The Brecks File Welcome to the Brecks File T his is a digital resource for teachers and children at Key Stage 2. Through teacher briefings, pupil notes and worksheets, and in conjunction with leaflets, posters, a video and the Brecks website, it aims to: ✓ Tell the story of the Brecks, by introducing key environmental ideas at a simple level. It covers: ❒ changes in land use over the centuries and the reasons behind them; ❒ how the life and work of farmers today differs from the past; ❒ how Britain's biggest lowland forest is looked after and what the trees are used for; ❒ how some of Britain's rarest and weirdest wildlife survives and even flourishes amongst all this; and ❒ what the future may hold. ✓ Encourage local children to get to know their own area. ✓ Provide the basis for a comparative geographical study of a unique and fascinating contrasting locality within the UK. ✓ Support literacy and numeracy studies with real-life texts and figures. ✓ Provoke thinking about wildlife conservation, conflicts over land use and sustainable development. ✓ Encourage the use of school grounds as a rich resource for learning. The Brecks File was devised and written by a team of local teachers, and edited by Leslie Morgan and Nicky Rowbottom. The project was overseen by the Brecks Countryside Project with advice from the Countryside Foundation for Education. The Brecks File was edited, designed and digitised by www.redfoxmedia.com
Transcript
The Brecks FileWelcome to the Brecks File
This is a digital resource for teachers and children at Key Stage 2. Through teacher briefings, pupil notes and worksheets, and in conjunction with
leaflets, posters, a video and the Brecks website, it aims to:
� Tell the story of the Brecks, by introducing key environmental ideas at a simple level. It covers:
❒ changes in land use over the centuries and the reasons behind them;
❒ how the life and work of farmers today differs from the past;
❒ how Britain's biggest lowland forest is looked after and what the trees are used for;
❒ how some of Britain's rarest and weirdest wildlife survives and even flourishes amongst all this; and
❒ what the future may hold.
� Encourage local children to get to know their own area.
� Provide the basis for a comparative geographical study of a unique and fascinating contrasting locality within the UK.
� Support literacy and numeracy studies with real-life texts and figures.
� Provoke thinking about wildlife conservation, conflicts over land use and sustainable development.
� Encourage the use of school grounds as a rich resource for learning. The Brecks File was devised and written by a team of local teachers, and edited by LeslieMorgan and Nicky Rowbottom. The project was overseen by the Brecks Countryside Projectwith advice from the Countryside Foundation for Education.
The Brecks File was edited, designed and digitised by www.redfoxmedia.com
The Brecks File was made possible through finan-cial support from the following organisations
and individuals:
❒ A.E.Sexton ❒ H.T. Thornton & Son
❒ A.J.Edwards & Sons ❒ J.E. Dale
❒ Baxter Healthcare ❒ Master Foods
❒ Bayer Plc ❒ Taylor Farms
❒ Mildenhall Rotary Club ❒ Fibrowatt Ltd.
❒ Bernard Tickner ❒ Mrs Angela Napp
❒ Bowes of Norfolk ❒ P.F Southgate Ltd.
❒ Breckland Council ❒ S.J.Parr and Sons
❒ Scarfe Charitable Trust ❒ Center Parcs
❒ Campbell Grocery Products Ltd.
❒ Shadwell Estate Company
❒ Chadacre Agricultural Trust
❒ Suffolk County Council
❒ Forest Heath District Council
❒ The Alfred James Williams Charitable Trust
How to use the Brecks File
There is a lot of background information for youin the file, but most of the essential information
has been written for pupils to use.
There are worksheets, games, pictures and activi-ties which will work in the classroom, to bring theissues alive through stimulating pupils to read,think, discuss, plan and do.
Some worksheets and activities require pupils towork alone. Others need co-operation in groups.
See our contents table (p3) for details of nationalcurriculum links, literacy content and a breakdownof resources available within the file.
Video resource
The accompanying video has been prepared toillustrate many aspects of the File, and can be
used in short bursts to give pupils a quick overviewof a particular topic, as a detailed explanation ofsomething which would be very long-winded toexplain in words, and as an introduction or resume.For most activities and sections it is not absolutelynecessary to use the file and the video together, butthey have been planned to complement each other.
About this Acrobat document
The Brecks File is an Adobe Acrobat digitaldocument. It’s like digital paper, with all the
enhanced benefits that computerised documentscan bring. You can keep this document on yourhard disk, to open whenever you need it. And youcan place it on other school computers for yourpupils’ own use.
You can view the document on any computer(PC, Apple and Unix) using the free Adobe AcrobatReader software. We’ve laid out the document inlandscape format, so you don’t have to scrollbetween the top and bottom of each page.
Select the hand in the icon menu to movearound pages and zoom in using the magnifying
glass. On the left of your screen, you’ll see book-marks to help you navigate around the document.You can also use the arrows and scroll bars to movefrom page to page.
Pages are numbered sequentially. The front coveris page one. This makes it easy to print out work-sheets for your class whenever you need them. Justcheck the number(s) at the bottom of each page thatyou want and ask your printer to print only those,by selecting the printer icon. The images on thesepages are at a reasonably high resolution andshould print well. You can print in colour or blackand white, depending on your printer. Colour printing usually takes longer, so leave enough yourself time before the class starts.
The text in this document can be copied andpasted it pupils’ own work if they are using a com-puter, by selecting it with the T icon in the menubar.
The document can also be searched for a keyword - use the binoculars in the menu.
There are website and email addresses in thisdocument. As your mouse passes over them, clickto open your web browser or email programmeautomatically. If you have not done this before,Acrobat Reader will ask you to choose an appropriate programme on your compute using theautomatic dialogue box.
If you run into problems, check the Adobe website at www.adobe.com for advice.
Contents: linking with the National CurriculumSECTION HEADING
All about the BrecksFile
Linking with theNational Curriculum
An introduction tothe Brecks
School days out inthe Brecks
Visitors to the Brecks
Introduction
A modern farmer’slife
Cropping calendar
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
How to use the Brecks File andother Acrobat documents
The Brecks File as a teachingresource
A quick, fact-based summary ofthe Brecks area
Where to go on school visits
1. Analysing a Brecks publicityleaflet; 2. Working out a visitors’code; 3. Finding tourist site co-ordinates on a map; 4. Workingout a tourist cycle trail and writ-ing and designing a leaflet.
Overview of Breckland farming
A day in the life of farmer ChrisKnights
Calendar of a year on the farm &which parts of a plant do we eat?
LEAD SUBJECT
Geography 1. Geographicalenquiry and skills: 2(d); 2.Knowledge and understanding ofenvironmental change and sus-tainable development: 5(a); 3.Geographical enquiry and skills:1(a); 4. Geographical enquiry andskills: 2(c )
Science Life Processes and LivingThings: 5(e) – nearly all foodchains start with a green plant.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. To use secondary sources; 2.How people affect the environ-ment; how and why people seekto manage and sustain theirenvironment; 3. To use geo-graphical questions; to developawareness of how places relateto each other; to use and inter-pret maps; 4. To use maps.
That plants can provide food forus and some plants are grownfor this.
LINKED SUBJECTS & LITERACY
1. English Reading 5(f) evaluate differentformats, layout, presentational devices;2.PSHE & Citizenship To play an activerole as future citizens: 2(b) why and howrules are made; 4. English Writing,Composition: 1(e) use features of layoutpresentation and organisation effectively.
English Reading: 9(a) non fiction texts
English Reading: 5(e) understand thestructural features of different types oftext; writing: 1(a) pupils should chooseform and content to suit a particular pur-pose.
PAGE
002
003
010
011
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016
Introduction – 6 pages
Visitors to the Brecks – 1 page
Farming – 32 pages
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031
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036
Science Life Processes and LivingThings: 5(e) – nearly all foodchains start with a green plant.
Science Life Processes and LivingThings: 5(e) – nearly all foodchains start with a green plant;3(a,b & c) – green plants –growth and nutrition.
Maths Gathering informationfrom written text and putting itinto a table.
English Speaking & Listening: 8(c) extend-ed speaking for different purposes.
English Reading: 3(d) draw in differentfeatures of text, including images toobtain meaning; 9 (a) non fiction textsshould include adverts.
English Reading 3(a) scan texts for infor-mation; Reading: 5(c) recognise phrasesand sentences that convey a formalimpersonal tone.
English Reading non-fiction: 5(g) engagewith challenging and demanding subjectmatter.
English Writing 1(d) use and adapt thefeatures of a form of writing, drawing ontheir reading; writing 12 the range offorms…. Should include play scripts;writing 9 (a) to imagine and explore feel-ings . . . how to interest the reader.
English Reading: 3(d) draw in differentfeatures of text, including images . . toobtain meaning. Writing: Planning anddrafting: 2(a-c). History Historicalenquiry: 4(b) to ask and answer questionsand to select and record information rele-vant to the enquiry. English Reading: 9(a)autobiographies, non-standard English.
That plants provide food forhumans.
That plants provide food forhumans.
The Brecks File Page 4
Introduction 3 Contents
Modern farming andshopping
Potatoes 1–3
Modern farmmachines
Farming in a dryregion
Farming history –rabbits
Rabbits in theMiddle Ages
Guarding rabbits
Warreners and theirdogsThe warrener’s story
Watch the carrot processing sec-tion of the video. Describe thesteps as a story in the first person– “The day I got processed.”
Shop survey; home survey; andgrowing potatoes outdoors andindoors
Match farm and gardenmachines; marketing a carrotharvester
Understanding irrigation and calculating water consumption
A historical review of rabbitfarming
Early rabbit-based prosperity.Examine accounts from an oldbook and a 17th century Lord.
Conflicts between warreners andpoachers; evidence from prisonsentences. Write play notes andletters about poachers.
Examine and work on a photo of warreners, dogs and tools. Readand work on a warrener’s reminiscences.
SECTION HEADING SUMMARY OF CONTENTS LEAD SUBJECT LEARNING OBJECTIVES LINKED SUBJECTS & LITERACY PAGE
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044
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The Brecks File Page 5
Introduction 4 Contents
The Brecks in the17th & 18thCenturies
Changing land use
Game and game-keeping
Farming extensionactivities
Forestry – introduction
The forest and itsworkers
Thomas Wright’s farm is over-whelmed by sand. Write animaginary letter.
The advance of forestry
Information and discussionpoints on gamekeeping
Mapwork: give grid referencesfor various features
Soil fertility: experiment to testsoil fertility
Plants and water: Transpirationdemonstration
Introduction and history
Class reads a set of instructions.What more is needed to makethem easier to follow? Plus,maths facts about forests.
Geography Geographical enquiryand skills: 2(c);
Science Life processes and livingthings. Green plants 3(a-c)growth and nutrition.
Science Life processes and livingthings. Green plants 3(a-c)growth and nutrition.
Maths Extracting figures fromtext, calculations based on realfigures.
To use maps
To turn ideas of their own, aboutwhat plants need, into a formthat can be tested. To observeand make a day-by-day recordof observations. To use results todraw conclusions about whatseeds need and decide whetherthis is what they expected. Tomake careful observations of theplants and to record these in asimple chart or table. To con-clude that plants need water,that plants can provide food,and are grown for this.
That plants have leaves, stemsand flowers. That water is trans-ported through the stem to otherparts of the plant. To make care-ful observations, present themvia drawings and explain them.
English Reading: 9(a) autobiographies. Writing: 9(a) to imagine and explore feel-ings . . . how to interest the reader.
English Writing: 9(b) to inform andexplain - how to convey material in suffi-cient detail for the reader.
Forestry – 15 pages
SECTION HEADING SUMMARY OF CONTENTS LEAD SUBJECT LEARNING OBJECTIVES LINKED SUBJECTS & LITERACY PAGE
049
051
052
054
057
060
English Reading: 3(d) draw in differentfeatures of text, including images, toobtain meaning.
English Writing: 9(b) to inform andexplain - how to convey material in suffi-cient detail for the reader.
English Reading: 3(g) consider an argu-ment critically. Writing: 9 (a) to imagineand explore feelings ..how to interest thereader. Writing: 12 the range of forms . . .should include play scripts. Speaking &Listening: 3 Group discussion and inter-action; 11(a) improvisation and workingin role, (b) scripts and performing inplays.
English Writing 9(b) to inform andexplain - how to convey subject matterin sufficient detail for the reader.
English Writing Composition 1(b) broad-en vocabulary and use it in inventiveways.
The story of a pine Aand B
Timber production
People who use theforest A & B
Fighting for space A,B & C
Wildlife in the forest
The Brecks climateWeather symbols
To investigate places. The widercontext of places. To make mapsand plans. To use and interpretmaps. To identify and under-stand different land uses. Torecord land use on a map usinga key.
That different animals are foundin different habitats. That ani-mals are suited to the environ-ment in which they are found.
To ask and respond to geograph-ical questions. To use geographi-cal vocabulary. About weatherconditions around the world.
Science Life processes and livingthings. 3(a) Green plants growthand nutrition.
PSHE & Citizenship 1(a) Todevelop self esteem, confidenceindependence and responsibility;to express and justify a personalopinion orally and in writing. 2 To play an active role as futurecitizens ; (f) to participate in theresolution of differences by look-ing at alternatives, making deci-sions and justifying choices.
Geography Describe a range ofphysical and human features ofthe school grounds; use appropri-ate terms; offer appropriateobservations about locations andpatterns in the area; identify howpeople affect the environment.
Science Life processes and livingthings - 5(c) how animals andplants in different habitats aresuited to their environment.
Maths Extracting info from tablesand draw graphs. Geography 3(a)to identify and describe whatplaces are like (for example interms of weather…..).
Matching pictures and captionsof the tree rearing process.
Timber extraction by machine.Put the instructions for theprocess in the right order.
Find out what people use theforest for. Read about each char-acter. Make notes for a play;improvise a scene. Write a script– each character explaining theirpoint of view arguing their case,trying to win over the audience.
Equate conflict over use of theforest with potential conflicts inschool. Children map thegrounds and identify differentuses.
What 20 questions would youlike to ask a forest expert?(a) choose an animal/plant &research it, (b) write a leafletabout it for visitors.
Weather comparisons across theUK. Children look at symbolsand invent their own.
The Brecks File Page 6
Introduction 5 Contents
Climate – 13 pages
SECTION HEADING SUMMARY OF CONTENTS LEAD SUBJECT LEARNING OBJECTIVES LINKED SUBJECTS & LITERACY PAGE
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068
070
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The Brecks File Page 7
Introduction 6 Contents
When do people usemost water? Howmuch water do weuse? Word gamesHow to save water
The water cycle andevaporation. The ris-ing demand forwater
Water rationing roleplay
How to make yourown pingo pond
What are flint andchalk?Brandon - the centreof the gunflint industryMaking gunflintsLife as a flint knapperFlint miningFlint for building
Identify what people are doing atpeak water-demand times. Keepa diary of water use. Play waterword games. And find out howto save water.
Demonstration experiment ofhow water behaves in a ‘closedsystem.’ Comparisons of evapo-ration rates with different shapedcontainers.
Water use and availability facts.Water company letter introduceswater rationing. Children havecharacter notes and respond incharacter in a drama / debate.
Children recreate tundra condi-tions which formed the roundpools known as pingos.
Neolithic flint mining (includingGrime’s Graves). Children look atthe picture showing how a flintmine was probably worked.Flint knapping at Brandon. Information, line drawings &photos. Matching pictures.
Geography Theme: water.Understand water is a universalneed, understand the issue ofwasting it.
Science Scientific enquiry: 2planning, obtaining and present-ing evidence, considering evi-dence and evaluating.
Geography Theme: water. Itseffects on landscapes and people. Key questions: Who owns water?Who pays for water? What jobsare affected by water supply?
Geography Knowledge andunderstanding of patterns andprocesses: 4(b) recognise patternsmade by individual physical fea-tures in the environment.Theme:water and its effects on land-scapes and people.
Science Materials and their prop-erties 3(d) describe and grouprocks on the basis of their charac-teristics.
How water is used in the world.To investigate similarities anddifferences.
About the water cycle, includingcondensation and evaporation.To use simple apparatus tomeasure liquids and time. Torecognise when a test is unfair.
About the environmental impactof a local activity. How water isused. To investigate similaritiesand differences. About land usepatterns. To use ICT to manipu-late data.
How water erodes, transportsand deposits materials produc-ing particular landscape features.
That rocks are chosen for partic-ular purposes because of theircharacteristics.
Geography Theme - water. Its effects onlandscapes and people.
PSHE & Citizenship 1(a) To develop selfesteem, confidence independence andresponsibility; to express and justify apersonal opinion. 2. To play an activerole as future citizens; (f) to participate inthe resolution of differences by looking atalternatives; making decisions and justify-ing choices.
History Historical interpretation: 3.recognise that the past is represented andinterpreted in different ways. Historicalenquiry: 4(b) to ask and answer questionsand select / record information relevantto the enquiry. Local history: 7. investi-gate how the local area has changed overa long period of time - prehistoric set-tlers. English Reading 3(d) draw in differ-ent features of text, including images . . .to obtain meaning. Reading 9(a) autobiographies, non-standard English.
Landscape – 8 pages
SECTION HEADING SUMMARY OF CONTENTS LEAD SUBJECT LEARNING OBJECTIVES LINKED SUBJECTS & LITERACY PAGE
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The Brecks File Page 8
Introduction 6 Contents
Boudicca and theIceni in the BrecksBoudicca in battle
Romans in BritainAD 43-410
Saxons in the Brecks
Military influence onhomes in the BrecksThetford
Biodiversity andwildlife conservation
Conservation casestudy: stone curlewsSaving stone curlews
Pictures of treasures, contempo-rary accounts and questions. e.g.What does this tell us aboutBoudicca and Celtic women?Write a Centurion’s letter home.
Make a Roman brooch. Whatcan you tell about Roman lifefrom looking at maps and treas-ures?
Look on an OS map for a goodplace to settle. Look at maps ofAnglo-Saxon settlements - didthey look for similar places?
Land taken from villages by theMoD. Imagine what that feltlike. Work out the percentage ofland now owned by the ForestryCommission and by the MoD.Thetford history informationsheet with pictures.
Biodiversity information. Heathland loss, endangeredspecies, farmers’ grants and signsof hope.
Stone Curlew information & linedrawing. Children look at photosof Peter Hayman, RSPB warden:
History 9. Romans . . . study howBritish society was affected byRoman settlement.
History 9. Romans . . . study howBritish society was affected byRoman settlement.
History 9. Anglo-Saxons inBritain . . . an in-depth study ofhow British society was affectedby Anglo-Saxon settlement.
History Britain since 1930. 11(b)a study of the impact of theSecond World War.
Science Life Processes and Livingthings: 5(a) Living things in theirenvironment – ways in which liv-
Use the terms ‘invade’ and ‘set-tle’. Place Celtic and Romanperiods in a chronologicalframework. Recognise character-istics that place Celts andRomans in history. That Romansinvaded Britain.
Why people leave their home-land to settle in another country.
To relate their own experienceto the concept of settlement. Torecognise that people have beenmoving between different areasfor a long time, and that somereasons for moving were thesame as those of people alivetoday. Anglo-Saxon finds andwhat they reveal about the wayof life of Saxons in Britain.
To recognise ways in which liv-ing things and the environmentneed protection. Identify the
English Reading: 5(a) identify the use andeffect of specialist vocabulary.Composition: 1(b) broaden vocabulary
SECTION HEADING SUMMARY OF CONTENTS LEAD SUBJECT LEARNING OBJECTIVES LINKED SUBJECTS & LITERACY PAGE
Conservation and wildlife – 10 pages
Settlement in the Brecks – 8 pages
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097
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The Brecks File Page 9
Introduction 7 Contents
Saving rare plants
Plants and water
Heathland
What is sustainabilityall about?
Tourism in theBrecks
School grounds –managing landresources wisely
What’s he doing? What’s thisequipment for? What questionswould you want to ask him?
Perennial Knawel info and linedrawing.
Match adaptive features with thereason for them e.g. ‘We growtightly-rolled, narrow leaves . . .so that our leaves lose very littlewater”. Try to find examples ofplants with these features in theschool grounds, do they grow indry places?
Reasons for the disappearance ofheathland.
Sustainability and Local Agenda21 – information sheet.
Facts and figures on Breckstourism. Information sheet. Askand answer questions about sus-tainability and tourism.
School grounds.
ing things and the environmentneed protection. 5(c) how ani-mals and plants in different habi-tats are suited to their environ-ment
Science Life Processes and Livingthings: 5(a) Living things in theirenvironment.
PSHE & Citizenship 2. Play anactive role as future citizens andmembers of society.
PSHE & Citizenship 2. Play anactive role as future citizens andmembers of society.
PSHE & Citizenship 2. Play anactive role as future citizens andmembers of society. 5(a) pupilsshould be taught skills andunderstanding through opportuni-ties to take responsibility. 5(d)make real choices and decisions.
effect of changes to the habitaton some organisms.
Make predictions about plants indifferent habitats and investigatethese. Use drawings to presentresults, make comparisons, andsay whether predictions weresupported. Plants are similar toeach other in some ways anddifferent in others.
To recognise ways in which liv-ing things and the environmentneed protection.
To reflect on social, moral andcultural issues. That there are dif-ferent ways of allocating scarceresources.
About topical issues and events,how to discuss and debate themand present the outcome.
and use it in inventive ways.
History 7. local history study - investi-gate how an aspect in the local area haschanged over a long period of time.
Science Life Processes and Living things:5(a) Living things & the environmentneed protection.
English Reading: 3(c) obtain specificinformation through detailed reading.
