Let’s Learn Moor turns 10 with 2,500 children on the moors

Almost 2,500 children from 70 schools are set to attend events across the north of England as the Let’s Learn Moor education programme celebrates its 10th anniversary. The initiative, which BASC describes as the UK’s largest upland classroom, began on 29 June and runs across eight locations over two weeks in one of the busiest years in its history.

What is Let’s Learn Moor?

Let’s Learn Moor is a collaborative education project overseen by BASC and made possible through BASC’s Legacy Fund. Events are facilitated by the Regional Moorland Groups and by private estates across northern England, with the support of more than 50 other partners.

The project brings together gamekeepers, National Park staff, farmers, emergency services, water companies and conservation organisations, all sharing their knowledge with the next generation. Many of the young people taking part have never set foot on a moor or seen rural working life up close.

What do the children learn?

Through a series of hands-on experiences, children discover the habitats and species that make the uplands special. They walk across the spongy sphagnum mosses that form part of the UK’s largest terrestrial carbon store, meet insect-eating sundew plants, hear the calls of curlew and red grouse, spot birds of prey overhead and meet the hardy Swaledale sheep that have shaped these landscapes for centuries.

Sessions also cover the practical work of caring for the moors, from protecting ground-nesting birds to understanding wildfire risk, giving pupils a picture of how the uplands are managed as well as how they look.

Why does it matter?

Since its launch, Let’s Learn Moor has given almost 14,000 young people the chance to visit and learn about moorland environments, many for the first time. BASC says the programme has become a flagship countryside education initiative, introducing thousands of children to the environmental, cultural and economic importance of the uplands.

Curtis Mossop, BASC’s head of training, education and outreach, said: “Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Let’s Learn Moor is a significant milestone for everyone involved. What began as a relatively small initiative has grown into the UK’s largest upland education programme, thanks to the commitment of the Regional Moorland Groups, private estates, Countryside Learning and our many partner organisations.”

He added: “Education plays a vital role in helping young people understand the countryside and their place within it. Whether learning about protecting ground-nesting birds, understanding wildfire risks, or exploring the importance of biodiversity, these experiences help equip children to become responsible custodians of the natural world in the future.”

What happens next?

Events run across eight locations over the next two weeks. BASC says it will cover them through the news pages of its website and on social media using the handle @BASCnews.