Managing your Reserve

Source:

Adapted from The Taynish National Nature Reserve, Local Schools Pack (produced by SNH)

Time

1 hour or more

You will need

• Notebooks and pencils
• 'Managing a woodland' worksheet (see downloads)

Did you know?

Beinn Eighe, in North West Scotland is Britain’s oldest National Nature Reserves (NNRs). Beinn Eighe NNR was established in 1951 primarily to protect ancient Caledonian pinewood, although the reserve covers a vast area of 48 square kilometres stretching from loch side to mountain top. There are now over 50 NNR's in Scotland.

Before the activity

Arrange to meet the reserve warden or land manager of the area you are visiting to talk about their management objectives and their solutions to management problems or conflicts of  interest.

The activity

Take the children on a guided walk to show them areas that are being managed for conservation, areas that are managed to earn a living (such as commercial forestry, areas with farm stock, areas where pheasants are released) and areas that are managed to promote tourism and recreation (such as trails, signed walks, toilets and parking facilities). Discuss any problems or concerns raised by the children regarding any of these management areas, and encourage them to write down any questions they think of as they go around, to ask the reserve staff later on.

On return to the classroom, ask each child to draw a map of a nature reserve which they would like to manage - an imaginary reserve. Write up a list of questions that they then need to think about, and give answers to, such as: is it flat or mountainous, what creatures live there, what do they eat, where would they hide and make dens etc, how do they raise money to run the reserve, do they allow visitors, how do they protect the animals and plants, are there rules that visitors must obey, are there any threats to the reserve or anything that could damage it?

Hand out the questionnaire worksheet, ask them to fill it in, and then discuss the results

Suggested Follow up

Research a potential land management 'hot potato' such as the re-introduction of beavers, lynx, wild boar or wolves to Scotland, or enclosing a large area of ground with a deer fence to promote the regeneration of trees. List all the possible areas of conflict between people with different land management/use objectives, and ask the class to debate the issue. Divide the class carefully into two groups, one for the new project and one against it, and get them to research their arguments before having the debate.

Find out about the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (see below)

Downloads

Questionnaire worksheet - Managing a Woodland

Additional Information

• Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Curriculum Links

• social studies
• science

Age Range

2,3,4