SECTION HEADING SUMMARY OF CONTENTS LEAD SUBJECT LEARNING OBJECTIVES LINKED SUBJECTS & LITERACY PAGE
Sustainability – 4 pages
Use has been made in this index of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study on the World Wide Web at http://www.nc.uk.net and of the Schemes of Work produced by the QCA. They can be seen at http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk/schemes
The Brecks is an area of rolling heath, arablefarmland and forest, extending over south-west
Norfolk and north-west Suffolk covering about 400square miles. It has long been recognised as a dis-tinct and very unusual region. In the past, peopleregarded it as a place to be avoided because of thebarren appearance of the land and the blowingsands. Early travellers described the area as ‘a pieceof desert in the heart of England’ and ‘an arid coun-try full of flints and rabbits’. Much has changedsince then!
Plough it then leave it, plough it thenleave it
In 1674, John Ray explained the word “breck” as apiece of land which is used for crops, then
allowed to lie uncultivated, and then ploughedagain. This process has happened repeatedly in thisarea, because the soil is naturally very infertile, and,before the development of modern agriculture,crops could not be grown on the same land yearafter year.
Heathlands - hot in summer: cold inwinter
The Brecks is an area of sandy soil over chalkwith flint, forming a low plateau between 15
and 55 metres above sea level. The free drainingsoils and low rainfall pattern coupled with theactivities of the people who have lived here, haveled to a distinctive heathland landscape. This areahas less rain, hotter summers and colder wintersthan anywhere else in Britain. The grass heathlandis dotted with small areas of water (meres and pin-gos) acting as oases of strongly contrasting plantand animal life. Most heaths in the U.K. are cov-ered with heather, but in the Brecks there areheaths where grass and lichen grow together overold sand dunes. In contrast are the river-valley fenswhere the land is wet and swampy.
The biggest forest in lowland Britain
Thetford Forest, covering 20,000 hectares, is man-aged by the Forestry Commission, the largest
landowner in the Brecks. The forest – made upmostly of Scots and Corsican pine - covers about20% of the area and supports a wide variety ofplants and animals. Other distinctive trees are thecharacteristic lines of Scots pines which make up somany field boundaries in the Brecks.
Fantastic crops of irrigated vegetables
The largest area of land in the Brecks is nowfarmed. Farming is the subject of the first part of
this pack. The vast arable fields, watered by sprayirrigation, produce crops of carrots, sugar beet,potatoes and asparagus, to name but a few.
Tiny remnants of the wild - now receiv-ing special care
The heaths and wild places now cover only 12%of the total area of the Brecks. But these wildlife
habitats, once seen only as a by-product of agricul-ture are now recognised as needing active conservation management in their own right.
Will the Brecks survive? It’s up to all ofus.
In modern times, the Brecks has had to cope withan increase in population, intensified agriculture,
leisure demands, gravel extraction, and pollution. Acoherent and properly implemented policy for con-servation and landscape management is essential ifthe Brecks is to survive. Now, more than ever, thedifferent threads which make up the Brecks coun-tryside have to work together to ensure themselvesa healthy, sustainable future.
The names
Breckland is strictly the area covered by the localDistrict Council. “The Brecks” is a larger,
natural and landscape area, defined by its geology.
Further information
Contact the Brecks Countryside Project on 01842765400 for more information about the area.
School days out in the BrecksVenue What can be studied? Parking Input from site staff Cost Booking system Contact
High Lodge, Thetford Forest £20 2 hours with ranger £40 Ring to book Louise EdgeleyForest Enterprise per coach or self-guided trails 01842 810271
Brandon Country Pond dipping, treasure trail, Free Lead activities with No charge Ring to book Steve Woods orPark mini beast hunt, trees and Coach space school staff present Joanne Horstead
history trail. Curriculum pack 01842 810185available (Key stage 2).
West Stow Anglo Saxons, Free Lead activities in Anglo £80 (up to Ring to book Glynnis BaxterCountry Park wildlife, wetlands. Coach space Saxon village (Key stage 2) 30 children) 01284 728718
£160 (up to 60 children)
Oxburgh Hall Early Tudor hall, with moat Free Guided or self-guided tour Reduced rates Ring to book Gillian Norris,and gatehouse. Gardens with Coach space for school Property secretary,French parterre of the 1840’s groups National Trust – and woodland. based at Ickworth
Hall 01284 736004
Grimes Graves Neolithic flint mining, Free Self-guided tour – Free permit Ring to book 01842 810656natural history. Activity sheet Coach space staff available for questions from Education available Department
Knettishall Heath Geology, History, Ecology Free Self-guided No charge Book in advance. Park rangerCountry Park Activity pack available Coach spaces Pack sent out 01953 680265
(Key stage 3) when booked tohelp plan visit.
Knights farm, Farm visits Book in advance Kelly Bird,Gooderstone W.H. Knights Ltd
01366 328207
The Brecks File Page 12
Visitors to the Brecks 1 Teacher’s briefing
Introductory activity
This activity could introduce children to the rangeof places and activities in the Brecks. You will
need:
� Copies of ‘Wild Places in the Brecks’ leaflet,available from the Brecks Countryside Project,Kings House, King Street, Thetford IP24 2AP.
� Copy of OS Explorer map 229 –Thetford forest inThe Brecks.
1. Start with a whole class activity - look together atthe ‘Wild Places in the Brecks’ leaflet, advertisingplaces to visit in the Brecks.
❒ Ask yourselves “What do you think is thepurpose of this leaflet?”
❒ Look at the layout - how have the authorsused big and small text? Is the typeface easy toread? Are there headings and subheadings? Dothey make it easier to understand the leaflet?
❒ Look at the language - are there long diffi-cult words? Technical terms?
❒ Look at the sentences - are they long andcomplicated or are they short?
❒ Does the leaflet do what the authors/design-ers wanted to do?
2. Make a leaflet advertising the town/village inwhich you live to visitors.
3. If you were inviting visitors into your town/vil-lage/school how would you want them tobehave?
Write a ‘Visitors code’ for them and make it into aleaflet to give out to them before their visit.
Extension activities
This activity introduces children to places in theBrecks and to making a trail for tourists. Follow
the stages below.
1. Find each of these places on the map. Writedown the correct co-ordinates for them.
❒ Ancient House Museum, Thetford................
❒ Brandon Heritage Centre …………………....
❒ Brandon Country Park …………………........
❒ Croxton, Devil’s Punchbowl ………….........
❒ East Wretham Heath …………………...........
❒ Grimes Graves …………………....................
❒ High Lodge Forest Centre …………………...
❒ Icknield Way …………………......................
❒ RAF Lakenheath ………………….................
❒ Knettishall Heath …………………................
❒ Lynford Arboretum ………………….............
❒ Peddars Way …………………......................
❒ St Helen’s picnic site…………………...........
❒ Thetford Warren Lodge ………………….......
❒ Weeting Heath …………………...................
❒ West Stow Country Park ……………............
2. Imagine you are setting up a cycle hire businessin the Brecks.
You want to make a leaflet giving people ideas forplaces to visit and routes to get there.
(Clue - a not-very-fit adult cyclist might travel anaverage of 9 miles per hour. Remember to givethem time to look round the places they visit.)
4. Decide which places your tourists can visit inone day. (If you have time, decide on a list ofplaces for two more one-day trails). List themhere . . .
5. On the map, mark the route of the trail for eachday tour. Mark your trail(s) with a coloured pen.
Visitors to the Brecks
The Brecks File Page 13
Farming 1 Teacher’s briefing
In this section we look at modern farming and con-trast it with the historic practices of traditional
farming which have shaped the Brecks over thecenturies.
As well as producing food, landowners todayplay a vital role in the conservation and protectionof the landscape, historical remains and wildlife.Farmers have been responsible for most of the land-scape and habitat change in the Brecks over the last4000 years. The 20th century saw faster and moresweeping changes than all the other centuriesbefore it. The major change has been the growth inlarge, intensive, efficient farms with a lot of capitalinvestment in large machinery, together with theplanting of an enormous forest (see the forestry sec-tion).
In recent decades, the fragility of the Brecks areahas been recognised and, in 1988, the Brecks wasincluded in the government-run “EnvironmentallySensitive Area Scheme”, covering areas nationallyimportant for their landscape or wildlife. Under thisscheme, the Ministry of Agriculture pays farmers for“maintaining or adopting agricultural methods thatpromote the conservation and enhancement of thecountryside in areas of high wildlife, landscape orhistorical value.” The ESA scheme is voluntary, andaims, through grants funded by the taxpayer, tostrike a balance between commercial farming andthe care and protection of the countryside.
The sort of things that farmers are paid to do, ifthey choose to take part in the ESA scheme,include: managing heathland; taking arable land
out of production and encouraging it to revert toheathland; maintaining and managing wet grass-lands; managing arable field margins as uncroppedstrips for wildlife; protecting hedges, trees, andponds, and historical and geological features.
There’s more information on the ESA scheme at:http://www.maff.gov.uk/erdp/guidance/esasdet/esasindex.htm
Select the ‘Monitoring reports’ menu option todownload Acrobat pdfs of environmental monitor-ing in Breckland, between 1989 and 1996.
Make links with a local farm
❒ If your school is the Brecks contact The BrecksCountryside Project, Kings House, King StreetThetford, Norfolk, IP24 2AP or call 01842 765400to be put in touch with a local farm.
❒ To arrange a farm visit in the Brecks contact:Kelly Bird, W.H. Knights Ltd., Gooderstone. Tel01366 328207.
❒ Consult your local education authority to see ifthere’s a farm link scheme in your area.
❒ Use an O.S. map to locate a farm in your locali-ty. Compose a letter to the farmer asking for detailsabout his farm. Ask all the relevant questions thatyou can think of but try to include:- What crops doyou grow? What type of soil do you have? Do youirrigate, if so, where does your water come from?Compare your findings with the details from Chris
Knights’ farm in the Brecks.
❒ If your school is in Suffolk, contact the SuffolkFarm Project, Suffolk County Council EnvironmentalEducation Centre, c/o Otley College, Otley, IpswichIP6 9PA.
Farming – introduction
Below: A map showing the Breckland EnvironmentallySensitive Area
Source: Breckland ESAGuidelines for Farmers, 1993Ordnance Survey 1:250,000
mapping with the permission ofHer Majesty’s Stationery Office
What do you have for breakfast? A banana and abowl of cereal.
What time do you start work and what do you dofirst? At half past 6 I go and meet the farm managerand foreman.
During the day what do you do for meals? At halfpast 12 I take half an hour’s break, when I eat asalad or sandwiches at home. In the evening,around 6.30 or 7 o’clock, I eat a meal at home -usually vegetable stew or chops.
When do you finish work for the day? Six o’clock inthe winter, 7, 8 or 9 in the summer during harvest.
What contact do you have with other people inyour working day? Every day I see the farm manag-er, foreman and secretary. Often I also talk to thefarm staff and maybe sales representatives sellingseed or farm machinery.
What equipment do you use in your daily work? Afour-wheeled drive Land Rover to get around thefarm, a mobile phone, and a computer.
Do you use the Internet? Yes.
Which parts of the day are your most and least
favourite? I like the early morning best - first thing.The most difficult part of the day is the partbetween 9 o’clock and midday when people tellme about all the problems - e.g. heavy rainovernight.
What do you like to do to relax? I go birdwatchingor do some photography.
What time do you go to bed? After the news on TVat 11 p.m.
Are there any children on the farm? No - because ofthe Health & Safety at work rules. Nobody under16 is now allowed to work on a farm. When I wasa boy, I enjoyed helping my father on the farm, par-ticularly at harvest time, pick-ing peas, strawberries andother fruit. I remember long,hot summers, birdwatching andchasing rabbits as they ran outof the fields which were beingcut by the combine harvester.We chased the rabbits, killedthem with a stick and tookthem home to eat for dinner.
How long have you been farm-ing in the Brecks? Sixty years.
How much land do you farm?8,000 acres [3,240 hectares] -owned, shared with other farm-ers or rented.
What crops do you grow (starting with the ones yougrow most of)? Carrots, parsnips, lettuce, saladonions, potatoes, wheat, barley, linseed and sugarbeet.
Are they mostly for local/UK consumption? Yes theyare used all over the UK, none is exported.
What other - unusual - crops do people grow in theBrecks? Herbs and some grow rye for Ryvita crisp-bread.
What do you think is the most important or interest-ing machine you use? The carrot harvester.
April 2000
A modern farmer’s life
Below: harvesting the lettuces on Chris Knights’ farm
The Brecks File Page 15
Farming 3 Pupil’s worksheet
Imagine what life might be like if youwere the owner of this farm.
Read the notes provided by Chris Knights. Findout about the routine that Chris follows.
A modern farmer’s life7. Draw up a timetable to show what Chris might be doing throughout a typical day on his farm. (Begin
with the time that he gets up and end with the time that he goes to bed, include the length of timethat he takes for his meals.)
What does farmer Knights do? Time
Extension activity
A Day in the Life of ......................................, pupil of ..................................................... school
1. Make an interview in the same format, about your typical day.
2. Draw up a table which shows what you might be doing at different times of the day.
The Brecks File Page 16
Farming 4 Pupil’s worksheet
*This farm grows 2 crops of carrots in a year - thisis because supermarkets are interested in an allyear round supply.
1. Look at the table of yearly work on a Brecksfarm to grow the four main vegetables, then tryto answer the questions. Write your answerson the dotted lines.
a) What do you think the letters J F M S M J J A SO N D (at the top of the table) mean?
2. Plants that we eat. Put a tick in the correct box in the table to show whichpart of the plant we usually eat.
Which of these plants do you eat? (Put a ring round the name)
Guess which of these plants grow in the Brecks. (Put a star by the name)
Answers:
Fruit Flower Root Leaf Stem
Carrot
Potato
Grape
Onion
Lettuce
Cauliflower
Apple
Banana
Celery
Of these fruits and vegetables, only carrots, potatoes,onions and cauliflowers grow in the Brecks.
The Brecks File Page 18
Farming 6 Pupil’s worksheet
Who decides what the farmers grow? Watch the section of video showing Chris Knightsand his carrot processing operation.
If a farmer wants to sell crops to a supermarket, thesupermarket tells the farmer exactly what they
want their vegetables to look like. They carry outresearch amongst their customers and know thatpeople tend to buy large, golden brown onionswith a smooth skin. Customers buy carrots that areevenly tapered, with a perfect, flawless skin and allother vegetables brightly coloured, without anymarks or spots or scars, and as clean-looking aspossible.
This means that many farmers wash their vegeta-bles before sending them to the shops. It takes a lotof water to grow vegetables and then more water towash them. In the Brecks water shortages are aproblem almost every year.
Chris Knights grows so many carrots that he hashis own processing plant.
1. Which job in the process would you prefer todo?.............................................................................
5. Note down the stages, in a list, in the processingof carrots from the time that they are taken out ofthe ground to the time that they arrive in theshop for sale.
a) tell the story of a day in the life of a carrot “Theday I got processed”.
b) write out the stages as a list of instructions.
c) make a picture story with statements underneath and thoughts/speech bubbles on thepictures.
d) make a flow-diagram.
Modern farming and shopping Many people think thatorganic methods ofgrowing vegetables arebetter for us (becausethey use fewer harmfulchemicals) and that thevegetables taste better,too.
Organic vegetablestend not to be washedbefore they are sold.They do not alwayslook so perfect, but seeif you can tell which isthe organic carrot andwhich is the non-organ-ic one from the photoshere. Which one wouldyou buy?
Answer:
The organic carrots arein the top picture.
The Brecks File Page 19
Farming 7 Pupil’s worksheet
Potatoes (1) – A shop survey: Your name ............................................. Date: ....................
❒ Discuss how much prices vary and try to workout why.
❒ Find a map and mark all the places where thepotatoes in the shop/s you surveyed have comefrom.
❒ Which have come the furthest?
❒ Which came the least far?
❒ Make a class map to show where all the potatoes come from to your shops.
❒ Does anyone in the class grow their own potatoes? Can they describe the process? (See if youcan find a volunteer parent to help with the potatogrowing activity in school.)Where do the potatoes come from? (Put a ring
Potatoes (2) – A home potato survey: Your name:............................. Date:...............
Total number (or weight) of raw potatoes used per day in your home
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Number:
or Weight:
Amount of processed potatoes eaten in a week
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Crisps (bags):
Chips (bags):
Instant mash(dry weight):
Other:
Number of meals that include potato
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Number:
Cooking methods used:
A
C
B
The Brecks File Page 21
Farming 9 Pupil’s activity sheet
Your aim is to grow healthy productive, potatoplants. This is a relatively simple task but it will
take a period of months to complete. It demandsregular care for the plants and systematic observa-tions over a period of time.
Step 1 Seed:
Obtain some seed potatoes in January/March -one for every child in the class and a few over. Youwill see that, although they are called “seed pota-toes”, they are not actually seeds but tubers. Try todiscover - from a farmer or greengrocer - why par-ticular potatoes are chosen as seed. Use early vari-eties (those which mature early in the year). Theseare obtainable from garden centres. Earlies plantedin late March/early April should produce a reason-able crop in late June to early July (before the endof the summer term).
Step 2 The growing medium:
a) Indoors: as a standard, use any cheap pottingcompost. (Don’t use any which have peat inthem - the wildlife of the peat bogs needs thepeat more than you do). Build a special contain-er for observation of root and tuber development.
b) Outdoors: potatoes can be grown in most soiltypes. Generally, lighter soils favour early pota-toes.
Steps 3 - 9 Growing potatoes indoors
3. You will need: 2 identical pieces of timber for the
uprights, a thinner piece for the bottom and 2sheets of perspex or double glazing plastic.
4. Carefully screw two sheets of perspex / plastic tothe frame. The width of the frame can be judgedby measuring a variety of potato tubers (approxi-mately 7 cm).
5. Fill the frame with compost and plant two seedtubers.
6. Keep the root area dark by wrapping it in blackplastic or by securely covering it with black card.Keep the surface well lit and well watered.Measure the amount of water you give them.(The plants will use a lot of water, as the root-to-soil ratio is poor.)
7. Unwrap the frame once a week and have a lookat the progress of the roots and new tubers.
8. When they look ready, empty them out andweigh the crop.
9. Find and weigh the original tubers.
� Ask the children to design a growing experimentwhich will test whether the potatoes need water,or light. (e.g. Vary the factors and regularly meas-ure length of shoots, against a control. Try settingup the growing frame on a set of scales and seethe weight increase over time. )
Steps 3 - 17 Growing potatoes outdoors:
3. Find a patch of ground you can use from Marchto July, which won’t be dug up or sprayed. (For aclass of 30 children you’ll need an area about3.6 x 2.1 metres).
Potatoes (3) – Grow your own potatoes
The Brecks File Page 22
Farming 10 Pupil’s activity sheet
4. Dig it over with a fork to remove weeds andloosen the soil.
5. In February put your seed potatoes somewherelight and frost proof but not hot, so that they startto sprout (or “chit”).
6. In late March/early April they should be ready toplant.
7. Ask the children to inspect the potatoes andchoose a healthy looking one to plant. (Theyshould not be soggy and they should have short,healthy-looking sprouts).
8. Weigh the chosen seed potatoes. (very carefullynot knocking the sprouts off).
9. Mark out rows on your plot of land with stringand sticks 60 cm apart.
10.Dig a shallow trench - 10 cm deep.
11.Plant the seed potatoes along the rows 10 cmdeep and 30 cm apart, with the sprouts pointingupwards. Cover them up with soil. Do not walkon where you’ve planted a potato.
12.Remember to water them when it doesn’t rain.
13.Mound up the earth over them when the greenshoots first begin to appear above the surface -into a long hummock along the row.
14.”Harvest” one experimentally in late June/earlyJuly by digging up a plant, with a fork. Weigh thecrop of that one plant.
15.If it looks done - dig up the rest - weighing themas you go.
16.Try to find and weigh the original seed potatoes.
Here is an advert for the harvester from a farmers’ magazine:
The harvester has long enjoyed a reputation forbeing very versatile. It is perfect for harvesting carrots. It conforms to rigid safety standards. The comfortable cabin allows the driver to operatesafely while having a good view over the work andgetting a high yield.
Look for the words and phrases which tell youthat the writer is trying to persuade you to buy it.Make a list of them.
Here are some of the machines which Chris Knights uses on the farm. Some of them are like giant versions of things which people use in the garden or school grounds.
Matching exercise: Draw a line to join up each farm machine with its garden version.
Hedgetrimmer
Spade
Wateringcan
Plough
Sprayirrigator
Flailmower
1. Irrigation
Explain why irrigation is important for a farmer inthe Brecks. (Plants need water in order to grow.
The Brecks has very low rainfall. The Brecks sandysoil doesn’t keep water for long - it evaporates offand drains through. More details on p19.)
2. Measuring water
Water is measured in cubic metres for licensingpurposes. Remember:
1 litre = 1,000 cubic centimetres.
1 cubic metre = 1,000 litres (1,000,000 cc’s).
1 cubic metre of water weighs one tonne.
Make a metre cube
(You could use sticks and tape, or a constructionkit, or rolled up newspapers and tape, or large card-board boxes cut to size).
3. Analyse water applications as awhole class
❒ Look at the notices of application to abstractwater (p20-21). Choose one to look at in detail.
❒ What clues can you find that tell you these weretaken from a newspaper? (hint typeface, layout,line-length).
❒ What examples can you find of formal or legallanguage?
❒ Who would you expect to read them? ❒ Are they easy to understand?
4. Work our how much water we use and how
Write down the amount (in cubic metres) of water, which the applicant wants to abstract in a year.
