Let’s Learn Moor is another roaring success

3,000 children from schools across the north of England got to experience life on the moor, solve rural crimes with the police and learn about the importance moorland management thanks to the return of the UK’s largest upland classroom last week.

As part of interactive lessons hosted at Let’s Learn Moor 2022, the children and their teachers learned about the diversity of species for which moorlands are home, from spongey sphagnum mosses to the iconic bent-beaked curlew.

The children also got to sample the delicacies of wild food with venison, pigeon and grouse on the menu at events hosted at eight locations in the north of England from 4 – 8 July.

Events took place in the North York Moors, Nidderdale, Calderdale, the Yorkshire Dales, the Peak District, North Pennines and the Forest of Bowland. The events are co-ordinated by Countryside Learning and BASC, and are hosted by the local Regional Moorland Groups, plus more than 50 partner organisations.

 More than 9,000 children have now attended Let’s Learn Moor events since the project was launched in 2017. 

Protection

The them for Let’s Learn Moor 2022 was “protection” – the protection of people and communities, carbon, and wildlife. Integral to each day was the children meeting the people and organisations that help to protect our stunning moorland landscapes and species.

Three MP’s also visited the moors to experience the project first hand. Sir Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, and Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, both visited the North York Moors, while Craig Whittaker, MP for Calder Valley, took in the event at Calderdale.

Tina Brough, coordinator of the North York Moors Moorland Organisation, said: “We are so proud that Let’s Learn Moor started in the North York Moors back in 2017 and now takes place across multiple sites in Yorkshire. Our gamekeepers see this as an important chance to meet partner organisations and engage with children from the local schools. We want children to be filled with the same passion for our uplands and the species that live on the moor”.

Gareth Dockerty, BASC’s head of uplands and Let’s Learn Moor co-ordinator, said: “Let’s Learn Moor is the UK’s largest annual upland education event, providing an opportunity for children across the country to meet the people and organisations that help to protect our stunning moorland landscapes and species.

“I hope the children take home some of the magic of our moorlands and see how important these habitats are for wildlife and in our fight against climate change. It is important that we protect these landscapes and are rightly proud of Yorkshire’s beautiful uplands.”

Tracy Johnson, Nidderdale Moorland Group co-ordinator, added: “This is now our third year taking part in Let’s Learn Moor. Our gamekeepers look forward to seeing the children and sharing this stunning landscape and its diverse wildlife with them.”

Part-funded by BASC Legacy funding, the events were free to all schools involved, ensuring that there were no financial barriers to participation.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our wonderful partners across the week, all of whom worked tirelessly to make this year’s Let’s Learn Moor such an incredible success.