Kim Polgreen
Wytham Wild Camp Easter 2023
Wytham Wild Camp Easter 2023

ECI Summer School 2022 at Wytham Woods

“Thanks so much for the wonderful experience for Kate and the others. She really loved her time there!! If you had any pictures, Kate was sad she didn’t really take any of the group and would love some! Though she does have lots of cute moth and bat pictures🥰 Thanks so much for all your hard work!!”

Each year I run a summer school on behalf of the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University. Having had to cancel in 2020 due to Covid, in 2021 we moved it to Wytham Woods, and camped, due to continuing Covid restrictions. This year, we decided to stay at Wytham, and use the lovely little dorm rooms in the Chalet. The combination of comfort and wilderness was perfect.

We had twelve students staying for three days. They explored the woods, discussed climate science, climate impacts and climate solutions, talked about nature based solutions and regenerative agriculture, met and talked to University researchers, went up the canopy walkway, cooked together, sat round camp fires and played games, discussed climate and ecology with two expert teachers, did some nature art, and worked with a DPhil student on a theatre production, went badger watching, saw bats up close.

We asked them what they liked about the course and this is what they said:

“The activities we did were fun and educational…. The timetable was good and had enough time to do everything…. I like the kitchen area…. The talks were interesting…. Bonfires…. Activities where we learned a lot about climate change etc… Theatre activity and art activities…. Good food…. Card games…. Seeing pretty moths…. Walk with friends…. The showers were very good…. Substantial amount of food…. Power naps…. Happy leaders…. Badgers were great meditation…. The art was fun…. Tiye was very good as she was our age…. Knowledge given…. Research projects…. Theatre…. Bonfire…. Food was nice…. Good number of people…. I learned a lot of new stuff…. Chalet was nice…. Sitting around fire pit…. Seeing bats…. Art part…. Fun to learn about identifying plants…. I got to experience what PhD research is like…. The speakers covered a range of different topics in the environmental sector…. Time to regroup and relax…. Learned a lot…. Really nice set up of the chalet - communal…. It’s nice to have quite a small group so that you can get to know each other…. Bats!… Moths!… Morning walk…. Camp fire….”

They also have us some great ideas about how we could improve it for next time. Main take home is that we need to help our experts be more interactive - it’s always a challenge for young researchers to step into education. And they wanted more time to explore the Woods by themselves - one full afternoon was not enough!

I learn more each year about how to teach young people about nature and climate. But actually as the situation gets more serious, it gets harder. I am trying to strike a balance between them having a good time and enjoying the Woods, while learning about what is happening to them because of Climate Change.

Huge thanks to my friend Jeni for working with me - we’ve been working together for nearly 20 years on summer camps! To Martyn Steiner who came up each day to help with the discussions and who put on an impromptu lesson on the last morning. To Charlotte Schofield who came up and inspired us about doing art in the Woods. To Tiye (year 12) who has become an expert in regenerative agriculture since she decided to look at it for her EPQ last year, and who came out to Wytham on her way to London to talk to us about what she knows and was totally brilliant. To Dr Curt Lamberth who we bumped into and happily found 20 minutes to take the group up the canopy walkway. To Dr Phil Grunewald who cycled all the way up the hill to talk to us about energy systems. To Dr Tanesha Allen who always delights us with badger research stories. To Sara Middleton whose enthusiasm for and love of plants fired us all with enthusiasm. To Nigel and the Wytham team for supporting us. And to the ECI for continuing to support this initiative.

Next year’s course will be 25th - 27th July, again at Wytham Woods.





Green Futures Conference

Well that went well! All the months of hard work preparing this event paid off. We had 175 students from around 12 schools across Oxfordshire, and 10 lovely exhibitors who ran 4 consecutive workshops for groups of around 15 students per workshop. The beautiful Hill End Outdoor Education Centre provided the perfect backdrop, and plenty of shade in the near 30 degree heat!

Student played energy networks with Low Carbon Hub, took pallets apart and learned about the recycling sector with Oxford Wood Recycling, designed low energy houses with Beard Construction, planned some ecology restoration with Amey Consulting, discovered the role of the armed forces in environmental protection, talked about regenerative farming with the coolest farmer in town, explored alternatives fuels with Siemens Energy, discussed land management with Strutt and Parker and Wytham Woods in tandem, and found out what Universities are doing about nature protection.

The indomitable Ian Curtis from the Environment Change Institute at Oxford University, as well as taking photos all day, gave a rousing plenary under the silver birches in the peak of the heat, encouraging the students to become part of the green economy in service of their own futures.