5. Compare this with the amount used by your class in a year
Average domestic water use in Britain for washing/cooking etc is 430 litres per household per day.1
1) Number of children in your class ........................ X 430 X 365 = ..................................... litres.
2) .................. litres divided by 1000 = ......................... cubic metres of water your class uses in a year.
Who uses more - the farmers or your class? _________________
1 Figures from “Customer reactions to the meter option” Philip Turton, Environment Agency 03-Oct-1999.
The Brecks File Page 24
Farming 12 Teacher’s briefing
Farming in a dry region
Cubic metres per year Where do they want to take it from? What do they want it for?
The Potters
The Shorts
Wallace Produce
Arnold/Ray
The Brecks File Page 25
Farming 13 Pupils’ facts & figures
Big changes in farming
Farming in the Brecks has changed beyond recog-nition over the past few decades. The Brecks had
traditionally sustained a 3-way rotation of barley,wheat and sugar beet, but cereal growing becameless and less profitable and no matter how muchthe husbandry was improved, the poor, dry, sandysoils would not produce enough quantity to coverexpenses and leave sufficient income. Cereals arestill an important crop, although some fields areplanted with grain to protect vegetable seedlingswhile they are very young.
New crops here from the 1970’s
In the mid-70’s other crops began to be grown inthe area. Farmers growing vegetables using inten-
sive methods in the fens were having trouble withplant diseases, but no such problems existed in theBrecks.
The sandy soils here gave vegetables a wonder-ful, flawless skin. Onions grown on sandy soils, asopposed to fenland, could be dried in stores to givea brighter tan-coloured skin. This could compete inthe shops with Spanish onions - the variety thatshoppers tend to buy.
The only problem in the Brecks was the lack ofmoisture in the soil, due in part to the low rainfallbut also to the sandy soils that drain easily and donot retain water. The answer seemed to be irriga-tion. The first time that summer irrigation was triedout was in 1948. With irrigation the Brecks farmerscould not only water their crops but could do it atthe precise time that the crop needed it.
Crops have to look good
The market trend, especially for large supermarketchains, which are the main outlet for many of
these crops, has been for vegetables which lookperfect, regardless of what they taste like or howthey are produced.
No water without a licence
No farmer is allowed to use water for irrigationwithout a special licence. This specifies the
time of year or the amount of water that can betaken. If you ask any farmers in the Brecks howimportant irrigation is - they will say “vital” or“essential”. Irrigation is installed on farms in theBrecks to improve the quality and quantity of thecrop and so improve the profits.
Spray irrigation is very visible
Spray irrigation receives a bad press in the Breckswhenever water shortage becomes an issue.
Perhaps this is because it is such a visible activity -easily seen by passers by. Irrigators may even beseen pumping out water when it is raining but thisis because the crop needs water and the farmer isnot able to wait for rain (above, right).
Each crop requires a specific amount of water ata certain point in the growing cycle. If rain falls inthe right amount then the irrigation will be stoppeduntil the moisture level needs topping up again.Farmers take water from boreholes, rivers, streamsand reservoirs (this is known as “abstracting” water).
Some farmers construct their own reservoirs,filled by pumping water from rivers in winter, but
they are expensive to build and run. Farmers do notreceive support from the European Union for grow-ing vegetable crops as they do for cereal crops (in1999). Irrigation machinery is very expensive andthe market is full of promotional literature for it.
Why irrigate?
The main reasons for which farmers irrigate (notjust in the Brecks) are:
�To get good-looking crops (esp important for vegetables and salad crops).
�To increase quantity, especially for potatoes.
�In very dry years - to keep the crop alive.
�Occasionally - to help crops germinate (e.g.onions).
�Occasionally - to allow harvesting (e.g. carrots)since sometimes the ground would otherwise etoo hard.
Not all the water in the Brecks is used for irrigation! There is also water in the Brecks - even insummer - flowing in the rivers, the springs andmeres and piped to the public supply.
A brief history of irrigation in the Brecks
The use of water is essential to intensive modernagricultural techniques in the Brecks. It is used
for:
❒ irrigating crops to give controlled amounts ofwater during the growing season. The soil is natural-ly dry because of low rainfall, low water-holdingcapacity and high evaporation levels. Withoutwater, shallow-rooting crops like potatoes simply donot grow well.
❒ washing and preparing vegetables such as car-rots and lettuces to meet with exacting supermarketstandards of presentation and packing.
❒ pig and cattle rearing and dairying for feeding,watering and hosing down animal housing.
Abstraction
Farmers cannot simply decide that they need extrawater, find a supply and use it. They have to
apply to the Environment Agency for a licence toabstract (=pump out) water.
The application has to be published in a localnewspaper, so that people can object if they think itwill damage the water supply for somewhere elseor be harmful to nearby rivers, streams or wetlands.The application must describe exactly how muchwater the farmer wants to pump out by the hour,day and year.
If it is granted, the licence is for exactly thisamount or less. If they want to change the amountpumped, then they have to apply for a change in
their licence. (See examples of applications, verysimilar to ones published in a local Brecks newspa-per).
Water comes from several sources:
❒ if there is a natural aquifer (a layer of rocks andor soil which is full of water) under the agriculturalland then it is possible to drill a deep hole (knownas a “borehole”) and pump the water out. This cancause problems for other water supplies and for thewildlife of local wetlands.
❒ water can be pumped from drainage channelsdug around the edges of the fields.
❒ water can be pumped out of the artificial reser-voirs which have been filled by pumping from riversin the winter.
In times of drought, the Environment Agency canterminate the farmers’ licences in order to conservewater for domestic use.
Abstraction Notices
Right, and on the next page, are imaginary appli-cations for license to abstract water. The cubic
metres and source types are actual: the places areimaginary but closely based on notices taken fromthe local press.
The Brecks File Page 26
Farming 14 Pupils’ facts & figures
Water abstraction and the Environment Agency
WATER RESOURCES ACT 1991
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR ALICENCE TO ABSTRACT WATER
Take notice that an application is being made to theEnvironment Agency Anglian Region, by Messrs FE &RG Potter, Meadow Farm, West Stow, Bury St Edmunds,Suffolk for a licence to abstract 72.7 cu/mtrs per hour,1,454.5 cu/mtrs per day and 109,000 cu/mtrs per yearbetween April and October annually from chalk under-ground strata, in the parish of West Stow, in the Districtof Forest Heath, in the County of Suffolk, at GridReference TN 706444.
The water is required for spray irrigation. The applica-tion is to renew the licence number 7/55/37/309 with nochanges in area or quantities.
A copy of the application and any map, plan or otherdocument submitted with it may be inspected free ofcharge at Meadow Farm, West Stow, Bury St Edmunds,Suffolk at all reasonable hours during the period begin-ning on the 23rd June 1998 and ending on the 23rd July1998.
Any person who wishes to make representation aboutthe application should do so in writing to theEnvironment Agency, Bromholme Lane, Brampton,Huntingdon, Cambs, PE18 8NE before the end of thesaid period.
Signed FE PotterOn behalf of FE & RG Potter
Date 17th June 1998
The Brecks File Page 27
Farming 15 Pupils’ facts & figures
WATER RESOURCES ACT 1991
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR ALICENCE TO ABSTRACT WATER
Take notice that PL and GJ Short of Red House Farm,Elveden, Suffolk, are applying to the EnvironmentAgency Anglian Region, to vary and decrease an existinglicence number 9/46/32/226. The existing licence autho-rises the abstraction of 167 cu/mtrs per hour, 4,000cu/mtrs per day and 196,000 cu/mtrs per year from afarm drain located at TO 909544 at Elveden, Suffolk.
The variation is to reduce the existing licence to181,819 cu/mtrs per year and to add an additionalabstraction point on the River Lark at TO 909580.
A copy of the application and any map, plan or otherdocument submitted with it may be inspected free ofcharge at Red House Farm, Elveden, Suffolk,, Suffolk atall reasonable hours between 15th June 1998 and 15thJuly 1998.
Any person who wishes to make representation aboutthe application should do so in writing to theEnvironment Agency, Bromholme Lane, Brampton,Huntingdon, Cambs, PE18 8NE before the end of thesaid period.
Signed GJ ShortOn behalf of PL and GJ Short
Date 15th June 1998
WATER RESOURCES ACT 1991
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR ALICENCE TO ABSTRACT WATER
Take notice that Wallace Produce of Wreath House,Wreath Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk is applying tothe Environment Agency Anglian Region, to abstractfrom drains into the area of Easter Hill Farm within thearea of Shotley between national grid referenceTL717579 and TN444999.
The proposal is to abstract water at the following rates115.03 cubuc metres per hour, 1843.53 cubic metres perday, 66690 cubic metres between March and Septemberend.
The water will be used for spray irrigation.A copy of the application and any map, plan or other
document submitted with it may be inspected free ofcharge at Grove Farm, Lakenheath, Suffolk between 4thApril 1998 and 4th May 1998.
Any person who wishes to make representation aboutthe application should do so in writing to theEnvironment Agency, Bromholme Lane, Brampton,Huntingdon, Cambs, PE18 8NE before the end of thesaid period.
Signed George Wallace On behalf of Wallace Produce
Date 4th April 1998
WATER RESOURCES ACT 1991
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR ALICENCE TO ABSTRACT WATER
Take notice that Kevin Ray and Sheila Rose Arnold ofHall Farm, Barnham, Suffolk are applying to theEnvironment Agency Anglian Region, to vary licencenumber 4/44/67/23 to abstract water from existing bore-hole at national grid reference TL675579 at Hill HouseFarm, Barnham. The variation being applied for is tohave annual abstraction of 1,000,000 gallons (4546 cubicmetres) to be increased to 1,500,000 gallons ( 6820 cubicmetres and for the use to be changed from vegetablewashing to pig watering and spray irrigation.
A copy of the application and any map, plan or otherdocument submitted with it may be inspected free ofcharge at Hall Farm, Barnham, Suffolk, Suffolk between1st April 1998 and 1st May 1998.
Any person who wishes to make representation aboutthe application should do so in writing to theEnvironment Agency, Bromholme Lane, Brampton,Huntingdon, Cambs, PE18 8NE before the end of thesaid period.
Signed Sheila Rose ArnoldOn behalf of Kevin Ray and Sheila Rose Arnold
Date 24th March 1998
The Brecks File Page 28
Farming 16 Pupils’ facts & figures
The poor fertility and light sandy soils of theBrecks have always presented farmers with a
challenge.
Farming in the Brecks in the MiddleAges 1066 - 1550
Farmers in the Brecks during this period used asystem of intensive cultivation on the fields near-
est to the settlement (known as the “in field”) whichhad better soils, and less intensive methods on thepoorer soils further away (the “out field”). Theygrew barley, which was very successful and usedfor making bread and ale, and also wheat and peas,but these were less successful because of the poorsoils.
The heathland was used for rearing and grazingsheep. Large flocks were shepherded on the heathduring the day and put onto the fallow (uncultivat-ed) land at night so that the soil would be manuredand improved for the next growing season. The
sheep that were bred were the Norfolk Horn andthe Blackface because they thrived on the heath-land and gave good quality wool. In the 12th and13th centuries, sheep numbers were very high inthe area - 1154 in one flock at Elveden, 2525 inanother at Barnham and nearly 3000 in a third, atLakenheath.
Rabbits in the Brecks
Rabbits were first brought to Britain from Europein the early 1100’s, to be farmed for meat and
skins. They were delicate creatures, and not suitedto the wet, cold British climate. The Brecks was asnear their home climate as could be found and thelight sandy soils are easy to burrow into. The drysandy soil of the Brecks was ideal for keeping rab-bits and not very good for other kinds of farming, sohuge areas of the dry heathland were turned intorabbit warrens.
During the summer the rabbits bred until therewere hundreds and thousands of them. Men calledwarreners harvested the rabbits in autumn and win-ter. They usually caught the rabbits with ferrets, netsand specially bred dogs called lurchers. After a fewgenerations the rabbits began to breed prolifically.They were to be one of the most important factorsshaping the Brecks over the next 800 years.
Farming rabbits
The warreners were careful to leave enough rab-bits alive in the autumn to breed the following
Spring. There are two surviving Medieval lodgeswhere the warreners lived and worked, one atBrandon (see pupils’ sheets for description of what
it cost to build in the 1380’s). The other is atThetford Warren . Here we know that inside theykept traps, nets, lanterns and racks for drying theskins. To protect the valuable meat and skins, the
Farming history – rabbits
Above: Mediaeval women rabbiting and, below, anancient map of a managed warren.
The Brecks File Page 29
Farming 17 Pupils’ facts & figures
lodge had some walls a metre thick, and small win-dows with iron bars across them. The warreners gottheir water from a well, dug 32 metres down toreach the aquifer below.
The huge rabbit population had a massive effecton the landscape and natural history of the Brecks.There were so many rabbits that they ate nearlyeverything that tried to grow. The rabbits avoidedsome plants like houndstongue, mignonette andragwort, which all taste horrible or are poisonous.These plants flourished and grew in colourful patch-es on the sandy warrens.
Rabbits and sandstorms
The munching teeth of rabbits and sheepremoved the plant cover, and the rabbits digging
disturbed the ground so much that heaths becameopen stony deserts. In some places the plant lifebecame so rare that the soil blew away in greatsandstorms. In 1549, these so angered the villagersof Freckenham that the local rabbit farmer wasordered to destroy all the rabbits that had burrowedin the common.
A century or so later, a vast quantity of sandblew from the Lakenheath area to SantonDownham six miles away, partly burying the villageand making it difficult for boats to use the LittleOuse. In the 1920’s one sand dune on LakenheathWarren was 1 kilometre wide and 10 metres high!The ringed plover usually nests on the beach buthundreds of them used to nest on the sandy war-rens, which were also ideal places for coastalplants.
Every year there are still sandstorms in theBrecks. In the spring vast piles of sand have to becleared off the A11 and many minor roads after
high winds. In fact, crossing Roudham Heath carssometimes need their lights on as they pass throughsandstorms!
Poachers versus warreners
Throughout history, since the rabbit was broughthere, warreners have had to guard against
poachers. Poor people from the villages sneakedonto the warrens to steal rabbits to feed their fami-lies or to sell. In the Medieval period there werewell-organised gangs of poachers. Fights betweenpoachers and keepers were so serious that peoplewere killed. Any poacher who was caught wasgiven a heavy sentence by the court.
In the 1800’s and 1900’s rabbit farming wasstepped up a gear when landowners created largeshooting estates - the huge estate at Elveden is anexample of one of these. There was by now very lit-tle land worth cultivating and property and landprices were relatively low. This led to the establish-ment of large estates. It became very fashionable tohave an estate here and invite people up to shoot
thousands of rabbits, pigeons, pheasants and othergame. King George V was a frequent participant inshoots at Elveden.
In the early 1900’s some farmers returned to rab-bit farming for a short while because they wereunable to get good prices for other crops. In the1930’s and 1950’s many parts of the heath wereploughed up to grow crops. There were so manyrabbits that they ate whole fields of crops and farm-ers had to put up expensive fences and pay men towalk round checking and mending them. Instead offarming rabbits for a living, farmers saw rabbits as apest and it was good news for them when myxo-matosis was brought to Britain.
Myxomatosis
Myxomatosis is a disease that kills European rab-bits. It occurs naturally in rabbits in North and
South America and is relatively harmless to them.But in European rabbits it causes a fatal disease . Itwas introduced to Australia and to Europe in orderto combat rising rabbit numbers.
Brought from South America to an estate nearParis in 1952, the next year it appeared in Britainand within 5 years 96% of the country’s rabbits haddied . In the autumn of 1954, myxomatosis killednearly all of the rabbits in the Brecks and suddenly,for the first time in nearly 1000 years, heaths werenot grazed by thousands of rabbits. So the heath-land became overgrown with long grass, scrub andeven woodland. Many plants and animals such asthe wheatear which depend on grazed heathsbecame rare or disappeared.
A balanced future for rabbits?
Rabbits graze acres of crops and vegetables everyspring. The milder winters in recent years mean
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Farming 18 Pupils’ facts & figures
that the rabbits have been nesting above ground,where they catch myxomatosis less and breed pro-lifically.
To make sure that they do not become such aproblem again, most farmers control them by shoot-ing, gassing or ploughing up the burrows. This,unfortunately, causes a different problem – some ofthe Brecks special plants and animals need thegrass to be grazed very short and need the bareareas which rabbits make by their digging. Fornature conservation we need some heaths to beturned into warrens again. Getting the balance rightbetween too many and too few rabbits is one of thethings that is vital for the future of heaths in theBrecks.
Other historical changes in farming inthe Brecks
An early method of improving the poor soil wascalled marling. Marl is a heavy clay-type soil
that was spread across the fields and mixed into thelight sandy soil thus allowing crops to be grownsuccessfully. These pits can still be seen today - assteep-sided ponds in the middle of a field. Howeversuccess depended on the amount of rainfall, which,during some years was very small, so farming was avery precarious business.
Besides the problems of soil and climate, by the17th and 18th centuries, the huge numbers of rab-bits living on the land were eating large amounts ofcrops. Many farmers could not make a living andtheir land was left uncultivated and reverted toheath. Some of this land was planted with trees andshelter for game animals. Shooting became a fash-ionable sport and large game estates were devel-oped (link to gamekeeping section).
Arable farming changed in the 1920’s and 1930’swhen sugar beet was introduced. This proved to besuccessful and is still grown today. Vegetable cropswere grown during the Second World War on landthat had never been cultivated before. Farmers usednew technologies to cope with the problems andcontinued to raise the soil fertility.
Other crops which are grown in the Brecksinclude oilseed rape (bright yellow flowers), grownprimarily for margarine, linseed (pale blue flowers)grown for linseed oil, for animal food and for use inpaints, evening primrose (pale yellow flowers) andborage (deep blue) used to make various comple-mentary medicine products and in the perfumeindustry. Some farmers grow rye, which is used tomake Ryvita. Pigs, sheep poultry and ducks are alsofarmed here.
Today, farming in the Brecks is successful, butthere is the persistent problem of low rainfall.Methods of irrigation and ways of saving water haveenabled farmers to grow a range of vegetables spe-cially grown for supermarket chains.
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Farming 19 Pupil’s worksheet
The next piece of writing is from “Suffolk in the17th Century, the Breviary of Suffolk” by Robert
Reyce, 1618, edited by Lord Francis Hervey(Published, London 1902)
Of the harmless Conies, which do delight naturally to make their aboad here, I must saysomewhat more, for their great increase, withrich profit for all good house keepers, hathmade every one of any reckoning to preparefitt harbour for them, with great welcome andentertainment, from whence it proceeds thatthere are so many warrens here in every placewhich do furnish the next marketts, and arecarried to London with noe little reckoning,from whence it is that there is none whodeeme their houses well seated, who have nottto the same belonging a commonwealth ofConies, neither can hee bee deemed a goodhouse keeper that hath not a plenty of these atall times to furnish his table.
You will see some very odd spellings in thispiece of writing. Try to work out what the unfamil-iar words are, and what they mean. (The answersare shown below).
Now, answer these questions.
1. What attitude does the writer have towards rabbits (or “conies” as he calls them)?
Fact: In the 1700s and 1800s, landlords ploughedup the old rabbit warrens and used the land to growcrops instead of rearing rabbits. In the 1930s and1950s many more areas of heathland wereploughed up to grow food crops.
The Brecks and its rabbits in the MiddleAgesLook at the photographs of Thetford Warren Lodge(below) and write the answers to the questions.
1. Which of these two pictures do you think isolder?
Below: In the Medieval period rabbit fur was very fashionable as a trimming on cuffs and collars.
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Farming 21 Pupil’s worksheet
Rabbits come out to feed at night, so it is easy forpoachers to hunt them without being seen.
Throughout history, villagers sneaked onto thewarrens to steal rabbits to feed their families or tosell. But in the 15th century, records show thatgangs of poachers were well organised and wellarmed. A gang from Thetford in 1440, working inthe Downham Warren, was described as equippedwith “soldiers’ tunics, steel helmets, bows andarrows, cudgels and staffs”.
Fights between poachers and keepers were soserious that people were killed.
Any poacher who was caught was given a heavysentence by the court.
There were still men employed as warreners,looking after the rabbits in the 19th century. Theystill had to guard against poachers. 19th centurypunishments for trespassing or poaching on a war-ren were very severe.
❒ In 1805, G.Cross stole a trap and two rabbitsfrom Wangford Warren. His sentence was 6 monthssolitary confinement and hard labour and a publicwhipping at Brandon.
❒ In 1843 Robert Plum, aged 22 and RushLingwood, aged 18 were sentenced at Thetford forstealing one rabbit from a trap from the warren atHockwold. Their sentences were as follows: Plumtransported for 7 years (to Australia), Lingwood 2years in prison.
1. Imagine you are a warrener in the Brecks.Describe a day in your life.
2. “Last night I heard some strange noises in thewarren. I had to go out to find out what theywere…….”. This is how a warrener started hisstory to his employer. Continue the story.
Labourer Described as aged 20, 5’5”, brownhair, grey eyes, rounded face and a ruddy
complexion.
‘Clean’ state of cleanliness and decency.
Born in Thetford.
Single man.
Can neither read nor write.
Offence “Convicted of trespassing on the property of Robert Place of Wangford by getting over a warren bank and injuring the same to the amount of one penny”.
Place committed Mildenhall
Presenter Mr Robert Place of Wangford
Date of warrant 13th April 1844
Sentence Seven days
Time will expire 19th April 1844
(The prisoner had never been in custody before).
