De-Graft visits a forest region to explore deciduous and coniferous woodlands and the rich, biodiverse habitats they create.
De-Graft: Mixed forests like this are one of the most important habitats and ecosystems we have across the UK. And today, I鈥檓 getting a close up look on one of these鈥
This forest is on the edge of a place called Derwentwater. It's part of the Lake District, which is England鈥檚 largest national park.
Later locals Joseph and Ava are going to help me get a zoomed in look at this woodland. But first, let鈥檚 zoom out鈥
The Lake District is in the north of England. It鈥檚 one of 15 official national parks in the UK. The Cairngorms are the largest, most northerly national park in the UK, all the way up here in Scotland. There are three national parks in Wales - Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast, and the Brecon Beacons. Northern Ireland doesn鈥檛 have any official national parks. But it does have many country parks, nature reserves and nine areas of outstanding natural beauty. Forests are one of the most biodiverse habitats in the UK and they鈥檙e important for us humans too.
Trees help capture carbon through leaves, wood and soil which helps fight against climate change. Leaves help us to breathe by taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. Also, research shows spending time in forests and places that are rich in nature is good for our physical and mental wellbeing.
Joseph and Ava have joined me in the forest and I've set them the challenge of finding as many different kinds of fallen leaves and seeds as they can.
What is this?
Child: It looks like a tiny pinecone.
De-Graft: So guys, there are loads of incredible things all around us but what are your favourite things that you鈥檝e collected?
Child: I鈥檝e got a big piece of bark.
Child: And I have this鈥
De-Graft: Woah! I鈥檝e got a big, mossy, stick looking thing.
Child: Wow!
De-Graft: Now there are loads of different species of tree in the UK and they fall into two categories. We鈥檝e got deciduous trees. Now, they are also called broadleaf. They lose their leaves in the winter and grow them back in the summer like an oak tree. Have we got any oak leaves in our baskets?
Child: Oh, I think I鈥檝e got one!
De-Graft: Ay, you鈥檝e got a whole cluster of oak leaves there. And we鈥檝e also got coniferous. Now, they produce seeds as cones. Does anyone have a pinecone in their basket?
Child: Uh, yeah.
De-Graft: Yeah, Ava, that鈥檚 the one.
In some locations, forests are carefully managed. Trees are harvested for wood, and then replanted. Other forests are completely protected and there's no tree cutting allowed at all. And in other places, trees are cut down to clear the land for things such as farming and building houses, this is called deforestation. It destroys ecosystems and contributes to climate change.
What are your thoughts on people cutting down trees?
Child: I think it鈥檚 alright to cut down trees as long as you replant them. Trees are kind of very important in the world because they produce oxygen, and we need oxygen.
De-Graft: OK, time to compare鈥 The tallest tree in the Lake District is 57 metres tall. But the tallest tree in the world is in California and it鈥檚 just about double the height at 116 metres. That鈥檚 the same size as the length of five tennis courts!
What鈥檚 the closest national park or woodland where you live? What species of plants and animals do they have there? Zoom in and have a look for yourself.
Right guys, who can find the biggest leaf? Go!
Video summary
De-Graft is in a forest in the Lake District to consider deciduous and coniferous woodlands and the rich, biodiverse habitats they create.
De-Graft explains that trees capture carbon, helping to reduce the causes of climate change; leaves help us to breathe by releasing oxygen into the atmosphere; and spending time in nature can be good for our mental and physical well-being.
De-Graft is joined by local children to consider the two main categories of trees - deciduous and coniferous - and different approaches to woodland management, including deforestation.
Teacher Notes
Questions to consider:
- What is a national park? Have you ever been to one, if so what was it like?
- Why do you think we need national parks and nature reserves?
- Why are trees important? Who or what are they important to?
- What is the difference between a tropical and a temperate rainforest?
- What kinds of trees can you spot near where you live? Are they coniferous or deciduous?
- Why do you think trees get cut down? Should our woodlands be left completely unmanaged?
- What different opinions do you think people might have about deforestation? What鈥檚 your opinion?
Suggested activities to further explore learning:
1. Tourism debate
- In the summer Lake Windermere and the whole Lake District can become extremely busy with tourists. What positives, negatives, and interesting impacts might this have on the area and its community? Would there be different costs and benefits for different groups and would these be in conflict at all?
- You could set up a debate around whether tourism is a good thing or not with pupils in roles such as a local business owner, a local delivery driver, a wildlife manager, a tourist, a local resident, etc.
2. Do your own local forest treasure hunt
- Before you go, ask your pupils to create their own checklists of things they want to find. For example, a pine cone or a leaf larger than my hand. See how many of the things they can find and whether they鈥檙e surprised by any other discoveries they come across. Encourage items that involve pupils having to look high and low or under and inside, to add to the challenge as well as improve observation skills. They could take pictures of what they find for a photo collage.
- You could even lead the group in some breathing exercises or mindfulness activities in the woods to help pupils experience how nature can be a relaxing environment. Perhaps take time to listen, smell and explore the tactile elements of the environment as well as what can be seen.
- If you can鈥檛 take the class out, encourage pupils to do their own woodland adventure with a parent or guardian and bring to school the most interesting thing they can find to show and discuss with the class.
3. National park card game
- Each pupil creates three cards with a different national park on each from across the globe.
- They can draw a picture of the park at the top of the card, and then note down key features e.g. area size, tallest tree height, weather averages (coldest and warmest it gets), largest body of water in the park, a score out of 10 for the number of activities on offer.
- Then in groups pupils can play Top Trumps together, each contributing three cards to the game. Which national parks will come up trumps?
Key terminology:
Biodiversity 鈥 the variety of living species on Earth, including plants and animals.
Carbon dioxide 鈥 Otherwise known as C02. It鈥檚 a greenhouse gas that鈥檚 linked to global warming.
Coniferous trees 鈥 trees that produce cones and stay green all year long, such as pine trees.
Deciduous trees 鈥 trees that lose their leaves every year and their leaves change colour with each season, such as oak trees.
Deforestation 鈥 when trees are cut down to clear the land for other things. It destroys ecosystems and contributes to climate change.
Ecosystem 鈥 a community of living organisms, such as plants and animals, that interact with each other and their environment.
Habitat 鈥 a place that an animal lives, where it finds food, water, and shelter. There is a huge range of habitats across the planet, from deserts to rainforests.
National park 鈥 a large area of land protected by the government due its natural beauty, plants, or animals, often for the public to enjoy.
Nature reserve, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) 鈥 smaller areas of land protected by the government due to their natural beauty, plants, animals or scarce habitat type.
Protected woodland 鈥 a forest that has rules in place that mean no tree cutting is allowed in order to protect the trees and animals and creatures that live in them.
Rainforest 鈥 a woodland with a high annual rainfall and very tall trees. There are two types of rainforest 鈥 tropical and temperate.
Temperate 鈥 areas of the planet characterised by mild temperatures that lack extremes. The UK climate would be classified as temperate.
Tropics 鈥 the region of Earth surrounding the Equator. The Tropic of Cancer is the northern boundary and the Tropic of Capricorn is the southern one.
Suitable for teaching geography at KS2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 2nd level in Scotland.
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