Here is a lovely blog about the event by Skye from Low Carbon Hub: Green Futures Conference at Hill End - Low Carbon Hub

In response to feedback from students, teachers and employers we are making a few tweaks for next time, and thinking about doing another on this coming autumn. Watch this space.

Oxford High Year 12 fieldwork at Wytham Woods

“We had a fantastic, immersive and inspiring field trip to Wytham Woods! We started the day by looking at a huge variety of moth species that had been enticed into the moth trap overnight. We were very fortunate to be joined by Dr Liam Crowley, who shared his expert knowledge of each species and their fascinating adaptations. Our students really enjoyed being able to have an up close look at each moth and some even got to hold the lobster moth! We also got to see the most famous moth of all, the peppered moth! After this we ventured into the meadow to carry out our first sampling technique using sweep nets. Our students were simply amazed by the number and variety of invertebrates they were able to catch and had a lot of fun trying to identify them. Later on, we ventured into another area of the woods and used belt transects and quadrats to identify a variety of plant species and measure a range of abiotic factors. Following this, we conducted a flower-insect timed count to monitor the activity of pollinators.

Overall, we had a brilliant day in the most beautiful setting and an ecological experience that extended far beyond the scope of the A-level specification! Our students left feeling completely inspired and cannot wait to return next week to conduct their own independent ecological research projects. Thank you so much to Kim and Liam for their expert guidance and for making the day possible. We are so lucky to have such a unique and wonderful place on our doorstep and would highly recommend Wytham Woods as a school field trip destination.”

Oxford High School, 2022.

Well Hellooo there. I’m a Lobster Moth

Anyone for pepper(ed moth)?

Business and sustainability workshop with Economics and Management undergraduates

It was a such an interesting experience to spend a day at Wytham Woods with a group of Economics and Management undergraduates from Pembroke College, Oxford University, discussing business and sustainability.

We started the day with a walk and talk with Conservator Nigel Fisher, discussing the ecological research that takes place at Wytham and the implications for different business sectors. We discussed the impacts of tree disease on the timber trade, implications of the lack of biosecurity on future plant diseases, the effects of soil degradation on global agricultural yields, the impacts of tree loss on flooding, and the risks of losing pollinators for agriculture and biodiversity.

Up at the Chalet (the research station at the heart of the Woods), we continued the conversations with a workshop looking at the risks and opportunities for different business sectors. We discussed coffee, steel, fashion, tourism and consumer electronics. Once you get talking about it it’s amazing how you can see that the links between the natural “economy” and the human economy are everywhere.

These were the prompt cards they worked from -

Coffee

What would you advise a large coffee brand to do over the next 5 years?

·       Small-scale farmers produce about 70 percent of the world’s coffee, and as many as 120 million people depend directly or indirectly on coffee production for their economic survival

·       Water stress and increased temperatures reduce quality and yield.

·       Coffee rust disease and the borer beetle are spreading faster because of climate change.

·       Coffee production is linked to deforestation

·       The coffee required for one single cup of coffee takes 140 liters of water to produce.

·       Waste coffee grounds create methane

 Environmental Effects of Coffee Production (theworldcounts.com)

Why Biodiversity Matters to Your Daily Cup of Coffee: Preserving the Birthplace of Wild Arabica Coffee in Ethiopia’s Highlands (worldbank.org)

Steel

What would you advise an investor in the steel sector?

·       Steel production is highly energy intensive and polluting in mining and production stages.

·       It is used mainly in construction.

·       a Korean company has developed a steelmaking method that emits 90 percent less toxic emissions than traditional methods

Steel production & environmental impact (greenspec.co.uk)

https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/mining/environmental-impact-of-steel-production/story

Consumer electronics

What would you advise a large consumer electronics brand to do over the next 3 years?

·       Humans generate 50Mn tonnes electronic waste per year. Only 20% is recycled.

·       Mining for metals has a huge impact on biodiverse regions.

·       E-waste materials are valued at $60Bln.

 Consumption patterns and biodiversity | Royal Society

Fashion

What would you advise a major fashion brand to do over the next 2 years?

·       The textiles and fashion industry produced around 10% of global greenhouse gases and causes around 20% of industrial pollution of water, and accounts for 10% of global pesticide use.

·       30% of cellulose fibre comes from endangered and primary forests.

·       Plastic microfibres have been found everywhere, including in human blood.

·       Only 12% is recycled.

Biodiversity: The next frontier in sustainable fashion | McKinsey

What Is Biodiversity And How Does It Connect With Fashion? | British Vogue

Tourism

What would you advise a major travel brand to do over the next 2 years?