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Farming 23 Pupil’s worksheet
6. Write the letter that Robert Place might havewritten to his brother when the court case andsentence were reported in the local newspaper.
Dear Brother,
yours, Robert✍
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Farming 24 Pupil’s worksheet
1.Look at the photo of warreners and dogs, late19th century. What 20 questions would you liketo ask about the photo?
“Oh yes, they all had lurchers didn’t they -they all had a lurcher or two. And nets and
ferrets and spades, and all the rest of us had diggingstaffs and used to go out on these old Brecks here atGarboldisham and all around that area where therewere rabbits, and net the burrows in and coop theold ferrets up and chuck them in and wait for themto bolt into the nets. That’s how it was done. Thetrue Norfolk lurcher’s a cross between a BeardedCollie and a Greyhound. That is the true Norfolklurcher - a good ‘un too.
When my father started, that was a horse andcart to get to work, but then that faded out and
bicycle come in didn’t it? They had an old bike togo to work and biked all over everywhere andcome home every night with bike loads of rabbits,bike loads. I suppose they used to have to takethem up the butcher’s, then they’d all warreners allround this area were coming into that butchers withrabbits all over the place. And they’d crate them upand take them down to the station and straight upto London. And they all had to be gutted, huddledand gutted and done properly.
They used to use the fur for all sorts of things, Isuppose. Fur collars and gloves and all sorts ofthings. That was a big trade them days. I mean,everybody had rabbits to eat, you see, and theyskinned the rabbit and these old boys used to comeround to the door all through the winter monthsand give you perhaps threepence, fourpence or per-haps sixpence for a skin.
Everybody used rabbits. I mean that was a mealwhen we were on rations especially. Marvellous.Old boys used t’wear them old smocks, you see,didn’t they? Keep the brambles out and whatnot,these old smocks - really tough material, so they’dfence against rain and everything.
They used to listen them on their staff, or laytheir ear on the ground and listen them. They’dhave the ferret in there on the line, right? They’dknow exactly how far it was in and, if they stoodstill and listened, you’d hear the ferret strike the rab-bit. You hear it if that weren’t too deep, you’d hearit and he’d mark it for you. And you’d listen withyour ear right down there, and away you go, withyour staff. And they could do it like wink, and prob-ably get five or six rabbits at a time, or more some-times. But that’s how it was done - either listen onthe staff or you laid your ear on the ground, made a
little old scrape on the ground like this here, withyour hand, pat it down and lay your ear on it andlisten. The art of it was quickness. The quicker yougot down there to it, before the ferret moved it orgot it, back as they called it - come back - you’dprobably have to dig another hole if your old ferretmoved.
Yes, I could dig a hole, quick with a properspade. Yes, seconds - three foot down in seconds -no problem. With a good spade. I’ve seen them godown six foot. I’ve seen them dig six foot holes andstill get them - still get the rabbits.
They all had to be lugged about on a stick or aspade, or something. You get twenty or thirty rabbitson your back and see how far you want to carrythem. I done it, hundreds of times. Hard work. Thatcut into your shoulder I tell you.
When my father started, he left school at elevenand took a box of ferrets and a spade. At that age,onto them heaths, digging the rabbits, ‘cos hisfather done it you see. They had a horse and cartand away they’d go. And he was taught right fromthat age - he left school at eleven and he wentstraight into it. And worked until he was sixtyseven.”
Transcript from parts of “Discover Breckland” displays, Thetford Museum. (Conversation with
Doug Frost of East Harling - recorded August 1995).Copies of the complete interview are available from
Norfolk Museums Service.
Continue your work on the next page.
Work with a partner and write the answers to thesequestions about The Warrener’s Story:
1. What did the warreners use to get to the heaths?
During this period some of the heathland wasploughed up and used for growing crops. The
soil was poor and crop yields were small so theland was left to return to heath again. A few yearslater, the farmers would plough it again and growcrops. In 1674, John Ray explained the word“breck” as exactly this - a piece of land which isused for crops, then allowed to lie uncultivated,and then ploughed again.
Rabbits had been first brought to England by theNormans, in the 1100s as an exotic animal to befarmed, and carefully looked after. They changedthe Brecks in two ways. They ate most of the plantsuntil the soil was bare and they burrowed into it.The Brecks soil is very fine and the wind blewacross it removing the bare earth.
In 1769 a traveller wrote:
“ Nothing was seen on either side but sandand scattered vegetation; an African desert. Insome places this sandy waste occupied thewhole scope of the eye. In many places wesaw the sand even driven into ridges and theroad totally covered.”
Thomas Wright , a farmer in Santon Downham,had much of his land covered by sand in 1668 (seevideo):
“It over-ran 200 acres of very good corn thesame year. For it had so possest all ouravenues, there was no passage to us but overtwo walls 8 or 9 foot high, which encom-
passed a small grove before my house nowalmost buried in the sand. At one end of myhouse it was possest of my yard and had blownup the eaves of most of my out-houses. At theother end it had broke down my garden walland stopped all passage that way. “
Watch the section of video showing Thomas Wrightand try to answer these questions.
1. What must it have been like for Thomas Wrightto have his land covered by sand? Write the letterhe might have written to a friend who lived in atown, not in the country, explaining what he saw,and thought, and felt when his farm and build-ings were covered with sand.
2. Draw a picture of what you think his farm lookedlike.
Thomas says he cleared the land by stopping itwith “furr-hedges” (hedges of fir trees), making sandbanks and “laying hundreds of tons of muck” onthe soil with the help of friends and neighbours.Later on, farmers and landowners like ThomasWright discovered that planting hedges of fir treeskept the light sandy soil from blowing away.
Pine lines are a special feature of the Breckslandscape - many of the pine trees are bent andtwisted.
3. What do you think has caused this?
The Brecks in the 17th & 18th Centuries
Right: lines of twisted Scotspines are a special feature of
the Brecks landscape.
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Farming 28 Pupil’s worksheet
In the 18th century, laws known as “the Enclosureacts” gave landowners the power to put up fences
round bits of common land. Previously this landhad been free for everyone to use, but now theordinary people were fenced out. Many of theheathlands where sheep had been grazed werefenced off in this way and made into large rectan-gular fields with long straight roads between them.Scots Pines were planted to give shelter around thefields.
Landowners began to plant more trees in placeswhich were not cultivated. For example, nearly amillion trees were planted on the RiddlesworthEstate.
Farmers tried to improve the sandy soil in orderto grow better crops. They dug up chalky clay tospread on the soil. This was called ‘marl’ and theholes left behind after digging were called marl pits,which can still be seen today.
Despite all their efforts, the soil did not yieldcrops which could be sold for a good price so thefarmers gave up and the land returned to heathonce more. This, in turn, meant that the land wascheap to buy, so many rich people bought largeareas of land and used it for breeding pheasants,partridge, hares and rabbits. They made moneyfrom people who paid to visit their land and shootthe game.
In 1922 the Forestry Commission bought hugeamounts of land and began to plant Scots Pine treesand, by 1927 had planted eight million trees.
This created the largest man-made forest in southern Englandand completely changed theappearance of the Brecks.
Look carefully at these picturesand list the changes that you cansee:
Changing land use Before the forests were planted . . .
. . . and afterwards.
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Farming 29 Pupils’ facts & figures
‘Game’ in this sense comes from the OldEnglish word game - meaning a sport or pas-
time. It means wild birds, mammals and fish whichare hunted for sport and can be eaten. Game ani-mals include deer, partridge, pheasant, grouse,hare, woodcock, snipe, trout and salmon. There arelaws which lay down the times of year when it islegal to hunt them (e.g. the open season for pheas-ant is Oct 10th to Feb 1st ).
A brief history
Animals have been hunted for food - and proba-bly sport - since prehistoric times. Animals such
as deer, boar and salmon were hunted for food,while wolves and bears were hunted for their skinsand to protect farmers.
There has been game preservation in Englandsince late Anglo-Saxon times. Game laws werepassed which stated who was allowed to hunt cer-tain animals, when and where. The Normans werekeen hunters, and introduced game preservesknown as ‘Forests’ where only the King and hisnobles could hunt deer. Penalties for poaching(stealing) the ‘King’s Deer’ were severe, and couldinclude death. Shooting deer with bow and arrowwas thought to be unsporting and fit only for out-laws. Hunters in the Middle Ages used horses, dogsand nets, and also hawks and falcons.
Shooting became possible from the 17th centuryonwards once reliable and easily-carried guns wereinvented, and often took the form of small groups ofmen walking over the land with dogs such asspaniels and pointers. A series of draconian Game
Laws (39 in all, between 1700 and 1816) wereintroduced in the 18th century designed to restricthunting only to persons with suitable property qual-ifications, which led to social unrest and wide-spread poaching.
Developments in the 19th century promoted ashift towards large-scale management of game. TheEnclosure Acts gave landowners rights to take gameon their land and in their waters, while improvedguns and fishing tackle allowed game to be takenmore efficiently. Large sporting estates and the newprofession of gamekeeper and water bailiff grew upat this time.
In the 20th century profound changes in the lifeof the countryside (including intensive farming; thedecline of the great sporting estates; the shift of thepopulation into towns; wildlife conservation andchanging public attitudes towards animal welfare;new chemical pollutants) have transformed the waythat game and its place in the countryside is per-ceived by the nation as a whole. People interestedin conservation now increasingly influence the waythat natural resources are exploited.
Gamekeepers
Gamekeepers were - and are - employed bylandowners to increase the numbers of game
animals available for shooting on an estate. Theirduties include rearing game and protecting all game- whether reared or wild - from attack by humanand animal predators. Animals which compete withhuman interests are known in the trade as ‘vermin’,and methods of control include trap, gun, net,
snare, dogs and poison (man traps became illegal in1827).
During the 19th and early 20th centuries thework of the gamekeepers had an enormous effecton the diversity of wildlife in the countryside. In theearly days gamekeepers persecuted predatory mam-mals and birds without mercy. ‘Vermin’ include (oronce included) foxes, stoats, weasels, cats, martens,hedgehogs, grey squirrels, badgers, crows, jays, andmagpies, and also all owls and birds of prey (suchas kestrels, sparrowhawks and goshawks). The bod-ies of the animals killed were often strung out onfences to demonstrate the keeper’s hard work. Suchgibbets can occasionally still be seen.
In 1911, Norfolk was one of the counties withthe highest numbers of keepers. There were then
more than 16 keepers for each 100 km2 (com-pared to less than 8 per 100 km2 today). Therewere far fewer gamekeepers in the countryside dur-ing the First and Second World Wars (1914-18 &1939-45) when men of fighting age joined thearmy. Gamekeeping continued after the wars, but ina less single-minded and predatory fashion. Todaythreatened species, including some once classifiedas ‘vermin’, are protected by Acts of Parliament. Forinstance the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981protects otters and hedgehogs.
Game in the Brecks
During the Middle Ages the Abbots of ThetfordPriory may have had a hunting lodge at Santon,
where the moated site now stands. From the 12thcentury onwards rabbits were farmed in warrenenclosures, and the warrener and his men waged acontinual war against the rabbit’s natural predatorsand poachers. Brandon, Lakenheath and Kennett
Game and gamekeeping
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Farming 30 Pupils’ facts & figures
warrens were set with traps and snares against fox,stoat, polecat and wild cat. Wooden watchtowersand fortified lodges built of stone were built to pro-tect the warrens against gangs of well-armed poach-ers.
The Brecks was a favourite hare coursing andhawking area for King James I (1603-1625), and allgame within 12 miles of Thetford was preserved forhis use. He stayed at Kings House in the town, andis said to have used cormorants trained to catch fishin the Little Ouse river. In 1677 the John Evelynvisited the Euston Estate and noted in his diary thatit was ‘admirably plac’d for field sports, hunting andhawking....”. During the 18th century many parts ofthe Brecks were an open, sandy landscape whichlandowners tried to improve for game as well ascrops by planting hedges and shelterbelts.
In the Brecks, as elsewhere, shooting becamevery popular and fashionable through the 19th andinto the 20th centuries. The Brecks was noted for itsduck decoys, which were lakeside inlets fitted withnets to entrap wildfowl. A big one with ten inletswas constructed at Micklemere at West Wretham in1836. Large shooting parties were entertained at thebig houses such as Culford, Elveden and Shadwell,and game was driven towards the line of guns bymen acting as ‘beaters’. The Brecks offered some ofthe best partridge shooting in Britain. The birdswere driven over specially-planted hedges behindwhich the shooters were standing. The bags wereimpressive; for example, on one day in November1923 at Elveden five guns shot 835 partridges.Several members of the Royal Family visited theBrecks regularly for shooting, among them AlbertEdward Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII)and his son King George V.
Game and conservation
Preservation of game has had both good and badeffects on the environment. On the ‘up’ side, it
has tended to preserve traditional landscape fea-tures such as hedges, woodlands and wetlandswhich are vital wildlife habitats. Some species, suchas red-legged partridge and pheasant, have thrivedunder the protection of gamekeepers, and it is likelythat wild deer would now be extinct in Britain if itthey were not game animals.
On the ‘down’ side, game preservation has deci-mated certain species and pushed them to the edgeof extinction. For example goshawk, raven polecatand pine marten vanished from the Brecks becauseof persecution by gamekeepers, and foxes and spar-rowhawks have not been common in East Angliauntil quite recently for the same reason.
Shooters and game fishermen may play a role asenvironmental watchdogs. They tend to noticewhen the numbers of quarry species go down. Theywere amongst the first to notice the bad effects ofmodern farming techniques on grey partridge popu-lations (an 80% reduction in the last 40 years).Chemicals which the farmers use to reduce weedsand insect ‘pests’ have the effect of drasticallyreducing the food supply for the partridge chicks.They have also lost a lot of the grassy habitat theyneed, and the reduction in the numbers of game-keepers has meant an increase in the numbers ofthe partridge’s predators. Nowadays many farmersplant ‘game strips’ of crops such as maize and mil-let so that the game birds have somewhere to raisetheir young and to hide. These areas are good forother birds - and insects - too. Stone curlews some-times breed successfully among the maize.
Points for discussion:
❒ Game is free-range meat
❒ Hunting game is a way of harvesting a renew-able natural resource
❒ People hunt because they enjoy killing things
❒ Managing farmland for game is good for theenvironment and the local economy
Further resourcesBritish Association for Shooting andConservationThe “national representative body for shootingsports”. http://www.basc.org.uk/
The Countryside AllianceThe purpose of the Alliance is “to champion thecountryside, country sports and the rural way oflife”. http://www.countryside-alliance.org/
Country Life OnlineAn umbrella group of countryside organisations andagencies, including those involved in conservation,recreation and agriculture.http://www.countrylife.org.uk/countrye.asp
The Game Conservancy TrustScientific research into game and game habitats,the results of which can be turned into practicalconservation advice.http://www.game-conservancy.org.uk/
The League Against Cruel SportsCampaigns “peacefully for legislation to protectwildlife and abolish cruel sports”.http://www.league.uk.com/about/index.htm
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981Legislation to protect wildlife from persecution.http://www.jncc.gov.uk/species/protect/default.htm
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000The latest legislation to protect wildlife and providenew opportunities to enjoy the countryside.http://www.wildlife-countryside.detr.gov.uk/cl/bill/factsheet/index.htm
The Wildlife TrustsUmbrella organisation for the various CountyWildlife Trusts that conserve wildlife throughout theUK.http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/
� Look at British Geological Survey map 1:50,000No 174 and search out wells and boreholes. Canyou tell why each one has been dug/sunk whereit is?
� Match up with O.S. map No 144. Use this tolook for shelterbelts (angular, geometric pattern)and see how large an area they cover. Can youtell which direction the prevailing wind blowsfrom?
2. Soil : experiment to test soil fertility
� The children devise an experiment to test soilfertility. Plant seeds in different soils - some fromthe school grounds, from different children’s gar-dens, pure sand (to simulate the Brecks).
3. Plants and water: transpirationdemonstration
� Put a cut plant in water in a test tube and sus-pend it from a spring balance. Over severalhours and days it will get lighter as the plantpumps water into the atmosphere - until it startsgrowing and putting on weight.
4. Growing onions
� Grow an onion seed and an onion set (babyonion). Compare and contrast as they grow. Thisshows the difference between drilling (sowingseed) and setting (planting). Seeds are cheap tobuy but hard to grow: sets can be grown easilybut are expensive to buy. Which would be best?
Farming extension activities - ideas for teachers
The Brecks File Page 45
Forestry 1 Pupils’ facts & figures
After the last Ice Age…..
10,000 years ago, the climate in what is now EastAnglia began to get milder. There had been an
ice sheet covering all this area, but that now beganto melt and the ice cover began to retreat north-wards. The bare landscape was first colonised bybirch, then pine, hazel, elm, oak, alder and small-leaved lime.
Neolithic people begin to clear thewoodland
By the time the Neolithic people began to lead amore settled life, around 6,000 years ago, rather
than roaming about as hunters. The whole of whatis now the Brecks was covered in light woodland.
They used flint axes to clearareas of forest so that theycould keep grazing animalsand grow crops. The use ofmetal tools in the Iron Ageincreased the efficiency offorest clearance, a processthat has continued to thepresent day.
Medieval woodlandwas carefully lookedafter
By the Middle Ages (1000-500 years ago) the wild-
wood existed as a series oflarge, but separate, blocks ofwoodland. They were care-fully managed to provide wood for fuel, tanningand woodland products, such as timber for houseand ship- building, fencing and tool handles.Animals were kept out of the woods by earthworks(banks and ditches) with fencing or hedges on top.Medieval boundaries can still be seen in someplaces.
The forest altered the look of the Brecks
The planting of Thetford Forest, begun in 1922,after the First World War, created a totally new
habitat for the Brecks. In the 1920s, land was avail-able cheaply, because of the disintegration of shoot-
ing estates. There was a shortage of home-growntimber - partly as a result of the enormous amountof timber used in the First World War for lining thetrenches. The land was suitable for growing conifers(but less so for broad-leaved trees as these needbetter quality soil). The forest was planted by hand,using the labour of unemployed men from theNorth East of England. They were housed in barracktype conditions where the High Lodge Centre isnow. In 1939 there were 21 forest workers’ camps.
The forest is not a monoculture
The forest was mainly Scots Pine but some broad-leaved trees were planted along the roadsides.
The forest was originally planted in rectangularblocks. Today, as areas of the forest are cleared,most of it is planted up with Corsican Pine (above) -
Forestry - introduction Today, Corsican pine isplanted in a patchwork of
irregular patterns and ages.
Left: The huge area of woodland in the Brecks today isless than 100 years old.
The Brecks File Page 46
Forestry 2 Pupils’ facts & figures
as this species grows more quickly, and is moreresistant to disease. But Scots pine is still planted,partly for conservation reasons, since some of theforest wildlife prefers it. A good example is the redsquirrel, once common in parts of lowland England,but now confined to a few special areas. An inten-sive project is underway to maintain the populationin the Brecks, and a special reserve is maintainedfor them near High Lodge.
The forest is like a patchwork
The original block design is also being lost, astrees are replanted in irregular patterns so that
the forest looks more attractive. At any given time,there are trees of different ages within the forest.This is better for the animals and other plants whichlive in the forest, since it increases the diversity ofavailable habitats.
For many species, survival depends on the abilityto move from area to area as the trees grow and areharvested. The rides (tracks between blocks of trees)have become important “corridor” habitats.
The forest is looked after by one organisation oftwo halves. The original “Forestry Commission”, hasundergone changes. It now consists of two mainparts:
❒ The Forestry Commission, which looks aftergrants and licences; runs the plant health service,decides policy & practice and liaises with nationalagencies and organisations.
It also has area offices which implement ForestryCommission policies, grants and licences at arealevel.
❒ “Forest Enterprise”, which is an agency of the
Commission. Its main aims are: to maintain andincrease the productive potential of the forests itowns; to increase opportunities for public recre-ation; to increase the conservation value of itsforests and to increase the net value of commercialactivities.
Forestry is like farming on a long timescale
The practice of commercial forestry can best beunderstood if we think of it as farming but on a
very long time scale. The crop is ready not in a fewmonths but in a few decades.
Left: Red squirrels thrive on pine cones in the forest.
The Brecks File Page 47
Forestry 3 Pupil’s worksheet
Looking after Thetford Forest is a huge job, whichemploys about 100 people and some very
sophisticated machines. The work goes on all thetime, to look after the forest and keep it going.
These are instructions for people to follow inorder to grow trees:
❒ Take seeds of the right kind of tree and sowthem in paper pots.
❒ Put the pots into polythene tunnels
❒ Wait for the seeds to germinate and begin togrow (for 17 – 20 weeks). (This is the ‘nursery’stage.)
❒ Meanwhile prepare the site for new plantingusing mechanical diggers.
❒ Rake old tree stumps and roots into rows.
❒ Bring the young trees to the site and plant them,either by hand or using a tractor. Plant them 2mapart, in furrows.
❒ During the first two years some of the youngtrees will die - some are damaged by deer eatingthem, some by vandals and some by the weather.Remove the dead trees.
❒ During the first few years take out the weedsfrom round the trees, and spray the area with pesti-cides (by machines mounted on tractors)
❒ Once the trees reach 22 years of age, thin themout by removing every 4th row.
❒ Remove the weaker ones every 5 or 6 years dur-ing a ‘selective’ thinning process.
❒ When the trees are 50 to 60 years old, fell themand remove all the side branches using a harvestermachine
❒ Take the tree trunks to the roadside for collec-tion.
(These trunks are taken to sawmills in Norwich,Ipswich and Yorkshire as well as to local depots tobe used in the making of pallets and planks for theconstruction industry)
The whole class should read and analyse the aboveset of instructions on how to raise a tree from, seedto maturity.
