is different.

“However, if people spent time with youngsters and show them where to look and what to look for, the children can do it themselves. The interest in wildlife is there in children but they have to get that exposure to wildlife outdoors from parents, teachers or organisations like us.”

Durham Wildlife Trust deals with 5,000 youngsters a year on school visits to educational facilities at its Low Barns, Rainton Meadows and Hylton Dene centres.

Trust director Jim Cokill said: “The idea is to get the children young and get them enthusiastic. But children will tend to associate with the things they are most exposed to, like TV.”

TV naturalist Nick Baker said: “It’s a sad modern phenomenon that has left many of us, and in particular the younger generations, disconnected from the natural world. In an age where Nintendos and Playstations compete with tree climbing and pond dipping, the virtual world is winning.”

The National Trust is launching a campaign this week to encourage families to spend more time taking in natural surroundings together.

A range of events are being held at National Trust properties in the North East during the coming months including a mini-beast hunt at Wallington in Northumberland on August 18.

Answers: (A) Barn Owl (B) Wasp (C) Red Admiral (D) Bee (E) Magpie (F) Dalek