·       Tourism has a negative impact on biodiversity and climate change – 8% of carbon emissions and damage to biodiverse areas e.g. galapagos

·       Tourism can bring income which can help preserve biodiversity

·       Some tourism does not contribute to the local economy

Tourism responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, study finds - Carbon Brief

Tourism can help sustain biodiversity (unep.org)

A walk back along some of the less trodden paths in the Woods completed a very satisfying day for all of us.

Recommendations from the May book group

Big Brothers Big Sisters (and little siblings) at Wytham Woods

Oxford people may have heard of Oxford Hub. I’m just learning about them, and they seem just brilliant. They “run volunteering programmes and collaborative projects that support people to thrive, participate in their community, and bring about systemic change”.

Today I found out more about their Big Brothers Big Sisters Programme which “matches volunteer mentors with local children aged 7-11. The mentor and young person spend time together once a week, going on trips, helping them with homework or doing fun activities together. The programme creates long term mentoring and friendships that support children to thrive in life. These positive relationships have a lasting influence on young people's lives, boosting their self-esteem and helping them to achieve their goals”.

Today 5 pairs of “siblings” came to Wytham for a ramble around the Woods, looking at the bluebells and other flowers, and enjoying the warm sunshine and fresh green of the spring leaves. The kids were fantastic (I do always say that - and it’s always true), and it was so interesting talking to the adult mentors who have committed to this relationship. There was a huge amount of warmth and fun; both adults and children were clearly getting a huge amount out of the programme.

In that special way that Wytham has of healing and enriching, the Woods did their magic. We mooched around green lanes, found yellow flowers, blue flowers, and the occasional pink flower. We ran races in the Dell, found butterflies, and lay in the sun to eat our lunch.

Wytham had a special treat for us today. A grand piano, temporarily abandoned amongst the bluebells, had been discovered by a passing walker. She was playing it, beautifully, as we passed by. We were all transfixed and delighted. A special moment to remember.

The ECI comes to Wytham Woods

Last Tuesday we had an opportunity to try out our new “destination” venue at Wytham Woods - an ex army parachute (retired from dropping vehicles apparently) hung between two 200 year old oak trees, fairy lights, bunting, straw bales and camp fires in the natural amphitheatre at the back of the Chalet. It is as magical as it sounds.

We had around 80 people there for the evening. Ann’s Munchies did the catering which was as wonderful as ever. For the meat eaters we served venison sausages and burgers from deer culled at Wytham - very sustainable, and low in cholesterol. (The deer numbers have to be controlled or they eat all the seedlings and we get no more trees - check out what is happening in many woodlands across the UK where deer numbers are too high.)

The group were students from across Oxford University, taking part in a course run by the Environmental Change Institute in the School of Geography and Environment called Training Better Leaders. It’s brilliant - speakers, workshops, panel discussions about sustainability issues and solutions over three intense days just before the start of term. A usual part of the course has been a College dinner on the first evening. But this year they came to Wytham Woods.

It was a fabulous evening, with a comedian, music, and lots of chat. The mile walk back down the hill, through the dark woods, looking out for badgers, was the final excitement.

(The badgers were finally spotted by the Prof as he cycled home - they were having a scrap outside the pub in the village. Sigh.)


Careers event at Oxford Spires Academy

This week I went back to the school where my Dad had been deputy head for several decades. As a child I had sometimes been there with him at weekends, roaming empty corridors and grounds, and I knew the site quite well. It was strange to see familiar places, still in 70’s brown, in juxtaposition with brightly coloured modern buildings.

Me and my Dad in 2018. He died in November 2019.

The task in hand was a full day of careers workshops organised by Education Business Partnership for the year 10’s (not year 12 as was my understanding - never make that mistake - there’s a massive difference!). My colleague and I had 4 groups of nearly 30 14/15 year olds through the day to discuss outdoor and environmentally linked careers. It wasn’t our best day. We were outdoors all day so that we could do activities (at our request), but it was freezing cold, very noisy (air conditioning units), and rather bleak. We had one chaperone with us (safeguarding) who had to be with the kids, and with both of us at all times. Going to the loo was like the fox, chicken, grain puzzle. We both got told off in no uncertain terms by staff members through the day for doing the wrong thing.

But of course the kids were just lovely. Bubbly, silly, cheeky, funny. I just wanted to talk to them and not have to try and shoehorn someone else’s agenda into their day. Year 10 is much to early to be discussing their own careers - we just need to open their eyes to what is going on in the world. But how to you do that with so many kids, on their home turf, in the freezing cold? I’ll write about that if I work it out!