Now, consider the following questions:
1. Are the instructions easy to follow?
2. What more information do you need to makethem easier?
3. What would be the best way to give them tosomeone who you wanted to do it exactly right?
Forest facts� In 1919 Britain had less forest cover than any
other industrialised nation.
� Britain now has 10% forest cover – 2 millionhectares of productive forest, 75% of which isconiferous.
� In Britain, we grow 16% of the timber we use.We are still the second largest importers of tim-ber in the world. Japan is the largest.
� Thetford Forest employs about 100 people.
� Thetford Forest was planted in the 1920s. Inthose days the main haulage was done by horses,and not only the planting but all the weedingwas done by hand.
� Today the methods of tree production are verytechnical and the process of extracting timber ishighly mechanised. (See the video)
� Some pine trees are selected as good seedproviders, and the seeds are grown at ForestEnterprise Nurseries in Cheshire before beingbrought back to the Brecks, 2 or 3 years later tobe planted out.
� A hectare is an area 100m x 100 m. Each yearan average of 350 hectares of the forest are har-vested.
❒ that is - 200,000 cubic metres of timber
❒ that is - 10,000 lorry loads
❒ that is - 3,000 trees each day
� Wood is sold by the cubic metre.
� Small logs, or poles, and thinnings are used tomake fencing posts or made into pulp for chip-
The forest and its workers
The Brecks File Page 48
Forestry 4 Pupil’s worksheet
board or paper.
� Off-cuts are used for firewood or made intocharcoal.
� The stripped bark is chopped up for use in gar-dens and parks as mulches or compost as well asfor surfacing children’s play areas, horse gallopsor in chicken sheds.
Maths
Thetford forest is 50% Corsican Pine, 29% ScotsPine, 11% other conifers (Douglas Fir, Larch and
Norway Spruce) and 10% broad-leaved species(mostly Oak, Beech and Birch)
1. Make up a mathematical quiz for your neigh-bour, based on these facts
2. Produce a graph or diagram to show the percent-ages of different tree types grown in ThetfordForest.
The Brecks File Page 49
Forestry 5 Pupil’s worksheet
Look carefully at these pictures then cut out boththe pictures and the labels and stick them onto a
page so that they are properly matched.
The story of a pine A
Ground preparation- removing old roots
Selecting good seed
Machine loadinglogs onto a trailer
Felling at50-60 years
New plantingbetween root pileswith Sitka spruce
Images courtesy of the Forest Life Picture Library
The Brecks File Page 50
Forestry 6 Pupil’s worksheet
Use the information on the information sheet.
1. Show the growth of a tree from seed to maturityby either:
a) Making a graph or chart or
b) Illustrating a time line to record tree growthfrom seed to maturity
2. Draw a map of Britain showing the routes takento deliver logs to the three main destinationsmentioned in the text. (Use colour and make akey to show which colour means what.)
The story of a pine B
The Brecks File Page 51
Forestry 7 Pupil’s worksheet
This machine works for 12 hours a day in areasthat need to be clear felled. Two men work with
it on 3 - hour shifts. One man operates themachine while his partner grades the logs cut in theprevious shift. Then they swap over. The machinegrasps the tree and cuts it close to the ground. Itmeasures and saws the trunk into the required sizedlogs and lops the branches off the sides. This entireprocess takes just 40 seconds.
In Thetford Forest there are three machines doingthis job. In the past, the trees were felled by menusing chain saws. This was dangerous work.Nowadays, instead of the hundreds of men workinghere, it takes only about 100 people now to do allthe forestry work in the whole forest.
Watch the relevant piece of the video.
Read the statements opposite and put them into thecorrect order.
1. As the trunk slides through the jaws of themachine the branches are ripped off.
2. A chain saw cuts through the trunk close to theground
3. The trunk slides through the jaws, turning at thesame time.
4. The waste is put to one side and the logs are putto another ready for collection.
5. A computer scans the thickness and length of thetrunk.
6. It grasps and holds the tree in its jaws.
7. The chain saw cuts the trunk into the requiredlengths.
Timber production
The Brecks File Page 52
Forestry 8 Pupils’ facts & figures
The Forest is for people as well as fortrees
At the beginning of the 1990s, Thetford Forestwas designated a “Forest Park”, which means
that it is a multi-use area for recreational as well ascommercial purposes. The Forest has over 1.5 mil-lion people visiting, every year, and this numbercontinues to grow. Forest Enterprise, who look afterthe forest, aim to make sure that everyone who vis-its will have a good time.
People come to the forest for all sorts ofreasons
The visitors come to Thetford Forest for differentreasons. It is a huge place, catering for a wide
range of activities. Some people come to enjoy thepeace and quiet and some to take part in the vari-ous sporting activities. Some unusual pastimes arefollowed here including Husky dog racing. Thereare mountain bike championships held here, alsoarchery, orienteering, horse riding, car rallies,cycling, walking, carriage driving, picnics, mazes,keep fit courses, caravanning, nature trails and spe-cial events organised by the Forest EnterpriseRecreation staff.
Visitors need toilets, car parks . . .
Many changes have been made to the forest tocope with the huge numbers of people using
it. Car parks have been carefully sited along withtoilets, visitor centres and special paths and trails.The aim is to encourage people to enjoy the forestyet respect its wildlife and understand how the for-est works.
Whose needs are most important?
Different people’s activities and expectationscould cause conflicts. If someone has come to
race their husky dogs, they will be annoyed if thepaths are full of people exercising their horses.Forest enterprise tries to separate the different activi-ties to try to make sure that everyone gets what theywant.
The main activities that take place are:
❒ Mountain bike championships
❒ Orienteering
❒ Archery
❒ Camping
❒ Caravanning
❒ Horse riding
❒ Car rallies
❒ Cycling
❒ Walking
❒ Keep fit
❒ Carriage driving
❒ Picnics
❒ Husky dog sled racing
❒ Watching wildlife.
The forest is carefully managed by ForestEnterprise to ensure a balance between what visi-tors need, what wildlife needs and what the foresttimber industry needs.
People who use the forest A
The Brecks File Page 53
Forestry 9 Pupil’s worksheet
Read these statements made by imaginary peoplewho use Thetford Forest. Then do the exercise at
the end of the page.
I am Rebecca Root, a botanist
When I was little I remember seeing all thewildflowers that grew all around this area. It
was very different then. I am nearly eighty youknow! I went around with my father. He knew allthe plant names - they are very special. After allthese trees were planted the land changed com-pletely. The trees grew so quickly. Now there areonly a few secret places I know where the plantsgrow. These places are well off the tracks but peo-
ple still let their dogs run all over them. I wish theycould take away some of the trees, it was muchnicer before they were planted.
I am John Joy
Ilove bringing my family to Thetford Forest Park.There are plenty of things to do and it is close to
home as I live in Brandon. After Sunday lunch wecome here if the weather is fine. It is easy to parkthe car and we can take the dog for a walk alonggood tracks without getting our feet wet. The kidshave some playthings to climb on and they are outin the fresh air.
I am Rachel Spoke
Iam a champion mountain biker. I often go in forcompetitions, especially when they are held in the
forest, as I live nearby. I would love there to bemore wild routes in the forest where I could prac-tice. It is really annoying when you run into a fami-ly spread right across the path. I have done most ofthe cycle routes in the forest and it is getting reallyboring.
I am Sam Saw
Iam in charge of timber production in ThetfordForest. We produce 200,000 cubic metres of tim-
ber every year (roughly 3,000 trees a day). Most ofit goes for logs for the building industry and the restto make paper, card and chipboard. We operatedangerous machinery. There are lorries movingloads of logs and the tree-felling machines work 12hours a day, cutting down and processing a tree in40 seconds flat. I wish people would keep awayfrom our working areas. We want to increase our
timber production next year.
I am Jessie Whinney
Iown a horse and I like riding through the forest. Iwish there could be places where we could gallop
- and more jumps to go over. But there are alwayspeople out on foot on the bridleways and their dogsfrighten my horse.
I am William Wing
Iam very interested in wildlife. I used to be worriedabout the Stone Curlews in the Brecks, but they’re
doing better now, and I’m pleased to see that thereare more woodlarks this year. In all the years that Ihave walked through the forest I have never seen aRed Squirrel. I wonder if they are really here! Someof the forest rides are long and straight and I oftensee deer in the distance.
Use the information to make notes for the char-acters for a play. Think for each one what theymight say about:
� What they want . . .
� What they need . . .
� What they fear . . .
� What the forest means to them . . .
� What they contribute to the forest . . .
People who use the forest B
How would you feel if you went to the forest fora walk and you saw a sign like this?
Write down some words to describe how youwould feel:
Wherever there are lots of people doing differentthings in a small space, there are going to be con-flicts. In the forest - or in your school. The followingexercises are designed to help you see the problemsand think about how they ought to be solved.
Something to do – A space to playYou will need a copy of a map of your schoolgrounds which you can write on.
1. Mapmaking.
❒ Take a map of the school grounds.
❒ Write a list of all the different areas there are inthe grounds (e.g. tarmac playground, sports field,flowerbeds).
❒ Decide on a system to show the differencebetween different parts of the grounds. (You couldcolour different areas in different colours or use dif-ferent forms of shading).
❒ Walk around the grounds and mark your map toshow the uses of different areas. (Add in anythingyou’ve forgotten.)
❒ Make a key for your map to show what yoursymbols mean.
2. Conflict over space.
❒ Can you think of times when there is a clashbecause the same area of the grounds has beenbooked for two activities?
❒ How is the problem sorted out?
3. Conflict over a place to play.
❒ Have you ever been told to move your game atplaytime because you were playing on someoneelse’s patch?
❒ How did you feel?
❒ How was the problem sorted out?
❒ Did you think it was fair?
PRIVATEKEEP OUT
The Brecks File Page 54
Forestry 10 Pupil’s worksheet
Fighting for space A
PRIVATEKEEP OUT
The Brecks File Page 55
Forestry 11 Pupil’s worksheet
Football Send Off !
Football sometimes causes problems in a play-ground because of the space it takes up and the
other games it interferes with.
Read the headteacher’s letter and discuss theissues that arise.
Think about the following questions:
1. Is it fair that football is banned for the safety orenjoyment of others?
2. Should it be banned one day a week for all orperhaps for different classes on different days?
3. Is it really a problem? Is there anything else todo?
4. Is it fairer to limit the number of games ratherthan the areas where it can be played? Shouldsofter balls be used?
5. Who do you think makes the decisions inCrumbling Hall School?
6. Write a letter in reply to the one written by theheadteacher. You could pretend to be a parent ora school governor or you could just be yourself.
7. What would happen in your school if this sort ofproblem came up? Who would make this sort ofdecision in your school?
Fighting for space B
Crumbling Hall School
Green Acres
New Town
31st June 1999
Dear Class
I am very concerned about the way in which football is being
played in the playground. Recently I have had a number of
complaints from parents. Several children have been hit in the
face by flying balls and last week a window was broken.
For this reason I have decided to ban football until the end
of the term. Skipping ropes will be provided instead and I have
asked some mothers to come in and teach playground games
that they remember.
Yours sincerely,
Orson Cartes (Headteacher)
The Brecks File Page 56
Forestry 12 Pupil’s worksheet
Inside your school there can be problems overspace.
1. Think of all the things that happen in the schooland the different rooms that they take place ineg. art, assemblies etc. Make a list.
2. Use a plan of the school. Make a key using firstletters of rooms.
3. Walk around the school using the plan and yourkey to record these uses.
4. Are there any conflicts, disagreements or inconveniences if rooms have more than oneuse? (Ask your teacher, too.)
5. How are any clashes avoided ?
6. Who makes the decision if a clash occurs ?
Fighting for space C
The Brecks File Page 57
Forestry 13 Teacher’s briefing
The forest has been here for less than100 years
The forest is a comparatively new habitat here,planted on what was once heathland. Since the
turn of the century, the amount of dry lowlandheath on the planet has decreased to the pointwhere it has become scarcer than rainforest.
The planting of Thetford forest was the maincause of this loss in the Brecks. The afforestation notonly covered vast acres of heath with trees but alsomeant that the remaining heathland was broken upinto much smaller fragments. These are like isolatedislands for the plants and animals who live there.They have difficulty transferring to another patch astheir small areas are threatened.
Private landowners, conservation groups, ForestEnterprise and local authorities are trying to worktogether manage the heathland which is left inorder to try to ensure the survival of animal andplant species and also to recreate heath in someareas.
Enter the trees . . exit the stone curlew
On the original heaths, there were diverse andspecialised ecosystems which were kept bal-
anced with the presence of rabbits and with season-al sheep grazing. Specialised plants existed inalmost bare sand. Encroaching scrub and seedlingtrees were eaten before they could grow. Heathinsects and spiders flourished.
When the forest was planted, birds such as thestone curlew and wheatear couldn’t cope with thechanges, and disappeared, whilst other speciesmoved in because the pinewoods suit them. Theseinclude crossbills, woodpeckers, sparrowhawks,goshawks and owls.
Weird and wonderful heathland raritiesare hanging on
The special heathland plants have suffered themost. The Brecks area contains some very rare
heathland specialities including perennial knawel(there are only four sites in the world where itgrows), small alyssum, sand catchfly, spanish catch-fly, fingered speedwell, breckland speedwell, springspeedwell, grape hyacinth and smooth rupturewort.
Along some of the rides and tracks, in the forest,you can find long narrow strips of heathland surviv-ing. The patches of disturbed ground make idealconditions for some of these plant rarities. You willalso find heather here and several extraordinaryinvertebrates. At one site in Santon Street, 40% ofall the British sand wasp species have been record-ed. (See map, and photos on the web site)
In the quiet forest - lots of animals live
As you walk through any part of Thetford forestyou would be forgiven for thinking that no ani-
mals live there. But, if you are quiet and patient,you will see a lot, especially at the edges of thetreed areas.
From a wildlife point of view, the most importantparts of the forest are the open areas within it. The
large clear-felled areas provide temporary heath-likehabitats that the special birds of the Brecks havebeen quick to use. One of these is a bird called anightjar. They are ground nesting birds that live inthe areas where felling has just taken place. Theyeat the insects and moths which live on the vegeta-tion growing in the same clearings.
The woodlark is a secretive bird that also breedsin the clearfell areas. It sings a really beautiful tunewhich, if you hear it, you will never forget. Pineforests are also home to crossbills, an unusual largefinch with a bill whose ends are crossed over. Thereare many of them in Thetford Forest. This bird’s spe-cial beak is adapted for digging into pinecones toextract the seeds. Look on the forest floor for tornup pinecones - evidence of crossbill activity in thebranches way above your head!
There are rivers and streams close to parts of theforest, with a range of water loving plants. Thesewaterways give vital drinking water to the animalsof the forest.
Forest workers also help nature
Alarge team of people within Forest Enterprise isresponsible for wildlife conservation work. They
have provided bat and bird boxes as well as pondsthroughout the forest. They discourage their col-leagues from unnecessary tidying up, so thatinsects, lichens and fungi can become establishedas part of the food web.
Deer are doing well
Several mammals, characteristic of the Breckstoday, are animals of the extensive pine planta-
tions, rather than the older heathland landscape.Deer, for example, have flourished in the forests,and the populations of roe, red deer and muntjac
Wildlife in the forest
The Brecks File Page 58
Forestry 14 Teacher’s briefing
have increased considerably in the last twenty tothirty years. Red deer and muntjac were originallyintroduced, either deliberately or by accidentalescapes from deer parks. If you visit the forest, lookout for muntjac grazing on the roadside verges.
Red squirrels have a special plan
Red squirrels took advantage of the conifer plant-ings in the 1920s, and despite competition from
their larger cousin, the grey, they have just managedto hang on in the Brecks. There is a special projectunder way in the forest to protect them and helpthe population increase.
Bats are not doing so well
Bat boxes, put up in the forest, are regularly occu-pied in the spring and autumn. Ten bat species
are known to breed in the Brecks, but little isknown about their exact distribution. Tragically, sev-eral underground hibernation sites have beendestroyed, so wintering numbers are much lowerthan they were.
The Brecks File Page 59
Forestry 15 Pupil’s worksheet
If you visit Thetford Forest and hear astrange chirruping sound it could be
a crossbill (right)
These birds aremembers of the finchfamily. If you seeone, you can easilyrecognise it because ithas a peculiar beak withcrossed tips. Crossbillsonly eat one thing - theseeds of pine trees. Theseeds are deep inside thecone, so the strong beak is perfect for prising themout. If you find frayed cones under a tree, there is agood chance that crossbills have been feedingthere. These birds live in groups. The females aregrey/green and the males reddish orange. Crossbillsare uncommon in Britain.
Red squirrels (below) live in Thetford Forest.They are very shy creatures and VERY
VERY hard to see. They have goodeyesight, though, so theywill probably see you.
Many rabbits livearound the edgeof the forest. Theirburrows are easy
to see since thesandy soil is justright for diggingholes. The rabbits
tend to live inlarge groupsmaking lots ofholes whichjoin up under-ground.
Red deer(right) and roedeer (below)live deep amongstthe trees. They feed out
in the open at dawn and duskwhen they feel safer. The reddeer is Britain’s largest wild
animal.
Bats are not doing sowell
Bats use the boxes for roost-ing and breeding, which
have been put up for themin the forest. Ten bat
species are knownto breed in the
Brecks, but little is knownabout exactly where theylive. It is very sad that sev-eral underground hiber-nation sites havebeen destroyed, sothere are now fewerbats hibernating inthe forest in winter.
Watch the relevant bit of the video.
1. What 20 questions about forest wildlife wouldyou like to ask an expert?
2. How are you going to find the answers? (Look forinformation from books, the video, wildlife magazines and via the internet.)
3. Write and illustrate an information sheet aboutforest wildlife for visitors.
Wildlife and conservation in the forest
Right: brown long-eared bat
In the forest, look out forsparrowhawks, above. Theyhunt birds as large as doves andas small as the goldcrest, below. The 8.5 cm goldcrest isBritain’s smallest bird - half a centimetre shorter than a
wren. It feeds on small insects sheltering in the needles of the forest’s pine trees.
Find a map of the British Isles. Find Cornwall, andCumbria. Mark them on the map below, which
already shows where the Brecks is:
Use the information in the table above.
❒ Make a block graph to show the average air tem-perature in the Brecks throughout the year.
❒ Do the same for Cumbria (part of northernEngland) and south-west Cornwall (the extremesouth west part of England).
❒ Work out your own scale for each graph.
❒ If you are really good with graphs, try to pro-duce a single graph showing the temperature in all3 places. Work out a good way of showing the dif-ferences.
South West Cornwall ❒ Make a block graph to show the sunshine hoursin Cornwall.
❒ Do the same for the Brecks and Cumbria.
❒ If you are really good with graphs, you could tryto produce a single graph showing the sunshinehours in all 3 places. Work out a good way ofshowing the differences.
Cumbria❒ Make a block graph to show the rainfall inCumbria.
❒ Do the same for the Brecks and SW Cornwall.
❒ If you are really good with graphs, you could tryto produce a single graph showing the rainfall in all3 places. Work out a good way of showing the dif-ferences.
How does this compare with the climate roundyour school?
If your school is outside the Brecks area, you cancontrast your rainfall and temperature with theBrecks. Keep a record of rainfall and temperaturesat your school, and produce a climate graph foryour school.
Start your graphs here . . .
The Brecks File Page 62
Climate 3 Pupil’s worksheet
❒ Look at the BBC weather website(http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/) to find out yourlocal weather forecast and to see how weather isshown on the BBC charts.
❒ Use the World Wide Web to compare today’sweather across the country. Look athttp://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/images.html andhttp://www.meto.gov.uk,
❒ Here are a few examples of different weathersymbols. Try to work out and write down what theymight mean.
Design your own symbols for the following weather:
❒ Fill in this table to show how much water youuse in a day and in a week.
❒ When you add the figures up - it will give youan idea of how much water your whole class uses.
❒ It may be impossible to record every day for aweek. If so, record your activity for one day at theweekend and double it, and then for one weekdayand multiply by 5.
How much water do we use?
Activity Activity Water Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday AVERAGE TOTALSfacts used no. of
in litres times litres times litres times litres times litres times litres times litres times litres times litres times litres
0.25 full 50
0.5 full 100
0.75 full 150
0.5 flush 6
full flush 12
10 mins 200
15 mins 300
20 mins 400
Tap not 1running
Tap 5running
Tap 4running
Totals:
Was
hing
Brus
hing
Show
erTo
ilet
Bath
hand
ste
eth
The Brecks File Page 65
Climate 6 Pupil’s worksheet
Water-saving crossword
Across1. Use this when washing up (4)
3. Don’t _ _ _ _ _ rubbish down the toilet (5)
6. This uses much more water than a shower (4)
8. Leaky plumbing wastes lots of water - so always_ _ _ _ | _ _ _ _ (4,4)
9. Put one of these full of water in the fridge insummer for cold drinks (3)
10. Only use the dish washer when it is _ _ _ _ (4)
11. Use this when cleaning your teeth instead ofleaving the tap running (3
14. Save this to use in the garden instead of tapwater (9)
15 (see 13 down)
Down1. The room in the house where you use most water
(8)
2. Don’t _ _ _ _ _ the tap running when you washup (5)
4. These shouldn’t be left running in the garden (5)
5. Use this when washing the car (6)
7. On the washing machine - use the _ _ _ _ loadbutton if there is one (4)
12. When waiting for the _ _ _ water, catch thecold water that comes out of the tap first and useit sensibly (3)
13. (and 15 across) To recycle the same wateragain (2-3)
Answers are on page 67.
