339 lines
9.7 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
339 lines
9.7 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
education
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educationnews
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7530566
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-----
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# Let children collect flowers and fossils says Sir David Attenborough
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## Children are being denied the chance to learn one of the key "foundation
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stones" of science because of laws that prevent them from collecting wild
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flowers, insects and fossils, according to Sir David Attenborough.
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![Young boy holding beetle, insect: ][1]
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Sir David Attenborough believes that laws protecting endangered species from
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being targeted by collectors have also led to a decline in children being able
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to collect other non-protected species Photo: PHOTOLIBRARY
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[![Richard Gray][2]][3]
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By [Richard Gray][4], Science Correspondent 9:45AM BST 28 Mar 2010
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[Follow Richard Gray on Twitter][5]
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[Comments][6]
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The veteran natural history broadcaster and naturalist fears that children are
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no longer learning about how to identify and classify species because of
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restrictions on collecting items from the countryside.
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He believes that laws brought in to protect endangered species from being
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targeted by collectors have also led to a decline in children being able to
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collect other non-protected species.
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Fossil hunting is now restricted in many parts of the country because special
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permission is needed from landowners to remove the fossils from their
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property. This was stifling the inquiring minds of children, said Sir David.
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His comments come after the National Trust obtained an [injunction against
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fossil hunters][7] to prevent them from digging into rock faces along the
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Jurassic Coast in Dorset.
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Sir David was speaking at the launch of the Society of Biology - a new
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organisation set up to promote the biological sciences.
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## Related Articles
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* [Jurassic Coast bans fossil hunters][8]
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25 Mar 2010
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* [Honey bees secret world of heat revealed][9]
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13 Mar 2010
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He said: "Children become interested in natural history because they are
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natural collectors.
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"It is a pity that it is not possible to allow them to go out and collect any
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more. Not to be able to collect a wild flower or fossils is sad.
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"It is a great loss to our children that they are prevented legally from
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collecting animals."
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He said that allowing children to collect and classify insects, animals and
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other objects they found around them helped them to learn the skills needed
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for taxonomy, the science of classifying species.
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Asked about the decline in the public's ability to identify species of animals
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in the world around them, he said: "Taxonomy is the foundation stone of the
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biological sciences.
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"I learned about taxonomy because, like my fellow colleagues, I was allowed to
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collect.
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"I collected fossils as a child. I was able to compare ammonites to see what
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was different and I learned to identify their characteristics.
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"Collecting and identifying is a basic instinct in children. The desire to
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collect and classify is deep inside all of us.
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"It is very sad but, unfortunately necessary, that legislation should have
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been passed so it is now illegal to collect birds eggs. It is illegal to
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collect butterflies. There are restrictions on collecting fossils.
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"I hope we might be able to shift legislation in a more intelligent and
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generalised way that will not be so specific."
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Collecting was once a hugely popular activity in Britain, reaching its peak
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during the Victorian era when it was considered to be a hobby for
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intellectuals.
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It continued to be a favourite pastime until midway through the twentieth
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century.
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It also became a profitable business as collectors paid large sums to have
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rare specimens sent to them from far flung regions of the world.
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Concerns about the pressure being put on species due to the collecting craze,
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however, led to laws being passed to restrict the trade of rare species.
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Other legislation prevents rare wild flowers from being picked if they are
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listed on protected lists while picking non-protected wild flowers is also
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restricted as it requires the permission of the land owner.
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Similar laws govern the collection of fossils, insects and other animals.
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Codes of conduct drawn up by entomologists also say that insects should not be
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killed unless they are being collected as scientific specimens. Instead they
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should be examined and released alive.
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Amateur entomologists added to Sir David's concern over the decline in
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collecting, stating that cars claimed the lives of far more insects than
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children did by collecting.
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Dafydd Lewis, honorary secretary of the Amateur Entomologists' Society, said:
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"Sadly, in many countries collecting even for scientific purposes is outlawed.
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"While legal restrictions are needed for the protection of habitats and
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threatened species, it should be possible to differentiate between the taking
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of individual specimens for private study and unnecessary killing.
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"It is true that whilst the availability of digital cameras means that
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collecting in general need not be as prevalent as in the past, a reference
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collection is often a springboard to further study and understanding,
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especially among children.
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"The pendulum has swung too far against collecting. It is a very effective
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means of engaging with the natural world - and that engagement is needed now
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more than ever."
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Dr David Lonsdale, conservation director of the Amateur Entomologists'
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Society, added: "I think that the legislation is having an indirect negative
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effect, which goes far beyond its direct effect.
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"This is because the idea of collecting being illegal, even in limited
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circumstances, creates a situation in which many adults feel, incorrectly,
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that they must tell children that it's wrong to collect anything from the
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wild."
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A spokesman for Defra said the legislation was not intended to stop children
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from exploring or learning about the natural world.
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She said: "It is important to protect plants, birds and animals from damage
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and disruption and to help preserve an important part of our heritage so that
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we can enjoy the benefits for years to come.
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"The legislation does not prevent children and adults from exploring and
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learning about the natural world and we encourage them to enjoy the beauty of
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the countryside."
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