Did we make an impact? Possibly, on a few. It certainly wasn’t the way to engage year 10s about sustainability and I won’t be accepting another invitation to attempt to do so in that kind of setting! The sad thing is that learning for sustainability is exactly what these kids need - for themselves, their futures, and each other.

Scouts doing Forestry and Naturalist badges at Wytham Woods

I’m always looking for new ways to engage young people with the natural world, and with solutions to climate change. When we were approached by Freeland Scouts and learned about the scout Forestry and Naturalist badges this seemed to be a fantastic new opportunity. The badge content is really well designed and creates the opportunity for a varied and fun day while learning about nature. This is what they have to do to gain their badges.

Scouts Forester Activity Badge

Discover how to manage and identify trees – and help preserve our woodland.

  • Identify at least eight common types of tree that grow in your area, including both deciduous and coniferous.

  • Find out how to identify trees using identification keys.

  • Prepare the soil and successfully transplant a young tree.

  • Find out how both natural woodland and commercial forests are managed.

  • Show how to select, use and care for forestry equipment, and know the safety issues involved.

  • Show how to fell and trim out a tree or lay a hedge.

Scouts Naturalist Activity Badge

Become a great Naturalist and play your part in preserving the natural world as a whole.

  • With appropriate permission, spend at least one day at one of these locations and investigate the wildlife and plants found there. We are covering woodland and hedgerow

  • Tell a knowledgeable adult what you discovered. Show them your field notes, sketches, photographs or maps.

  • Find out more about a plant, animal or particular wildlife from your chosen location.

  • Discuss what you found out, giving sources for information from places like museums, field guides or the internet.

  • Discuss how human activities or land management can affect wildlife.

What we did

Our experts for the day were Nigel Fisher, Conservator of Wytham Woods; outdoor educator, Charles Montier; and ecologist Julia Haynes. We tested out our activities on Freeland Scouts. 19 of them came to Wytham Woods with their leaders on a beautiful March day. Our base was Bean Wood, by the old cottage in the Woods that used to be used by scouts and guides in the 1920s.

The group was divided into two and each did one activity before lunch and one after. With Nigel, they played tree games, learned about trees, learned how to use saws and loppers safely, and did some fantastic coppicing work, ably helped by their scout leaders.

With Charles and Julia they hunted for signs of nature (including emerging bluebells, fox poo, blossom, hawthorn leaves, celendine, primroses, chiffchaffs and great tits), made crayon rubbings to record their tree leaf ID, and got some handy outdoor survival tips from Charles. Then everyone came together to plant a tree.

We think we managed to tick off all the requirements for the two badges in one day, but we also hope that they will come back and see the Woods at other times of the year. Everybody had a fantastic time, and we are hoping that other groups of scouts to follow these Freeland scout pioneers.

Kim - Youth Educator in Residence at Wytham Woods

Matthew Arnold year 10 work experience week at Wytham Woods - student commentary

Six students from Matthew Arnold school came on work experience placements with me at Wytham Woods last week. They spent Monday to Thursday, 10am to 2.30pm, at Wytham doing activities in the Woods, and talking to the people who worked there.

They met and learned about the work of the Conservator, the communications officer, the foresters, the Director and Manager of the Hill End Outdoor Education Centre, and one of the researchers working on the small mammals project.

For activities, on the first day we discussed how to approach a work situation, and they learned how to navigate round the site using the permit holders map and the Alltrails app, and to identify species using the Seek app. On the following days they did some tree mulching and some path maintenance at Hill End, cooked a meal for the students themselves and for the researchers on site, and planted trees with the foresters.

On the final day I asked the students to write their own appraisal of themselves, using criteria discussed at the start of the week. I agreed with what they said of themselves, so I have used their words here in full. I also asked them for a recommendation to others about doing work experience at Wytham Woods, and feedback on what we could improve. Two of the students were absent on the final day due to accident and illness so there are only 4 student accounts included here. Their accounts were hand-written and I have transcribed them.

Kim

 Student 1

I think my communication and team-work was quite well as I worked with almost everyone at a certain point. I also showed some initiative encouraging a friendly competition during the tree mulching that helped speed us up and was quite enjoyable.

I think I could have improved my time management as I was late on the first day. I tried to take feedback from that by arriving on time on the third and second day. The fourth day was a lack of communication within the group chat.

Wytham Woods is a great outdoors job experience. During the experience you get to spend plenty of time outside learning, helping and enjoying with the woods. You get to learn about the woods and the wildlife in it, walk around the paths out in the sun and do physical work. My two favourite experiences were the tree mulching which was very physical and the cooking experience which helped bond the group.

The only feedback is that for groups that don’t know each other as well it might be beneficial to do a bonding exercise.