Water word games 1 2 3 4 5
6
8
7
109
11
14
12 13
15
Water word search
Can you find these water-related words in theword search square?
Which words don’t you know? Look them up ina dictionary.
Answers are on page 67.
The Brecks File Page 66
Climate 7 Pupil’s worksheet
e wag s loud se c
h imu r nkni td o
r ate a eshs mw n
e sgr k bpla oe d
s nbt r swim it e
e lci o pqap so n
r tdl r rthi ts s
v iar e ioce sn a
o tec o nkja ro t
i aec g glhw ew i
r pou v smih va o
e pav r oita io n
x les h bore ro s
water
reservoir
ice
vapour
wet
lake
swim
hail
rain
sea
bore holes
spring
snow
pool
thirst
evaporation
condensation
wash
humid
drink
sewage
rivers
moist
Do
� Most of us use (and waste) more water in thebathroom than anywhere else in the house.Make sure you use a mug when cleaning yourteeth. Have a shower rather than a bath - show-ers use much less water.
� Dripping taps waste lots of water so remember -always mend taps.
� For cold drinks in summer - put a jug of coldwater in the fridge (You don’t have to run thecold tap for ages to make it get cold).
� Rainwater saves tap water if you use it in thegarden, and it’s better for the plants.
� Always use a bowl when washing up (or wash-ing your hands or cleaning fruit/vegetables) anduse a bucket when washing the car.
� Only put the dish washer on when it is full.
Don’t
� Don’t flush rubbish down the toilet - put it in thebin
� Don’t leave the tap running when you wash up(or wash you hands or wash fruit/vegetables)
� Don’t leave hoses running in the garden.
� Don’t waste the cold water that comes out of thetap before the hot water - save it to use on thegarden.
� Don’t water plants in the hottest part of the day
� Re-use water if there is illness in the family
� Don’t store water for more than a day or two.
The Brecks File Page 67
Climate 8 Pupils’ facts & figures
How to save water
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Crossword and word search answers
Remember: no cheating!
This activity is designed to answer the questions:
❒ What happens to water?
❒ Where does it come from?
❒ Where does it go?
Try this experiment. It shows that water can be constantly recycled. You need:
� two identical clear plastic containers or shallow trays;
� sticky tape; � water; and � a sunny window ledge.
What to do:
❒ Pour in 500 ml of water and seal the 2 trays together with tape (below);
❒ Leave in a sunny place (as the water warms up it evaporates and then condenses);
❒ Measure the volume of water after a week - is it the same? Why?
❒ What would have happened if the container was not sealed?
❒ Can you predict which of these shapes (above) will lose most water?
❒ Try using lots of different shaped containers.
❒ Put an equal amount of water in each.
❒ Leave in a warm place for a week.
❒ Measure the volumes in each.
The Brecks File Page 68
Climate 9 Pupil’s worksheet
The water cycle and evaporation
Top tray
Bottom tray
Water
A B C D E F
The Brecks File Page 69
Climate 10 Pupils’ facts & figures
As the level of affluence has risen, people’s use ofwater has increased. In the UK our demands
have increased over the years. Water companies,especially in dry areas need to manage waterresources very carefully. Here is some recent infor-mation from water companies and from theEnvironment Agency.
❒ Households in a relatively affluent area ofHampshire were using 430 litres per day (around200 litres per person) in a study done on metering,between 1989 and 1992. (Figures from theEnvironment Agency website) http://www.environ-ment-agency.gov.uk/
❒ The average person in the UK uses about 80litres of water a day. The Water Companies in EastAnglia supply each house in their area with anaverage of 140 litres of water every day. (Figuresfrom Anglian Water’s website) http://www.anglian-water.co.uk
❒ However, people in different countries use verydifferent amounts. In the USA people use an aver-age of 500 litres per person per day, whereas peo-ple in some countries in the third world use as littleas 20 litres.
❒ Supermarkets tell farmers that the consumer ismore interested in what vegetables in the shop looklike than in what they taste like. The farmer there-fore puts more water onto the crops to obtain a per-fect appearance.
❒ 30 years ago we used approximately 11 bucketsof water a day each, today we use 16 buckets ofwater a day.
❒ 1 litre of water makes a 100g bar of chocolate
❒ 7 litres of water make 1 litre of beer
❒ 9 litres of water will produce a magazine
❒ 20 litres of water will produce 1kg of coffee
❒ If you have milk with your breakfast - rememberit also uses a lot of water - a cow can drink 90 litresa day.
❒ Taking a shower uses less water than a bath buteven power showers use 14 litres of water perminute.
❒ If you shower for 3 minutes every day of theyear, how much water are you using per year?
❒ The amount of water in a bath is very variable. Aquarter-full bath uses about 50 litres, a half full batharound 100 and a three quarters-full one around150 litres
❒ Ask children to design a personal log and keep acheck on how much water they use in a week. (oruse the pupils’ worksheet attached). Issues of per-sonal hygiene are very sensitive ones, so ensure thatthis data is collected in an unthreatening way.
e.g. 7 power showers = 300 litres
2 baths = 210 litres
Bar charts, pie charts and percentages are all extensions to the graph work.
Use the letter and character notes below to have a class debate/roleplay on the issue of water rationing.
❒ Read the letter from the Water Company (left).
❒ Read the character notes (below).
❒ Choose one of the characters and re-read their notes.
❒ Write a speech, putting their point of view forward as persuasively asyou can.
Character notes
1. Brecks resident
Iam very upset with the Water Company. I pay my bills regularly. I have awater meter and am very careful with the way we use water. We recycle
dirty water from the house for the garden and collect rainwater for thesame purpose. The Water Company ought to fixthe leaks in the pipes, and anyway it’s industryand farmers that use most water - not house-holds like us. I think it is completely unfairthat I should have my water supply reducedsince I take so many steps to use as littlewater as possible.
Draw the Brecks resident here ->
Water rationing role play
The Acme / Brecks Water Co.plc
Breckstown
Breckshire
BRK 121
Friday 7th July 2000
Dear Customer,
As I am sure you are aware, the recent weather has not been very
good for our company (or for you, our customer). In fact we have the
lowest average rainfall of any region of the United Kingdom. This year
has been particularly bad especially as, in the last few years, we have
been living in near-drought conditions. We are seriously short of water.
This background information will, hopefully, help you to understand
why we have to take the following decisions. From Monday 10th July
your water supply will automatically be shut down, daily, between the
hours of ten (10) a.m. and two (2) p.m. until further notice.
Yours sincerely
I.M. Chief.
Director, Acme Brecks Water Co. plc.
To the householder
The Brecks File Page 71
Climate 12 Pupil’s activity sheet
2. Brecks housing developer
Irealise that if the water company continues to limitwater use, we will find it very hard to persuade
the local authorities to allow us to build new hous-es. New houses mean more people, and that will
mean more peoplewanting water. I amworried about profitsand I’m not surewhat to do. But Iknow that morehouses are need-ed becausemore and morepeople arecoming tolive in theBrecks.
<- Drawthe housing
developer here
3. Brecksfarmer
Draw the farmer inthe box ->
Ibelieve it isessential for
me, especially,to be allowedto go on usingthe Breckswater to irri-gate mycrops.People want to
buy perfect, juicy carrots and that needs lots ofwater while the carrots are growing. I believe that ifI am not allowed to irrigate my crops they will growvery badly, or not grow at all. This will mean thateveryone will see food prices go up and quality godown.
4. Washing machine company representative
Iwant the Water Company to re-think its banbecause most of the people living in the Brecks
use a washing machine. Our company is making abig effort to sell thevery latest machineswith water savingtechnology. We areoffering a specialtrade-in price onold machines.As a companywe’re trying tohelp a diffi-cult situation(as well ashelpingour-selves).
Draw the washingmachine company
representative in this box
5. Brecks water company representative
Iwrote the letter you’ve all seen, because we’redesperate. We want to make sure that all our cus-
tomers have some access to a regular water supplyeven if it is much less than usual. We’re very sorrythat we have to take such strong action but we hadvery little choice. We had to do it, because of the
fact that we havehad so little rain,and more andmore people arewanting moreand more waterin this area.
Draw the watercompany rep
here ->
6. Golfcourse,anglingclub, andleisure centre representatives
We need water supplies for ourgolf/angling/sailing. We’re upset by the action
taken by the Water Company. We fear our grassand our lakes will suf-fer, and we will losecustomers. If the situ-ation continues wemay have to closedown and this willmean many peo-ple will lose theirjobs.
Draw the watercompany rep
here ->
The Brecks File Page 72
Climate 13 Pupil’s activity sheet
7. Local authority official
We would like the Water Company to reconsid-er what it is doing. Rather than stopping the
water supply between the hours of 10.00 and 2.00we think that the Water Company should be think-ing of ways to cut down water use in the Brecksarea. One way would be to encourage the recyclingof household water; another would be to remind
people how importantit is to save water byusing less. The WaterCompany could helpby giving peoplerainwater butts atdiscount prices.
<- Draw thewater authorityofficial here
8. Conservationists / environmentalists
We can see that the Water Company is trying todo something to solve the problem, but we
feel that it is too little, too late. Really theGovernment should do something. They should tellthe Water Company to help people cut down theirwater use, and should put more money into envi-ronmentally friendly schemes. It’s a dry area - whynot grow crops which don’t need so much water?We are afraid too much water is being taken forhuman purposes and damaging the unique plants
and animals of the wetland areas. This could meanextinction if nothing is done!
Draw the conservationistor environmentalist here
->
It is best to do this activity in early part of themorning, so that you can check on its progress
during the day. Don’t try to do it when the outsidetemperature is at or near freezing!
Instructions for each child :
1. Take a round balloon and part-fill it with water.
2. Place it in a dish to retain its rounded shape.
3. Put into a deep freeze until solid.
4. Remove from freezer and strip off the balloon sothat you have a half globe of ice or an ice “lens”.
5. Make a crater in the soil (in the garden/schoolgrounds/tray), lay the “lens” in the crater(humped side up) and cover it with a fine siftingof soil.
6. The top of the pingo will take on a pimpledappearance, which is exactly how the landscapewould have appeared during the last ice age.
7. Leave the pingo to develop (melt) but view thechanges at regular intervals during the day.
8. As thawing takes place, as it did during the iceage, some of the surface material will slide offthe mound and accumulate around the edge.
9. The ice “lens” will gradually melt and the soil ontop of the mound will settle into the hollow.
The Brecks File Page 73
Landscape 1 Pupil’s activity sheet
How to make your own pingo pond
spring water rises from the groundwater
ice begins to melt and ground slumps
ground subsides and . . . Pingo!
water freezes and ice expands
During the last Ice Age . . .
. . . the present day.. . . as the Ice Age ends . . .
. . . in the intense cold . . .
The Brecks File Page 74
Landscape 2 Pupils’ facts & figures
FLINT
Flint is a hard, shiny stone found inlumps in the chalk rock of the
Brecks. It is much harder than chalkand does not dissolve in water so isoften left as flint pebbles when thechalk weathers away. The Breckshas a lot of these pebbles.
The flint was made in the sea70 million years ago. Some of thecreatures, which lived then, hadspines and shells made of a chemi-cal called silica. The animals diedand the silica from their bodiesbecame part of the rock that wenow know as flint.
Flint is a useful rock
The people of the Brecks havebeen using flints for thousands
of years. They used it to make(top, to bottom): arrowheads; axeheads; scrapers; and, knives. Thefirst farmers made most of theirtools from flint.
One of the largest and best-known Neolithic flint mines andflint workings in Britain is Grime’sGraves - about three milesNortheast of Brandon.
This place was given its nameby the Anglo-Saxons who thought
that the place was connected with the devil (one ofwhose names was “Grim”). “Graves” means hol-lows or workings.
Grimes Graves
Around 4000 years ago, Neolithic miners dughundreds of deep shafts down into the chalk to
reach the supply of good quality flint. They dug flintout from tunnels (galleries) which spread out fromthe bottom of each shaft like the spokes from awheel. The mining was the earliest major industryin East Anglia.
Grime’s Graves was first excavated by a vicar -Canon W. Greenwell - in 1870. He proved thatthese previously unexplained hollows in theground, were, in fact, infilled flint mines. He dis-covered a shaft 40 feet (12.2m) below the surface.Altogether 700-800 pits and shafts have beenfound. We guess that a team of 20 men could havedug a shaft in 100 days, and a smaller group ofmen would have spent about 40 days removing theflint. The pits were filled in after use.
The only tools weredeer bonesand antlers
The tools used to dig out thepits were probably wooden
shovels, or shovels made fromthe shoulder blades of deer.The flint was dug out withpicks made from red deerantlers (right). In total, 244antlers were found in two pits
and we guess that 50,000 may have been used overthe whole period. The miners used a small stone asa hammer to put pressure on the pick.
Not a job for the claustrophobic!
Galleries for mining the flint spread out from themain shaft like the spokes of a wheel. Some
were 7 ft (2.1m) wide and 5 ft (1.5m) high, butthere were smallerones only 2 - 3 ft(0.6 - 0.9m) high sothe miners had to lieon their sides toextract the flint.Small chalk cupshave been found.These could havebeen filled with fat and used as lamps when minerswere working in the galleries.
Neolithic art in the gallery
The figure of a woman, roughly carved in chalkwas found at the base of a shaft. In front of it
was a triangular heap of mined flint, with a chalklamp opposite and seven red deer antlers. This mayrepresent an offering to an “Earth Goddess” toensure a good supply of flint in the next pit.
The flint the neolithic people dug out was usedto make axes and tools of all kinds. These wereexported to the rest of Southern England alongancient tracks such as the Icknield Way. GrimesGraves was the equivalent of a Stone Age industrialestate.
Early pit closures
Grime’s Graves ceased to be operational after1,000 BC when metalworking was invented.
What are flint and chalk?
The Brecks File Page 75
Landscape 3 Pupils’ facts & figures
After the Neolithic people left Grimes Graves,the mineshafts filled with soil until all that could be
seen were strangemounds and hol-lows. People didn’tknow what thesewere and won-dered if they weremade by the Devil.(“Grim “ is a Norseword for the devil).
After theNeolithic age,
people no longer mined flint for axes or arrows butthey did use it for building.
The Normans used flint to build castles atWeeting and Thetford. Churches, priories and somehouses were all built of flint. Some of the flintswere shaped(“knapped”) intosmall blocksbefore beingused in building.
CHALK
Old houses inthe Brecks
can still befound with partsof walls madefrom blocks ofchalk but it isnot a long-last-ing buildingmaterial since itis so soft. Some-times people
used to dig out little pieces fromthe wall to chew, when they hadindigestion.
Chalk was also dug out of pitson the heaths and spread on thefields. Liming or “marling” a fieldin this way makes it produce bet-ter crops.
Flints made guns work
From the 1720s until the 1830sflint knappers in Brandon
chipped thousands of tiny flintsfor flintlock muskets. The flinthelped make a spark, which firedthe gun. In 1804, the BritishArmy contracted flint knappers tomake 356,000 gunflints eachmonth. In Brandon, you can finda pub called the “Flint Knappers’Arms”.
❒ Look at the picture (right)showing how a flint mine wasprobably worked.
❒ What questions can you thinkto ask about it and about life forthe miners?
❒ What sorts of questions canbe answered given the nature ofthe evidence (mostly stones andbones).
❒ Try to answer the questionsyou can from the informationsheets and pictures.
The Brecks File Page 76
Landscape 4 Pupils’ facts & figures
The Brecks were vital to the British Army
If you strike flint against steel you make a spark. Inthe 18th century guns were developed called flint-
locks. When the gun was fired a piece of flint struckagainst steel making a spark. This fell into a pan ofgunpowder which exploded and fired the bullet.
At this time the flint mining industry was inmany ways very similar to that of the Stone Age.Men dug mine shafts and dug out the flints by hand- though using metal spades and picks, rather thanpicks made from deer antlers! The final use for theflints was however very different - purely military.Brandon became the major centre of the Britishgunflint industry.
The flint was mined about a mile and a half fromBrandon on a part of Breckland called Lingheath.
Miners dug pits into the ground to dig up thechalk and get the flints out. They worked in stages,digging shafts at right angles to one another to pre-vent collapse. They used hammers, picks and shov-els, carrying the flint out of the mine, climbing upthe shafts using toeholds cut into the chalk.
The best quality flint was found in the bottomlayer (the ‘floorstone’). The other layers were notwasted. Some were used for building and the wastewas used for roads or laying a base for a railwaytrack (the Great Eastern line). The miners workedalone for long hours, sometimes taking a week todig a pit only to find that it contained no flint. If thishappened, he earned no money.
The flint was piled into heaps called ‘jags’. Onejag would weigh 13 hundredweight (about 650kg). A miner would expect to dig out three and ahalf jags in a six day week. He would be paid 11pa jag.
Napoleon helped the gunflint industry
In 1790 a huge order for gunflints was placed witha dealer in Bury St. Edmunds. The Napoleonic
wars were a considerable factor in the making ofgunflints. Breckland became the sole supplier andduring these wars, and produced hundreds of thou-sands of flints every month! A single order in 1804was for 356,000.
The final order for gunflints from the BritishArmy came in 1838. (Though other armies aroundthe world went on using flintlock guns and orderingflints.) Flint mining continued in a small way intothe 20th century with the last extraction of flint tak-ing place in the 1950’s.
Gunflints are still made for specialists
Afew flint knappers still make gunflints for groupswho re-enact historical events and use flint lock
guns. There are also American websites offering“fine English Gunflints” for sale to people who ownand use old-fashioned guns. So there is still aninternational market for them.
Flint knapping makes you cough
Working as a flint-knapper was not a healthyoccupation. The knappers worked in small
sheds which were full of flint dust which got intotheir lungs. It gave them a disease called silicosis or
“knapper’s rot” and many of them died young.
Flints were also used instead of matches
People used to carry a “tinder box” with them, inorder to be able to light a fire, like people today
might carry a box of matches. In the box were aflint, a piece of steel and some soft dry cloth to getthe sparks going into a fire. This was known as “tin-der”. These boxes were used until the middle of the19th century.
❒ Find and read the story by Hans Andersen called“The Tinder Box”.
Brandon - the centre of the gun flint industry
The Brecks File Page 77
Landscape 5 Pupils’ facts & figures
The flint knappers of the 18th and 19thcenturies made gunflints.
There were three stages in making gunflints.
1. Quartering The knapper needed to split the largelumps into smaller pieces. He wore a leatherapron and protected his knee with a leather pad.Then he lifted the lump of flint onto his knee andtapped it lightly with the quartering hammer. Thiswas made of iron and had a head shaped like a
hexagon. It weighed up to one and a halfkilograms. He wanted to cut blocks withsquare edges, which were about 15 cmsquare.
Look at the picture (below, left). Can yousee the blocks of flint, the leather apronand the quartering hammer?
2. Flaking The next stage was to cut flakes offthe block of flint. He used a smaller ham-mer with a face about 1cm square. Hetapped lightly around the edge of the flintto make flakes. A skilled flaker could make5,000 to 7,000 flakes a day. And two gun-flints could be cut from one flake.
In the photo (right) canyou see the flakinghammer, the leatherkneepad and the barrelto hold the flakes?
3. Knapping Theknapper then workedat a block that wasmade from the stumpof an oak tree. Therewas a small iron stakefixed near the edge ofthe block. The flint was heldagainst this.
The knapper hit the flintwith a hammer. He tappedaround the flake to make thegunflint and turned it roundon three sides then cut thefourth side as he knocked it
off. A skilled knapper could make 300 flints anhour. Different sized flints were used for different guns.
Making gunflints
Below: Masters of Flint, an 1876 engraving.
Above: A flint knapperat work (from Flint -the Versatile Stonep.20). Right: A flintlockand flints.
1. Would you have liked to work in a flint knap-pers’ workshop?
The army needed a large supply of gunflints,especially in time of war. In 1804 they ordered
356,000 flints a month from their gunflint makers.The best quality flints would give 30-40 shots with-out misfiring.
This is how a flintlock pistol would work over100 shots:
Was the flint more successful during the first orlast part of its life?
A soldier would take several spare flints withhim in a leather or cloth bag.
The Brecks File Page 78
Landscape 6 Pupil’s worksheet
Life as a flint knapper
First Last Results over25 shots 25 shots 100 shots
Fired 20 2 34
Flashed only 1 0 7
Missed 4 23 59
The Brecks File Page 79
Landscape 7 Pupils’ facts & figures
“Miners, like knappers, had their own customsas well as language. I never knew one carry
a watch. Setting off each day from their Brandoncottages with their ‘dockey bags’ (food carriers) theytook two candles with them. Most men would bedigging out flints by eight o’clock. Descending hisshaft he lit his first candle. When it was half burntout he came up for a swig of tea. When that candleexpired he knew it was time for his ‘dockey’(mid-day meal). This might last thirty minutes or so. Thenback to his burrow where he lit his second candleand mined away until that died on him. Then hepacked up for the day.”
“Arrived there with your tools, a pick, spade anda hammer, you make your first cut, twelve feet bysix feet. You then dig the soil out to the depth ofyour first staging, four feet six inches to five feetdown. Most stagings are about that depth. Oncethere you cut out the centre leaving a solid platformon three sides of the staging, and down you goswitching direction at the next level and so on stageby stage, each at right angles to the previous oneuntil you strike the ‘floorstone’.
