Barn Own at Wicken Fen, © NT Kevin Simmons
Although they have the most knowledge of nature in the UK, children in the East of England still find most British wildlife alien to them, according to a new survey published on July 8 2008 by the National Trust.
Even though the East of England actually topped the poll, one in four children in the region cannot identify a magpie, one of the UK's most common and most distinctive birds, while even more, one in three to be exact, could not tell the difference between a bee and a wasp. However, when fictional characters such as the Daleks were shown, almost all of the children identified them easily.
The survey, carried out across both urban and rural areas in the UK, is part of a major new campaign being launched to encourage families to spend more time together outdoors.
The National Trust survey found that only 53 percent of children could correctly identify an oak leaf, despite the fact that it is a powerful symbol of England and the national tree. Only 47 percent of children managed to identify a barn owl, and fewer still could correctly identify a red admiral, Britain's best-known butterfly.
TV naturalist Nick Baker said: "With more kids better able to identify a fictitious alien than our national tree, the oak, something needs to be done. In an age where Nintendos and Playstations compete with tree climbing and pond dipping, the virtual world is winning."
Ancient oak tree at Hatfield Forest, © NT
When the parents were asked, 69 percent in East Anglia thought they knew more about wildlife when they were youngsters than their children do now, and parents in the North East worry the most about their children's knowledge of wildlife.
This virtual world should not, in reality, be winning. While entrance charges for each Trust property are different, the average cost is typically around £13.72 for a family of four and children under five years are free of charge. It’s a small amount, compared to the monthly cost of broadband Internet access, the cost of a games console and games.
Stuart Warrington. Nature Conservation Adviser at The National Trust in the East of England said: "Natural beauty and wildlife are vital to us. We are part of nature; we need it and we need the beauty, wonder and laughter it offers us."
Families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are never more than 45 minutes from a National Trust site, the vast majority of which has vast amounts of open space that families can explore together, and as summer unfolds, a range of events are being held at National Trust properties including a bug hunt at Sheringham Park, Norfolk, on August 21, and 'Wildlife Detectives at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire on August 22.
Find out more about summer National Trust events on the NT website.
This news story was written by Culture24's year 10 intern, Harry Semple.