Student 2

During the week I think that I did well as I asked questions and listened to what had to be said. I enjoyed working in the woods as it was quiet and calm. I also found it nice planting trees and adding mulch around the area. I also enjoyed making and eating the vegetarian chilli. I found working in a team enjoyable and fun. I believe I was organised and my time management was good as I was on time for all the days. I feel I took tasks well and completed them well. I did well self managing myself as I packed everything that I needed throughout the week.

Over the whole week working at Wytham I enjoyed listening to the birds and natural environment the most. It was a fun and enjoyable experience.

The people at Wytham were very friendly and happy to teach us. I think that in the future groups should be able to join the researchers to study animals. Kim was also good at organising the days to make them enjoyable and interesting.

Student 3

During the week I used multiple skills and found it very enjoyable. On the second day, we showed good communication and teamwork skills whilst adding mulch to the trees in Hill End. This also enabled planning and organisation skills and showed good willingness to undertake tasks. On the third day I used my initiative in cooking a vegetarian chilli and then whilst it was simmering, I went on a short walk for an hour. This showed time management skills and self-management to appear on time. Furthermore, in the last day I showed problem solving and abilities to take feedback in planting trees and handling a shovel as I learned the correct technique. In Wytham I learned constantly, often seeing animals and plants and curiously wanting to know more. I also learning about different types of [apps – I think] and how to use them.

I would recommend coming to Wytham as it is interesting and fun and it is good to spend time learning in the outdoors, especially in a nice wood like Wytham.

Student 4

During this week I had a great time. It was good fun. I learnt a lot about plants and different techniques and ways to experiment with them. It was nice meeting and speaking to different foresters. On the second day we all showed good teamwork by mulching trees and making a path as a group. Although I was late the first day I learnt from that and managed myself to arrive early the next day. I felt I had quite a good attitude towards learning, paying attention to people when they’re talking and asking questions on things I didn’t understand.

Wytham was a very enjoyable experience, and I would recommend it to other people. However one this they could improve on is the preparation. For example they kit list is not particularly bad its just hard to understand and a bit much to read through all in all it was a great time and what really boosts that is communication between you and your co-workers.

 

 

Oxford Spires Academy Year 10 work experience week - what the students thought

We had 11 students from Oxford Spires Academy for a week of work experience. They spent 5 days from 10am to 2.45 pm at Wytham doing various activities in the Woods, and talking to the people who worked there. They met, and learned about the work of, the Conservator, the administrator, an entomologist, two of the foresters, the Director and Manager of the Hill End Outdoor Education Centre, two of the farm workers, two of the citizen science contributors, the bushcraft expert, and a bird/small mammal research assistant.

For activities, we navigated round the site on some fairly long walks, did some path maintenance at Hill End, visited the farm to learn about their regenerative agriculture approach, put up a huge parachute shelter between the trees, and on the final day cooked a meal for the students themselves and for the researchers on site.

I asked the students to write their own appraisal of themselves. I also asked them for a recommendation to others about Wytham Woods, and feedback on what we could improve in a work experience week. There wasn’t much negative feedback and it was all about the length of the day (they got tired), and the muddy paths (they didn’t all have appropriate footwear, but they managed).

The students’ voices

Student 1 said –

I believe that I did amazing and engaged with all the activities and work. I also was very helpful. An example is when I helped Kim move the parachute and help her find it and when we were making food in the kitchen I cut most of the vegetables. I did not refuse not did I complain about anything all week. When we were setting up the parachute and when we fixed the path in Hill End, I did not stop working and I tried my best at everything. My attitude has also been positive towards all the staff and I showed my respect towards them.

I really enjoyed coming to Wytham Woods and having the opportunity to work here. I enjoyed this because it was really fun and we did a lot of walking and we did not waste any time or our work time. I also really liked how we all got to listen to the staff talking about what they do and what there jobs were.

Student 2 said –

I had a great time at Wytham Woods learning and seeing nature right in front of me. I also enjoyed meting many experts, who have advanced knowledge and intelligence on the specific category. I have tried to contribute at my max potential. For example, the task we were assigned to do at Hill End. I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience in nature.

Wytham Woods in an exceptional place for older children to teenagers to visit. It has many activities to take part in like sightseeing, hiking, camping, and many more. It gives you a different perspective to the wildlife and nature. Overall I think this place is an amazing place to visit which I recommend to students and also adults to visit and possibly stay.

Student 3 said –

My name is xxxxx. I am 14 years old and I go to Oxford Spires Academy in Oxford and I sort of like it. At Wytham Woods I learnt how to work in a team, make new friendships, always be patient and to motivate each other when down.