“Once he gets to the shaft’s toe, ‘floorstone’ levelthe miner works his way along the seam of blackflint. He burrows in straight lines, his directions, asfar as he could estimate, in north, south-east andwest. Each burrow runs ten to twelve yards in ‘gain’(gain means level) from the toe with its height fromtwo foot six to three feet and the width at the bot-tom three to four feet. That’s kept flat, the rest of theburrow rounded.
“He would first raise his flint onto the stagingnearest the toe then with the staging loaded, hesprang up using footholds in the chalk, and liftedhis flint onto the next staging and so on. It mighttake half a dozen lifts to get to the top. He carriedheavy lumps on his head, raising them first chesthigh against a wall then, ducking underneath, heheaded his flints up platform by platform.”
Read the information, left.
Look at the photograph and find the answers tothese questions:
1. How did the miners dig the pit?
2. What tools did they use?
3. How did they get the flint out of the mine?
4. Compare this photo with the picture of a mine atGrimes Graves. What is the same? What is different?
Flint mining, by Herbert Edwards, a miner
The most common building materials in theBrecks are chalk and flint. The hard chalk was
called “clunch”. Flint is very hard and ideal forbuilding, but it is difficult to build corners with flint,so the corners were often made of brick or stone.
Sometimes small lumps of flint were fittedtogether to make walls. The flint lumps were held inplace with mortar. To protect the mortar from theweather, small flakes of flint were pushed into it.This was called “galleting”.
The inner surface of flint is black and shiny.From the 15th century flints were cut into squareswhich fitted together. This was called “flushwork”.Sometimes stones and flints were combined tomake a pattern like on a chessboard.
Flint is still used in new buildings today.
❒ Look at the photographs of buildings made withflint (below).
❒ Can you match up the pairs of pictures? (One ofeach pair is a close up and one is from furtheraway.)
Below: flushwork and decorative patterns can be seenclearly in this flint-clad house.
The Brecks File Page 80
Landscape 8 Pupil’s worksheet
Flint for building
The Brecks File Page 81
Settlement in the Brecks 1 Pupils’ facts & figures
Early settlements were all near water
In such a dry landscape it is not surprising thatmost of the earliest permanent settlements were
no more than a mile from water. People built theirhomes either in the river valleys or close to pondsand lakes, so that they were close to a water sourcefor themselves and their animals, and close to thesource of fish and a means of transport.
Millennia later, the Roman invaders met resist-ance in the Brecks from Queen Boudicca and theIceni people.
Up to AD 61, the Brecks was part of the king-dom of the Iceni tribe under King Prasatugus andQueen Boudicca (sometimes spelt “Boadicea”).
The Iceni were a Celtic tribe living in what isnow Norfolk and north Suffolk. Look at the map onthe next page.
Thetford was built as a fortress
The Icknield Way (a main road at the time) cross-es the River Thet and Little Ouse at Thetford. The
Iceni wanted to protect the place where the roadcrosses the river. They were worried about attackfrom tribes like the Trinovantes from the South.
They built two great banks and ditches acrossthe route. The banks may have been defended bysharpened wooden stakes. Inside the fort were huts,workshops and animal pens.
Thetford may have been the capital of the Icenitribe. Evidence was found in 1981 at Gallows Hill,
2km north of Thetford. There, the archaeologistsfound signs of a huge enclosure with a large timberbuilding and natural posts arranged to look like agrove of oak trees. This may have been an impor-tant ceremonial centre for the Iceni.
The Iceni had fantastic jewellery (from top, right:torcs and rings; coins; and a necklace, buckle andpendant).
We know that they were a rich and powerfultribe because their gold and silver coins and goldneck rings, called torcs, have been found atSnettisham in Norfolk.
What do these tell us about the Iceni?
Boudicca and the Iceni in the Brecks
The Brecks File Page 82
Settlement in the Brecks 2 Pupils’ facts & figures
This map shows the settlements of the Iceni people around Thetford during the Iron Age.
Towards the bottom and east of Suffolk, you can seeother settlements. These were occupied by theTrinovantes people.
The Brecks File Page 83
Settlement in the Brecks 3 Pupil’s worksheet
The Roman emperor Nero wantedNorfolk
When the Romans invaded Britain they tookover most of Southern England. The Iceni king
was allowed to go free as long as he left his land tothe Emperor. When he died he left half of his landto his family and only half to the Emperor. EmperorNero was angry and sent some soldiers toBoudicca’s court to take over the whole land.Boudicca refused and so she and her daughterswere beaten.
Boudicca stood up to the invaders
The Roman writer, Cassius Dio, described howfrightening Boudicca was.
❒ Draw a picture, right, of what you thinkBoudicca looked like based on this description bythe Roman writer. (Use the evidence from the pic-tures on page 81 to draw her jewellery.)
“She was very tall and her aspect was terrifying, for her eyes flashed fiercely and hervoice was harsh. A mass of red hair fell to herhips and around her neck was a twisted goldnecklace. Over a tunic of many colours shewore a thick cloak fastened with a brooch”.
Boudicca led a large army against the Romans ata time when most of the Roman army was in Walesattacking the Druids in Anglesey.
The Iceni butcher the people ofColchester
Boudicca attacked the Roman capital ofCamulodunum (Colchester) which was not well
defended. She destroyed the city and made surethat all the people there, including women andchildren, were killed.
Then her army marched on Londinium (London)and destroyed that as well. By this time the Romanarmy had been sent for and was marching to attackBoudicca and her army. She destroyed Verulamium(St. Albans) and then prepared to meet the Romansin battle. Cassius Dio reports that Boudicca gavethis speech to her army:
“We British are used to women commanders
in war. I am descended from mighty men, but Iam not fighting for my kingdom and wealthnow. I am fighting as an ordinary person formy lost freedom, for my bruised body and formy beaten daughters. Think of how many ofyou are fighting and why, then you will winthis battle or die. That is what I, a woman,plan to do. Let the men live in slavery if theywant”.
❒ Does this tell us anything about Boudicca andwomen in Celtic times?
❒ Do you think Cassius Dio really knew whatBoudicca said? How?
The Romans defeat the Iceni
The Iceni and Roman armies fought their last bat-tle in the Midlands. The Roman army was well
trained and kept together. They chose to fight wherethe Iceni would have to cross a stretch of marshyground. The Iceni soldiers attacked as individualsand were soon forced to give way. The Romans wonthe battle.
We know that Boudicca died soon after herdefeat. Some historians believe that she committedsuicide. Cassius Dio reports that she died of an ill-ness. Nobody knows where she is buried. Weknow that the Romans punished the Iceni by takingover their land. The fort at Thetford and the templeat Gallows Hill were destroyed in AD61.
❒ Imagine you are a Roman soldier who was fight-ing in that last battle. Now you have been sent onan expedition to destroy the Iceni headquarters atThetford and Gallows Hill. Write a letter home toyour family describing the battle and what you didand saw in the Brecks.
Boudicca in battle
The Brecks File Page 84
Settlement in the Brecks 4 Pupil’s worksheet
The Romans left many traces of their settlementsin the Brecks.
The Roman army built long straight roads to linkup their main towns. In the Brecks there is thePeddars Way, which crosses the River Wissey, link-ing the towns of Colchester and Brancaster. Theremay have been a fort on Peddars Way and a campat Narborough, north west of the Brecks.
From AD100 the Romans built small towns,often near places where roads crossed rivers, likeHockwold, Icklingham, Brettenham and Threxton.Markets, religious buildings and workshops have allbeen found in these places.
A settlement at what is now Icklingham wasdeveloped beside the River Lark, west of where theIcknield Way joined a Roman road. Archaeologistshave found a building with under-floor heating, twocemeteries, pottery kilns, a possible pagan templesite and a fourth century Christian church.
Romans in Britain AD 43-410Below: A Roman centurion.
The Brecks File Page 85
Settlement in the Brecks 5 Pupil’s worksheet
Buried treasure in Breckland
Some of the Roman landowners were verywealthy. We have evidence of Roman wealth
from buried treasure found in the Brecks.
The most famous discovery is the MildenhallTreasure, which was found at West Row. Thisincluded several beautiful solid silver dishes, bowlsand spoons. A huge piece, which has been named‘the Great Dish’ is decorated with nymphs andsatyrs (minor goddesses and gods of Greek &Roman mythology) and measures 60cm across.
Someone buried treasure when the Saxonsinvaded - and never came back for it.
In 1979, a collection of gold jewellery (rings,necklaces and bracelets) and 33 silver spoons wasdiscovered buried at Gallows Hill, Thetford. Severalof the spoons were marked with the name Faunus,the god of nature, who may have been worshippedwith the wine god, Bacchus. The gold objects hadnever been worn. They were made in the late 4thCentury at a time when Saxon pirates were attack-ing East Anglia. The owner probably buried themfor safety and never returned to reclaim them.
❒ Look carefully at the photographs of the treas-ures on page 81.
❒ Choose one item from the set and draw a copyof it for a classroom ‘treasure trove’.
❒ Make a catalogue (spreadsheet) of your class-room treasure display.
Make a set of jewellery of your own design.
Look at the style used by the Romans and try tomake a brooch or necklace to match their patterns.
How to make a brooch❒ Make the base out of card cut into a strip.
❒ Coat the card with PVA glue.
❒ Stick on some small balls of screwed up tissue(not touching each other)
❒ Wind thin string around the tissue paper balls (tooutline the shapes) and press it onto the glue
❒ Add a raised border of tiny card shapes (ovals orcircles glued one on top of the other).
❒ Coat the whole brooch with glue
❒ Gently press foil over the top using a thick paint-brush to push the foil down into all the creases.
Saxon settlements
Saxons began to settle in East Anglia from the 5thCentury. The name East Anglia suggests that they
came from Anghelm in Southern Denmark, or per-haps they came from the Netherlands or NorthernGermany. They would have crossed the sea by theshortest route and travelled up the river valleys intothe Brecks.
Do this work with a partner.
❒ If you were going to settle in a new place, whatwould you need to survive?
❒ Talk with your partner and make a list of what
you need. Think about what you would eat or drink,what you would wear, how you would shelter, keepwarm and be safe.
❒ Look at an Ordnance Survey map of the Brecksand see if there is a place that would make a goodsite for a settlement. Write the name here:
“A rare grave dug for a heroic warrior 1,500years ago was unearthed on an American airbase in Suffolk. As some of the world’s mostsophisticated fighter jets screamed overhead,archaeologists working at RAF Lakenheath dis-covered the last resting place of an Anglo-Saxon warrior chief.
“He was buried in about 550 AD with hishorse, along with sword, shield and spear, andan iron bucket which is thought to have con-tained food for the animal.
“Parallels are already being drawn with a simi-lar grave found at Sutton Hoo.”
Report from EADT 9.10.97
Answer the question in the space below
1. If you were going to be buried, what would youchoose to be buried with you?
2. On a separate sheet, write the story the journal-ists might put in a newspaper in 3500, whenthey discover a grave from the year 2000.
Culford
Kentford
Lackford
Langford
Lynford
Mundford
Narford
Thetford
Wangford
Bardwell
Beachamwell
Elmswell
Feltwell
Herringswell
Wordwell
Livermere
Hockwold
Methwold
NorthwoldAbove: A Saxon family at home might havelooked like this.
The Brecks File Page 87
Settlement in the Brecks 7 Pupils’ facts & figures
The military presence
During the second world war, the governmentdecided that the army needed large areas of
land for training and firing practice. In 1940, thearmy bought land around the villages of Stanford,Sturston, Tottington and Bodney.
The people who lived in the villages had tomove out and, although they were told that theycould return, they were never allowed to. One rea-son given was the large amount of unexplodedammunition left behind. The remains of the villagesare still visible. The area is now known as theStanford Training Area, or STANTA, and is closed tothe public.
Look at the map. Try to answer the questions:
1. How much land in the Brecks is controlled byForest Enterprise? (Work out a rough percentage.)
Lying almost in the centre of East Anglia, Thetfordoccupies an important position in the Brecks.
A defensive position was built here thousands ofyears ago in the Iron Age at theplace where the Icknield Way
crosses the two rivers - theLittle Ouse and the Thet.This is now the site ofCastle Hill, Thetford’s
oldest monument,thought to datefrom just after theNorman
Conquest. It is a hugemound, 25 metres high, 305
metres feet around at the base and with the IronAge ramparts around it measuring 250 metres fromeast to west.
Religious activity
In 870 and again in 1004 Thetford wasburned to the ground, but recovered
and became an important religious site.In 1020 the Abbot of Bury St. Edmundscreated a Nunnery in Thetford whichwas the forerunner of many more.
Industry
The town was held in high regard forskilled engineering, with the arrival of
Burrells steam traction factory in the late19th Century. The invention of the com-bustion engine reduced demand for thesteam engines and the factory closed
down in the 1930s. In 1957, the town began toexpand by attracting new industries to the area,some of them with international reputation.
Since 1957, the town has been a chosen site forhousing development, with four major industrialestates providing employment for many thousandsof people working on a wide range of products andservices.
Huge changes have taken place within the townover recent years. The traffic has been excludedfrom some streets, large shops have been construct-ed and there is a large market, which has over-flowed beyond the original designated area.
ForestThetford Forest is famous - it is the largest low-
land forest in England. Today the forest is the majorindustry in the area.
For more information on it, see the forestry sec-tion of the Brecks File.
The Brecks File Page 88
Settlement in the Brecks 8 Teacher’s briefing
Thetford The BrecksThe BrecksNorfolk
Suffolk
Thetford
Bury St Edmunds....
Left: a steam traction engine rally.
Above: Thetford is in the heart of East Anglia
The Brecks File Page 89
Conservation and wildlife 1 Teacher’s briefing
“Biodiversity” is a contraction of the phrase“biological diversity”, a term for variety or
diversity within the biological world. The wordcame into popular usage after the Earth Summit inRio de Janeiro in 1992. It means the range of differ-ent species living in an area or on the planet as awhole. In its widest sense, biodiversity is virtuallysynonymous with “Life on Earth”.
It is now a matter of common concern thathuman activities have reduced biodiversity at glob-al, national and regional levels, and continue to doso. This is obvious from the loss of plant and animalpopulations, the extinction and depletion of speciesand the simplification of communities and ecosys-tems.
Wildlife decline in the Brecks is almost a text-book case study. For example, one of the mainhabitats for which the Brecks is famous is theheaths. Heathland is now one of Europe’s rarest andmost threatened habitats. In the last 100 years,95% of the Dutch, 98% of the Danish and 72% ofthe British lowland heaths have been destroyed.Those that are left in Britain are in small fragments,still threatened in many places by road building andurban expansion.
The Brecks has a unique variety of animals andplants including many rare species. Some speciessuch as the great bustard (a huge bird), red-backedshrike, silver-studded blue butterfly and spotted sul-phur moth have already become extinct in theBrecks (they still exist elsewhere in Europe). Otherswill surely suffer the same fate unless positive con-
servation measures are implemented.
Endangered species include:
At West Stow Country Park you can see some ofthe unusual plants, specially grown for people tosee. Many of these plants have declined significant-ly since 1945 and several are on the verge ofextinction. These species generally require someopenness and soil disturbance to prevent them frombeing overrun by competitive vegetation, but eachhas a specific life strategy.
Government grantsto the rescue
The long-term survivalof the specialised
Brecks plants and animals depends on sensitive management oftheir habitats. Many sur-vive on nature reserves,where grazing by sheepand rabbits is sustained.
The BrecklandEnvironmentally SensitiveArea scheme of paymentto farmers for wildlife-sensitive land manage-ment, recognises howimportant the past pat-tern of irregular cultiva-tion is for some of therarest Brecks species.This mimics the tradition-al arable systems, andplants such as Spring andBreckland speedwellssurvive at field edgesuncropped but rotavatedonce a year to disturbthe soil.
Biodiversity and wildlife conservation
� starry Breck lichen
� scaly Breck lichen
� perennial knawel
� spiked speedwell
� early speedwell
� spring speedwell
� field southernwood
� fingered speedwell
� spotted cats-ear
� small alison
� tower mustard
� Breckland thyme
� blue fescue
� military orchid
� Spanish catchfly
� stone curlew
� tawny wave moth
� scarce emeralddamselfly
� barbastelle bat
Rare species in the Brecks,from top: military orchid;perennial knawel; scarceemerald damselfly
The Brecks File Page 90
Conservation and wildlife 2 Teacher’s briefing
Hope for wildlife in the Brecks
The Brecks has seen enormous changes in landuse over the centuries. Some of the impacts of
humans on the wild landscape have been positive,but in the last 100 years, many have been verydamaging, and it is taking hard work by many indi-viduals and agencies to reverse the trend.
Taking an optimistic view,there are signs that the tide
has turned. Some of the heathsare now better managed,with the help of sheep andrabbits, than at any time inthe last half century. Onmany heaths, scrub isbeing cleared and bracken
brought under control, withfunding from various grant sources,
(e.g. the European Union, and the Ministry ofAgriculture Fisheries and Food - MAFF), this isrestoring the traditional heathland plant communi-ties. Many wetlands are being restored too, scrub isbeing taken out, water levels raised and grazing re-introduced.
Biodiversity education is a fundamental elementof the conservation plan for the Brecks.
The peoplewho live here,and those who
visit, will be cru-cial in deciding
and formingthe future ofthis unique
region.
❒ Check the following web sites for information: www.english-nature.org.uk; www.wildlifetrusts.org
Conservation: introducing the concept
Conservation is a difficult term and should bediscussed carefully with children.
� This could begin with brainstorm to write downall their ideas leading towards refining and clari-fying them.
So, what is it?� It’s about people’s influence on the landscape
and living things.
� It is not about what is “natural” (Whatever thatmight mean.)
� It is not about leaving things alone.
Conservation of any kind depends upon peoplehaving a particular aim� It is about selecting from a range of options.
� It is frequently about discouraging or destroyingsome things in favour of others. e.g. in a gardenor school pond - you may pull out plants whichare beginning to take over.
For good conservation work - there needs to be amanagement plan. You need to decide what youwant to achieve and how you’re going to get there.What needs to be dug up, cut down, grazed, mownetc in order to achieve the aim.
E.g. in a meadow - the grass and other plantsneed to be cut after they’ve flowered and seeded, inorder to keep rank vegetation at bay.
Issues to consider inconservation� Does keeping
things thesame meandoing nothing?
� How did itget into thestate it is innow? Howmight it changeif you do nothing?
� What might need doing to keep things the same?
� Is conservation about protecting all plants andanimals? Could you do this anyway? Whatwould you protect them from? Would the num-bers stay the same?
� Is it all right to kill living things? Plants? Insects?Birds? Furry animals? Why?
� Who should decide what is to be conserved?The person who owns the land? Government?Someone else?
School grounds as a conservation issue� Many of these issues
can be explored throughlooking at the schoolgrounds with the chil-dren. (See page 102in the Brecks File.)
The purpose of studying stone curlews is to discover:
❒ How a living thing is suited to a particular envi-ronment.
❒ How it is part of a food chain and a web offeeding relationships.
❒ How recent changes to its environment arethreatening its existence.
❒ What actions are being taken in the Brecks.
This leads to considering the question of givingspecial protection to particular species and raisesthe following issues:
❒ What threatens these birds?
❒ How necessary is it to carry out this particularactivity here?
❒ What protection do the birds need?
❒ How is it best given? (compulsorily? voluntarily?)
❒ What is the financial cost of these measures?
❒ Who should pay?
❒ How do we decide what to spend?
❒ Who should decide what is to be done?
❒ Why should such a species be protected?
The stone curlew is a symbol of nature conserva-tion in the Brecks. The decline of the stone curlewwas one of the major spurs to intense conservationeffort in the Brecks.
It is a large brown and white bird belonging tothe group known as “waders”. This one is unusualin that it breeds and hunts for food on dry, open,stony land. On such land, the adults are well cam-ouflaged, and so are the eggs and chicks. Thesebirds favour open areas, where there is a good all-round view when nesting. The nest is a shallowscrape in the bare earth, and the females lay twoeggs. It is a migratory bird that arrives in March tobreed in Britain after over-wintering in Spain orNorth Africa and remains until about October.
Stone curlews feed primarily on beetles, earth-worms and woodlice but will eat larger prey likebaby birds, frogs or lizards if they can catch them.Their enormous eyes give you the clue that they arenocturnal - and this is true, especially in winter.Their main predators are foxes but hedgehogs,crows and stoats will also eat the eggs.
The threat to the stone curlew
The number of stone curlews in Britain hasdeclined by some 85% since 1940. They are
largely restricted now to the Brecks region of EastAnglia and parts of the West Country. It was oncepossible to see flocks of hundreds of them on theBrecks heaths, but by the early 1990s less than 100pairs were breeding here.
Nesting sites
These need to be onopen dry land with
short vegetation.Traditionally StoneCurlews nested on theshort turf of closelygrazed chalk down-land orgrass heath.
Today much of this type ofland has been turned over to agri-culture or commercial forestry.More than half of the StoneCurlews now nest on arableland in spring-sown crops.Here they face uncertainty
❒ If the cropthey are nest-ing in quicklygrows tall, it
will obscure theirview and they may
desert the nest.
❒ Their effective camouflage makesit difficult for farmers to see them and
they are at risk from tractor-drawn machinery.
❒ They need a dry site – arable land may be irrigated and the nest can become water-logged oreven washed away.
❒ They are shy and dislike disturbance – so if veg-etables are being picked by hand, the presence ofthe workers is likely to upset them.
Conservation case study: stone curlews
The Brecks File Page 92
Conservation and wildlife 4 Teacher’s briefing
Food supply
Stone curlews hunt their invertebrate food atnight. They search short vegetation and bare
earth to find them. A plentiful food supply dependsupon the presence of dung (from rabbits or sheep -or even cattle or pigs) on which the beetles, wormsand woodlice feed.