You should come to Wytham Woods because it has beautiful views and activities. It is also a great place to come sightseeing and experience a peaceful time. There lots of facts you can learn and teach to other people.

Student 4 said –

Through the week I managed to arrive on time every day. I loved walking round the Woods and looking at all the different plants and wildlife. I also tried very hard with the shovelling when we were laying the paths, which I found very fund. I also liked going through mud and helped with map reading and figuring out which paths to take. I got involved with all the tasks and put in lots of effort and also volunteered for lots of different things. I was very respecting of the woodland and wildlife and I also behaved very well all week. I learned lots about the research that takes place in the Woods and was very interested to listen to people talking about their jobs and roles in the woodland and farms. I think the week provided an excellent insight into working at Wytham Woods and also what it is like to work in a woodland environment.

Student 5 said -

Throughout the trip I really enjoyed the walks through wood and there memorising surrounding views. There was a lot to see and admire about the area from its scenic view to lush green forests. Our place of stay was really nice and comfortable. We also had the availability of Internet which really helped with a place of interest and sacred signal. I liked the activities we did although they were hard but we're nice.

Student 6 said –

My name is xxxxx. I am 15 years old and I got to Oxford Spires Academy and I’m in year 10. I like to play football in my spare time. During my stay at Wytham Woods I did lots of working and lots of different activities. We went over to Hill End where we put woodchip on to paths.

I think young people should come to Wytham Woods because it’s a lovely place out in the open. It’s got lots of nature and different habitats, and its good for sightseeing and just having a walk. It’s also got lots of different animals and birds which live here, so if you like animals, Wytham Woods is a great place to come.

Student 7 said -

In this work experience I think that I have tried to contribute and complete the tasks I have been assigned. The things I was given to do I think I completed them very nicely. During this entire week of work experience I have gained a lot of knowledge on what the adults go through daily to provide food and things for their families.

Wytham Woods is an area for teenagers to explore the wildlife and see what there is outside the streets. This place is very inspirational for young adults which helps them do or clear the things they want to do in life. This area helps the teenagers to mature and get an idea of how actual jobs work and how easily you could get fired.

Overall this place is a wonderful area that is nearly perfect.

Student 8 said -

I think the work experience in the Woods was good because we all worked together as a team and had fun. For example we cooked together and make the parachute cover and went to Hill End and digged up soil.

I found the trip fun and exciting. I liked it when we walked around the woods and it was very calm and relaxing as you could hear the birds and everything. It was nice when we also went to the farm and saw the cows from afar. You should come to Wytham because there are lots of trees and wildlife to look at and enjoy It’s a quiet and calm place and there is lots of nature.

Student 9 said –

In my opinion I did the best at both behaviour and curiosity as I asked intelligent and interesting questions for example I know that Wytham Woods is globally recognised and under Oxford University for research on the exotics. In terms of behaviour I made a successful attempt on bringing out the positive side of me despite gruesome and deep mud and steep hills that show up non-stop.

As a member of generation Z, I’m more or less on technology most of the time, and taking this 1 week job of Wytham Woods (OX2 8QQ), has really changed my view of nature and made me appreciate the natural world that may soon go and allows me to cherish the memories of the beautiful woods. I think Wytham Woods will increase the mental health of young people and raise awareness that will hopefully bring down the destructive situation known as global warming.

 Student 10 was too distracted to write anything but was an amazing young man with huge energy, sense of responsibility and a natural leader.

Student 11 was also fabulous, open to ideas and learning. He had to leave early so could not complete the assessment.

Discussing Nature and Climate books at Wytham Woods

It was a calm Sunday morning round the camp fire at the chalet at Wytham Woods. 10 of us gathered at the chalet in the Woods, where the fire was lit, and hot drinks and cake awaited. We had each brought a book, loosely related to nature or climate, to tell other people about. It was a wonderful wide ranging discussion about books from novels and poetry to field guides and economics. We covered over 20 different books, in enough depth to whet the appetite to go away and read them - that seems good value for a book club!

The event was organised by me, Kim Polgreen, Youth Educator in Residence, and Alice Little, Writer in Residence at Wytham Woods. It was such a delight to share thoughts, hopes and fears with others who are also interested in these topics. We are going to do it again on 15th May!

The books that were discussed and recommended are as follows. The links are all to www.bookshop.org which supports local independent bookshops.

The Peace of Wild Things. Poetry. Wendell Berry.

Engish Pastoral: An Inheritance. James Rebanks.

Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild. Lucy Jones.

If Women Rose Rooted: A life-changing journey to authenticity and belonging. Sharon Blackie.

Big Panda Tiny Dragon. James Norbury.

Swimming with Seals. Victoria Whitworth.

All We Can Save: Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharing K. Wilkinson.

Turn the Tide on Climate Anxiety: Sustainable Action for Your Mental Health and the Planet. Megan Kennedy-Woodard and Patrick Kennedy-Williams.

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate. Peter Wohlleben.

Who Owns England?: How We Lost Our Land and How to Take it Back. Guy Shrubsole.

Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist. Kate Raworth.

A Wood of One's Own. Ruth Pavey.

The Overstory. Richard Powers.

The Wood: The Life & Times of Cockshutt Wood. John Lewis-Stempel.

The Salt Path. Raynor Winn.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. Katherine May.

The Last Wilderness: A Journey into Silence. Neil Ansell.

Dream Island. Ronald Lockley.

The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs: Their Meaning and the Art of Making Predictions and Deductions. Tristan Gooley.

RSPB Handbook of British Birds. Peter Holden and Richard Gregory

The Unofficial Countryside. Richard Mabey (Author) Mary Newcomb (Illustrator).

Diary of a Young Naturalist. Dara McAnulty.

Finding the Mother Tree: Uncovering the Wisdom and Intelligence of the Forest. Suzanne Simard.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Robin Wall Kimmerer

Teacher training in Wytham Woods - making the most of Geography Field Trips

What parts of the Geography KS3, 4 and 4 curricula could you cover in taking your students to a British woodland? And how? That was the question I had to research in preparing for a group of Oxford University Geography PGCE interns last week. The answer turned out to be quite a few, and the interns themselves came up with many ideas themselves.

On a walk round the Woods, we discussed physical geography concepts in the curriculum - landscape, topography, rock and vegetation types, farming practices and soils, ash die back disease, climate change impacts and climate change research, water cycle, flooding, and water pollution issues. For human geography we discussed who walks in the woods, how they get there and where they come from, the impact of human infrastructure and activities on the wildlife and landscape, and the control of deer. In a landscape like this, physical and human geography are closely intertwined.

Once back at the Chalet, the research station in Wytham Woods, over coffee and biscuits we discussed risk assessments, and behaviour management, and how to get the most out of a day in the woods for the wellbeing of students and teachers. My top tips are

  • Prepare yourself so that you feel confident. Doing something like a bushcraft or foraging course means you will recognise hazards and feel less fearful of what is around you. An outdoor first aid course should be on every geography teachers’ to do list.

  • Visit the site beforehand if you can. Do a detailed risk assessment, and think about your contingency plan in the event of your worst case scenarios. Discuss this with the colleagues who are accompanying you. Have a clear plan of who does what in the event of an incident. And discuss approach and tone, and how to keep everyone confident and happy.

  • Have lots of empathy for your students - consider how they are feeling about their trip - prepare them for what is coming by making triple sure they have everything they need, showing them a video of the site, inviting students who might have been there before to come and talk to them about it. Maybe ask them to anonymously say what might be worrying them and discuss those worries as a class.

  • On site, act as a team with the students. Engage them in carrying kit, navigating, identifying risks etc. Celebrate their nature identification skills, or drawing skills, which might be better than yours. Set the tone by being relaxed and enjoying your surroundings.

  • Make sure that the student know to have their phones with them, charged, switched on and NOT on silent. This is counter-intuitive to them when they are in school mode so you have to make the point. Have their numbers, and make sure they have yours (probably a school phone). Make sure yours is charged and on.

  • Ask students to choose a buddy for the day to keep an eye on, and then buddy up the pairs and give them responsibility for the other pair, and then allocate a teacher to as many sets of 4 as you have students. When on the move make sure a teacher is stationed at the back - and concentrating on not letting any student get behind them.

  • Make the most of the wellbeing opportunities by scheduling in time for sitting and relaxing, doing sketches or taking photographs.

Back outside, we tried out some carbon cycle and water cycle fieldwork measurements - it’s not as easy as it looks to lay out a 25m square in the woods!

The treat at the end of the day was a climb up to the canopy walkway to admire the woods from above. Thanks to Alex Black from the School of Geography for making sure we were safe.

Finally, we used the National Outdoor Learning Award as a way to review the day, and to illustrate how it could be used with students.

SDG15 Life on Land: a talk for an IB School Conference

Kim Polgreen, February 2022

I was honoured to contribute to a schools sustainability conference on 12th February 2022, organised by the XXI Century Integration International School, an IB school in Moscow. 30 IB schools from around the world attended. The students, and teachers, had some really interesting observations and questions.