Shortages may arise due to:
❒ The loss of livestock on farms – the move awayfrom mixed to arable farming
❒ The drop in the number of rabbits
❒ The use of chemical fertilisers on the land inplace of manure
❒ The loss of banks and rough grass edges (“head-lands”) around the fields
However, the increase in free-range pig farmingprovides feeding grounds of bare earth and manure.The return to the use of manure on the land resultsin manured soil and manure heaps – both suitablefeeding places for stone curlews
Special measures of protection
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB) and English Nature are running a Stone
Curlew Recovery Project all over the Brecks. Theywork with landowners - farmers and nature conser-vation agencies - to god breeding habitats wherepossible and to try to make sure that no harmcomes to the eggs or chicks through farming opera-tions.
In the spring the RSPB Wardens locate and mon-itor nesting sites on farmland. They advise farmers
how they can adjust their schedules to give nestsand chicks the best chance of survival. This mayinvolve working around a nest or changing the timeof machinery operations. Schemes that offer incen-tives for taking arable land out of production can bedirected towards land management that will benefitthe Stone Curlews.
These intensive conservation measures and bet-ter management of heathland sites has meant thatby 1999, the number of breeding pairs had risen to159. In 1998, breeding pairs numbered 142.
The stone curlew’s future
After decades of neglect, many heathland sitesare now being managed in order to be suitable
again for breeding stone curlews.
Seeing them
Weeting Heath National Nature Reserve hasprobably the best facilities for people to see
these birds without disturbing them. The reserve isopen from April to August.
Teacher-led literacy activities 1. The stone curlew has many country names, many
of which describe the appearance or habit. Theseinclude:
� Ask the pupils to try to work out explanations forsome of these names.
� Ask them to invent some more, based on whatthe bird looks like, and how, and where it lives.
2. Starting points in poetry.
a. Use answers to questions devised in response topictures of stone curlews
e.g. Where do you come from?
(next line is the reply)
What do you feed on?
(next line is the reply)
Where do you walk on your long legs?
(next line is the reply)
etc.
b. Variations on the above might be:
Tell me ………….
I wonder ………..
c. Listing the body parts (This can be a way ofteaching a wider vocabulary to include lessfamiliar terms such as ‘bill’, ‘plumage’, ‘down’etc.) The poem is constructed by stating the bodypart and then describing it. e.g.
Eyes; huge and golden
Beak; short and strong
This basic pattern can be developed by adding asimile to each line. e.g.
Eyes, huge and golden, like shiny coins
❒ Clew
❒ Collier jack
❒ Goggle-eyed plover
❒ Little godwit
❒ Long-legged peewit
❒ Night hawk
❒ Norfolk plover
❒ Thick-knee
❒ Whistling plover
❒ Willie reeve
The Brecks File Page 93
Conservation and wildlife 5 Pupil’s worksheet
What do you think this man is doing?
Here is some of the equipment he uses:
What questions wouldyou like to ask aboutthese things?
This is Peter Hayman, one of the Royal Society forthe Protection of Birds (RSPB) officers whose job
is to look after Stone Curlews in the Brecks
Looking after rare birds
❒ In spring, when the birds return from their winterhomes in southern Europe or North Africa, Peterand his 4 colleagues set out to look for nest sites.The wardening team use little cars to drive to thefields and to sit in, because the birds are not afraidof machines - only of people on foot. If Peter can-not see any birds on a field he know is a likely nest-ing site, he may get out and walk up and down thefield until he finds the birds.
❒ When he knows where they are nesting he canmake sure that the farmer knows too. He asks thetractor drivers to be careful to avoid the nest.
❒ If the chicks are frightened they sometimes liedown and pretend to be dead. This is not a goodidea if there is tractor coming along. So sometimesthe tractor driverrings Peter andwarns himthat he isgoing to worknear a particularnest the next day.The RSPB wardenscan then go and pickup andhold thechickswhile thetractordoes its
Saving stone curlews
The Brecks File Page 94
Conservation and wildlife 6 Pupil’s worksheet
work in the field. Afterwards they put them downagain for the parent birds to find.
❒ Sometimes they have even held chicks and keptthem warm all night, on the Ministry of Defenceland, while the army practised manoeuvres.
Why are stone curlews so rare?
❒ These birds can only breed successfully in a par-ticular habitat. They need very short grass, for nest-ing sites and a good supply of beetles and worms asfood for themselves and their chicks. When theBrecks were covered with sheep and rabbits it wasnot hard to find short grass and lots of beetles in thesheep and rabbits’ droppings. But when farmingpractices changed and sheep numbers dropped, thebirds had trouble finding the right habitat.Myxomatosis killed off the rabbits and made lifeeven more difficult for them. They became rarer andrarer.
❒ They take 4 weeks to hatch the eggs and another6 weeks before the chicks can fly. This is a longtime.
Radio tracking answered some questions aboutwhere these birds go at night
❒ In the mid 1980s scientists did a big study ofStone curlews and what they need for a successfullife. During this study they used radio trackingequipment to follow the birds at night to find outhow far they travelled to find food,
RSPB/English Nature’s special project
❒ In the late 1980s a special protection projectwas set up to stop stone curlews getting any rarer
and to try to help their population recover.
Making them easy to recognise by colour codingtheir legs
❒ The RSPB wardens put rings on the chicks’ legswith a unique combination of colours, so that eachbird can be recognised in the future.
❒ The rings are loose enough so that they don’thurt the birds, but tight enough so that they don’tfall off or get caught in things. They don’t get in theway when the birds are flying.
❒ Now more than half the stone curlews in theBrecks have colour coded legs, so we know wherethey were born, how old they are and whether theyhave themselves successfully produced young ones.
❒ Autumn gatherings make counting a bit easier. Inautumn, stone curlews get together in large roosts(they sleep by day in flocks of 80-90). This is a busytime for the RSPB team who must try to identify andcount the birds. This is the best opportunity to findout which chicks have grown up from the little ballsof fluff on whose legs the wardens put the colouredrings and this is the time when they work out thesummer’s breeding success.
Has the special project worked?
❒ Yes. Before the project numbers were goingdown every year by 5%. Now the population isslowly increasing. In 1999, the project team saved24 clutches of eggs. They helped chicks on 11occasions and 22 chicks fledged from the nestswhich the team helped. Altogether the team found129 nesting attempts on arable land (+ 101 nests onheaths, which didn’t need any help) made by 159
pairs of birds. The total of chicks growing intoadults in 1999n was 107.
What does Peter like about his job?
� “When you put rings on the little chicks it meansthat later on in the season you can tell if thechicks which you helped in some way have sur-vived. You know quite quickly if you were suc-cessful in saving a particular bird, and it givesyou a real buzz.”
� “Going out in the Brecks on a lovely sunnyevening and finding a nest. Knowing that youcan then try to help the birds”
What does Peter dislike about his job?
✖ “I’ve been doing the job for 10 years now, andsometimes I feel a bit fed up with walking upand down sugar beet fields.”
✖ “I sometimes wonder what agricultural chemi-cals I’m breathing in.”
The Brecks File Page 95
Conservation and wildlife 7 Pupils’ facts & figures
Perennial knawel(Scleranthus perennis prostratus)
Some of the weird and wonderful plants of theBrecks have never been common. But some are
so specialised that without extra help they wouldcertainly have joined the mammoth and the dodoin the list of extinct species.
Perennial knawel, for example, appears alwaysto have been a rare plant, which has only ever beenfound in Norfolk and Suffolk. The earliest record isat Elveden, Suffolk, in 1696. It is officially listed asan “endangered” species, and therefore has full pro-tection under the government’s legislation passed in1981, known as the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
It is a small plant, rather inconspicuous with brit-tle, woody stems. The five green rounded sepalshave striking white edges. It is not a long-lived plantalthough it is a perennial. It prefers sandy soil withan acid content and little competition.
It grew best in areas where rabbits kept the grassshort and the land open. When myxomatosiscaused a dramatic decline in rabbit populations thisplant hit serious problems. Without the grazingteeth of rabbits, other plants began to colonise thebare land, so the knawel’s seedlings found nowhereto get established.
In order to save this declining species from itsslide towards extinction, it has been included inEnglish Nature’s “Species Recovery Programme”.This means it is on the UK government’s natureconservation agency’s list of our most threatened
animals and plants, and is the subject of a specialplan to prevent its decline.
Saving rare plants
It’s a thirsty life!
In the Brecks, plants have a really tough time get-ting enough to drink, and then making sure they
don’t lose water.
This plant, Viper’s bugloss,is found growing on sandy
soils. It has adapted tothese dry conditions.
❒ Some plantadaptations
are shown right.Draw lines to joinup what they dowith why they do it.
❒ Try to find examples of plants with these shapes,in your school grounds. Draw one example, right.
� Read the rest of these information sheets to see ifyou were right.
The history of heaths in the Brecks
The phrase “lowland heath” refers to areas whichare less than 300m above sea level, where the
main plants are dwarf shrubs - in particular variousheathers. They are typically found on sandy, free-draining nutrient-poor soils that are often acidic.
The heaths in the Brecks are partly heatherheaths and partly grass heaths.
The grasslands of the Brecks are unique inBritain. They are a complex jigsaw of acid and
chalky (alkaline) plant communities, which growwithin only a metre of each other.
Heathland
Above: Cavenhan heath in the autumn
The Brecks File Page 98
Conservation and wildlife 10 Pupils’ facts & figures
Several plant species in the Brecks grownowhere else in Britain, and they would be quite athome on the steppes of Siberia (where, indeed, theydo also grow).
Lowland heathland is one of Europe’s rarest andmost threatened habitats. For example 72% ofBritish heaths have been destroyed during the last100 years, as shown on the maps and this pie chart.
The main losses began in the 1920’s, when theForestry Commission planted many hundreds ofconifers. After the second World War, large areaswere ploughed up to grow crops and since thentowns and roads have taken more and more heathland.
Many of the small patches of heathland thatremain are still deteriorating from a wildlife point ofview. Because tall, rough vegetation and scrub aregrowing over the small, rare Brecks plants. The lossof sheep grazing and the killing of rabbits by myxo-matosis meant that trees invaded the heathland andgrew out of control.
The good news is that, recently, governmentmoney has been put in to support a different kindof farming in the Breckland “EnvironmentallySensitive Area”. This has meant that farmers couldreintroduce sheep grazing on many heaths.
Cavenham Heath is one of the most importantsurviving Brecks heaths. It covers 203 hectares.Much of it has dry, acidic, sandy soil which sup-ports heather and bracken with patches of sandsedge and grass heath on the chalky soil at the east-ern end. Careful management has encouraged natu-ral heathland regeneration. The main managementproblem is the invasion of trees and bushes thatgradually turn the heathland into woodland, theworst culprit being the silver birch. The best solu-tion is grazing by sheep or rabbits as they eat thetree seedlings.
Part of the heath at Cavenham is grazed bysheep or cattle but other parts which are not grazedare managed by pulling up young trees by hand,digging up older ones or felling by chainsaw if theyare bigger. Other management tasks include rota-vation or cutting of old heather to encourage newgrowth, trees in the woodland are thinned, ragwortis kept under control and the footpaths and ridesare regularly maintained.
Weeting Heath is a National Nature Reserve andis situated in the heart of the Brecks. It is covered
by open grassland and stony heath and is home to anumber of rare plants, birds and insects. Especiallyimportant are the stone curlews which breed here.The hides overlooking the reserve are probably thebest place to see stone curlews in Britain.
Grazing of the heath at Weeting is essential tothe survival of the wildlife and rabbits are activelyencouraged. The introduction of sheep also helpsthe heathland management programme.
Above: The hard, stony ground of Weeting Heath ishome to many rare, specially-adapted plants andinsects
Heath remaining in 1998 (7,000 hectares)
Heath lost since 1900 (22,000 hectares)
The Brecks File Page 99
Sustainability 1 Teacher’s briefing
Definitions: A sustainable community lives inharmony with its local environment and does
not cause damage to distant environments or othercommunities - now or in the future. Quality of lifeand the interest of future generations are valuedabove immediate materials consumption and eco-nomic growth.”
A Framework for Local Sustainability. Kent CC
Sustainable development is…….
� “Development that meets the needs of the pres-ent without compromising the ability of futuregenerations to meet their own needs” OurCommon Futures - the Brundtland Report 1987
� “Improving the quality of human life, while liv-ing within the carrying capacity of supportingecosystems” (Rio 1992)
or
� “Having a great life today - without ruining yourchances of having a great life tomorrow”. (A 10year old Chilean.)
A quick history lesson
In 1992 the United Nations held the “EarthSummit” in Rio de Janeiro. At this conference, 179
nations endorsed an action plan for the 21st centu-ry, called Agenda 21. This is a blueprint on how tomake development environmentally sustainablewhile including social progress and economicgrowth. Agenda 21 calls on governments to adopt
national strategies for sustainable development.
Local Agenda 21
Local Agenda 21 is about really thinking globallyand acting locally. These local Action Plans have
to be made up and agreed by the people whoselives will be affected - involving everyone. It’s alsovital that people have the information they need tomake good decisions.
Getting started on sustainability� Management, curriculum, resources and ethos:
❒ Auditing and managing the school’s environmen-tal impacts: resource use (what they are, where theycome from, how long they’ll last etc etc,); minimis-ing & managing waste; water conservation; energyconservation; rationalising transport.
❒ Looking after school grounds - for the wildlifethat lives there and people who work & play there.
❒ Making decisions - involving the people whoselives will be affected.
❒ Keeping in touch with developments in environ-mental education and sustainability issues.
❒ Telling other people about what you’re doing:parents, governors, local residents, the countycouncil.
❒ Implementing an equal opportunities policy, abehavioural policy, an environmental educationpolicy.
❒ Links with local people, with local businesses,with local places.
The first steps1. Identify which aspects of school life affect its sus-
tainability. e.g. curriculum, management, schoolgrounds, resources, ethos, local community andbusiness links, international links, etc.
2. Identify existing positive action in school.Bringing it together helps explain what sustainabili-ty is, inspires people to do more, exposes the gaps,enables monitoring and gives ‘good news’ storiesabout young people and schools’ achievements.
� More information for all this ought to be avail-able from your local education authority advisoryservice.
Also see: http://www.gbr.org/(for info on school grounds development)
And: http://www.gfg.iclnet.co.uk/for the government’s campaign “Going for Green”and Eco-Schools.
Within the Brecks there are many places whichattract tourists. Few of them however have
huge numbers of visitors (shown on the next page).
What does the Brecks offer?❒ Wide open landscape, with broad horizons andbig skies.
❒ At night, there is very little “light pollution” sothe stars look extra bright.
❒ Several rivers (some good for boating), lakes andponds.
❒ Many areas of open heathland (with interestingand unusual plants and birds).
❒ A variety of woodland areas.
❒ Rare and endangered (and some just interesting!)birds, mammals and plants.
❒ Many nature reserves of different status (somelocally important and some nationally).
❒ Some areas of environmentally- friendly farm-land (managed with money from the government).
❒ The largest lowland forest in England (ThetfordForest).
❒ Historic (and prehistoric) sites and buildings.
❒ Many fine villages, small towns and churches.
❒ The military use of the area, with current andold airfields, remains of pillboxes, anti-glider ditch-es.
Transport
Transport in the area, which affects tourists,includes:
❒ Rail links with Cambridge, Ipswich, Norwich,Peterborough from Lakenheath, Brandon andThetford stations
❒ Bus services between all major towns
❒ Major roads crossing the Brecks roughly eastwest and north south
❒ A network of footpaths, bridleways and cycleroutes
❒ Stretches of navigable river
❒ Some boat, bike, horse and car hire facilities
Specific tourist facilities❒ Some hotels, guesthouses
❒ Some self-catering facilities (but very limitedcamping and caravanning facilities)
❒ A very large holiday village (run by a Dutchcompany, Centerparcs) in Elveden Forest
Places to see❒ Castles
❒ Old houses
❒ Historic sites (e.g. Grimes Graves and WestStow)
❒ Museums
❒ Nature reserves with visitor centres
❒ Country parks
❒ Arboretum
❒ Circular walks
❒ Cycle routes/horse routes
❒ Ecotech centre at Swaffham
Current visitors
Many children visit some places in the Brecks,including Thetford Forest Park and Brandon
Country Park. Half the visitors to the Country Parkare families. However, overall, most of the visitorsto the Brecks travel in groups of two adults.
For many beautiful, threatened places in theworld people think that tourism can provide theanswer to improving the environment and quality oflife for local people. This can only happen if thetourists don’t actually destroy what they have cometo see. So-called “sustainable” tourists contribute tothe local people’s economic and social well beingand don’t leave the environment any worse thanwhen they came.
❒ Why might some people living in the Breckswant more tourists in the area?
Tourism in the Brecks
The Brecks File Page 101
Sustainability 3 Pupils’ facts & figures
❒ If you ran a pub, with bed and breakfast facili-ties, in the middle of the Brecks, how would youattract families to come and stay with you?
❒ What might be the problems for a village if thepub was too successful and suddenly started attract-ing 300 visitors a day?
❒ Imagine you are the youth representative in theparish council in a village in the Brecks. The parishcouncil wants to attract more people to come andspend money in the shop and pub. How would yousuggest the village should measure the effects ofwhat it is planning?
❒ In a popular area of Devon, a local voluntary taxhas been introduced. Visitors are asked to pay 25peach, on top of the cost of where they are staying,meals and so on. This money is then spent onschemes which help the environment. Do you thinkthis is a good idea? Who should decide how themoney is spent? Would you and your family be pre-pared to pay such a tax?
Here are the numbers of people visiting variousplaces in the Brecks in a year.
❒ Draw a graph, using a computer spreadsheet, ifyou can, to compare the two years. Has the totalnumber of visitors gone up or down?
❒ If you were planning to supply souvenirs tothese places, would you base your decisions onthese figures? (If not, why not? What would you doinstead?)
1996 visitors per year 1997 visitors per year
Ancient House Museum (Thetford) 15,254 15,838
Brandon Country Park *150,000 *150,000
Ecotech Centre, Swaffham Opened in 1999
Grimes Graves, near Brandon 23,348 23,184
High Lodge Visitor Centre, Thetford Forest *100,000 *120,000
Iceni Village, Cockley Cley 16,097 *12,000
Knettishall Country Park, near Thetford *93,000 *85,000
Mildenhall & District Museum, Mildenhall *8,000 *8,000
Moyses Hall Museum, Bury St Edmunds *43,516 *63,000
Oxburgh Hall, near King’s Lynn 53,814 54,687
Swaffham Museum, Swaffham *3,000 *3,000
Thetford Forest Park (including High Lodge) *1,000,000 *1,000,000
Weeting Heath National Nature Reserve tba tba
West Stow Country Park *150,000 *150,000(including Anglo-Saxon Village)
West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village 36,981 35,354
* the figure is an estimate tba = to be announced
Figures are from Sightseeing in the UK 1996 and 1997, Visits to Tourists Attractions 1997 (BTA etc.)
The Brecks File Page 102
Sustainability 4 Teacher’s briefing
You can tell a lot about a school bylooking at its grounds
Aschool’s grounds tell visitors and children agreat deal about the school’s ethos. Projects
which tackle physical problems, and which make avisible positive difference to the children’s land-scape can have an enormous impact, and a verymemorable one. In the best schools, the childrenthemselves play a major part in deciding what willbe done, and feel an understandable pride in theresulting improvements.
Children should have a big say in whathappens
If the children are part of the whole process ofmaking decisions and getting things done in their
immediate environment, they have a much richerunderstanding of what it feels like to have thepower to change the landscape. They also apprecia-tion more fully the responsibility we all have for thefuture of the countryside, both as individuals and asgroups.
Taking simple action
The first thing to do is to make a plan.
� Step 1 - Find out what happens now. What isdone to look after the school grounds. Find outabout the management plan. What is cut,mowed, dug, planted? Who does it? Who organ-ises it? Who makes the decisions?
� Step 2 - Evaluating the grounds. What do thechildren like and dislike? What would they like
to change? Conduct a user survey.
� Step 3 - Decide upon some simple changes, forexample:
(a) Is there a bird or animal you would like toencourage in your grounds? What changes wouldyou have to make for this to happen? Would itaffect anything else? (Consider foodchains). Howwould you maintain the change? (Consider put-ting up food for the birds, or nesting boxes orplanting an area with commercial birdseed,maize or wheat to provide food for seed eatingbirds. (An intriguing website which gives you thenaturally-occurring wild flowers and animals foryour postcode district can be found at:http://www.nhm.ac.uk/science/projects/fff/ )
(b) Do you want to make changes to the plants? Doyou want to plant an area of wild flowers?
Changes need to be clear and simple so thatchildren can take on the responsibility for the man-agement themselves.
� Step 4 - Start the work
If you plan any major works - try to have themdone in term time so that the children can see theprogress.
Step 5, 6, 7, 8 etc Monitor what you’re doingand keep up the management in line with yourplan. Make changes to the plan as necessary.
Help is around if you know where to goThere may be people around in your area who
can give support, help and advice. There are alsonational organisations.
Contact:❒ local education authority advisory staff,
❒ local council countryside projects,
❒ local Wildlife Trust. (National Office at TheWildlife Trusts, The Kiln, Waterside, Mather Road,Newark, Notts NG24 1WT. Tel: 01636 677711.
❒ Learning through Landscapes - This is the nation-al organisation for the development of schoolgrounds.3rd Floor Southside Offices, The LawCourts, Winchester, S023 9DL. Tel: 01962 846258.