My topic was Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land. As a starting point for explaining it I used this: SDG Resources for Educators - Life On Land (unesco.org)

I started my presentation talking about some of the work at Wytham Woods where I run education projects. I used the lovely badger video as it illustrates how research helps us understand ecosystems and the complex interactions between humans and the rest of life on earth.

I talked about all the wonderful things we get from our planet - our life support system, our food, materials, and importantly, joy. I then talked about what is going wrong - we are using resources faster than the planet can provide, and faster than it can absorb and process our wastes. I looked at some of the consequences such as plastic in the oceans and deforestation. I looked at the impacts on wildlife, and on people.

But then I switched and talked about successes in human interventions, and successes in rewilding, when humans step back. I used these two fantastic videos to illustrate these concepts, which the students really liked.

Finally I talked about the green careers that are opening up as we solve our problems, and about what all of us can do now to help.

The feedback was great so I hope I’ve encouraged a few more young people to learn more about our world and work hard to protect it.

A greener careers talk to St Helen’s School, Abingdon

39 years after I last set foot in my old school I was back giving a talk about Wytham Woods and Greener Careers. Here I am speaking in a very slick lecture theatre. I’ll gloss over my mixed feelings about the school system, past and the present.

I had been told that this was going to be a group of self selected students from any year group, 7 - 11. This was a tall order as talking to students of different ages about sustainability topics generally needs a different approach. I wove a talk together that touched on knowledge about nature, and careers.

As well as not triggering excessive concern, the most difficult thing about giving talks like this is working out what the students already know about climate change and about nature - it could be everything or nothing. Small group discussions are always more enlightening. I find that when given the space to share their ideas most teenagers seem to know quite a lot about climate change and have strong feelings, but that often their knowledge is very incomplete and somewhat confused and they are unsure how they are allowed to feel about such apocalyptic information. And on nature, apart from an enthusiastic few, most seem to know very little and are very disconnected from it.

The education system is not serving them well in this regard. These are almost certainly the two issues that will dominate their future lives and we need to prepare them. The Department of Education has recently published a draft strategy on sustainability education. I don’t have high hopes for change on the timescales that are needed, but it is a move in the right direction.

The approach I’ve been using with teenagers for the last 5 years is to talk about what people are currently doing in the world of work to solve the climate and nature crises. There are many inspiring, amazing, joyful examples to share, from all sectors of work. If we can enthuse our young people about the potential for purposeful interesting careers solving global issues perhaps we can engage them in the inconvenient truth, but by giving them role models and hope, protect them from anxiety about that undeniable reality.

My next school talk is coming up on Saturday, online, to 25 international schools. The topic is SDG4 - Life on Land. That’s it! I’ve got 30 minutes. I’ve still got to get my head around that one.

Teacher training at Wytham Woods - how to plant a hedge

It was great to be able to help Catriona Bass who owns and runs the Long Mead Wildlife Site, virtually next door to Wytham Woods, with a hedge and tree planting workshop for a group of local teachers. This was part of a project Catriona is involved with to help schools in the Eynsham Partnership Academy Trust improve the biodiversity in their school grounds.

We persuaded the totally brilliant Nigel Fisher, Conservator of Wytham Woods, to give up his morning to deliver this workshop. As is the case with every event Nigel delivers it was great fun and everyone learned a huge amount. Even with a blindfold on!

My key learning point was that bare roots cannot be left in the air for any time at all. They need to stay in the bag until the last moment. They are incredibly delicate.

A group of 15 of us practiced planting hedges and trees under Nigel’s careful guidance. We also tried identifying winter trees which was difficult! Phone apps are of limited use when all you have are some tiny buds and some bark. Nigel showed us the tells that we needed to look for.

Turns out that teachers like marsh mallows toasted over the fire almost as much as school kids. Happy days.

Next teacher training is for the University of Oxford Geography PGCE interns later in Feb. Looking forward to it.

Carbon measurements in Wytham Woods: Cherwell A level Geography field work

How much carbon is there in one of the massive beech trees at Wytham Woods? Mr Littlewood is finding out!

Cherwell School year 13s were one of several schools who measured Wytham’s trees this year. That’s on top of the 22,000 trees measured by the University researchers themselves in summer 2021. You can see the orange dots and the little ID tags on the trees that the researchers measured. And sometimes you can see researchers still splattered in orange paint. The metal tags jangle in the wind in a calming or spooky way, depending on your mood.

Here are Cherwell year 13 in December in the plantations, on the only snowy day we've had this winter. This day was to practice fieldwork techniques and plan their coursework projects. Those who chose carbon measurements for their project came back a week later to take all their measurements.

Please note that our courses do not carry any formal accreditation