Call for children to be taught Countryside Code in schools
It's in a bid to help protect North Yorkshire's rural landscapes
There's a call for children to be taught lessons about the Countryside Code in primary school classrooms.
It comes from the Country, Land and Business Association, who say it would help protect rural landscapes, and help those who work there.
At the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate, the CLA launched a new educational resource pack to help teachers communicate the messages to pupils.
The organisation is hoping this will help its lobbying of the education secretary, to include the countryside code in the national curriculum.
"It's not about telling, it's about inspiring respect..."
Lucinda Douglas, a farmer in Pickering, is the CLA's director in the North. She told us: "There's probably never been a more opportune time. With everything that everybody has gone through in this lockdown, there's never been a greater appreciation for green spaces and the countryside.
"Now is the time to engage with the younger generation. It's not about telling, it's about inspiring respect for our countryside, because people have never had as much of an opportunity to appreciate it as they do now.
"It's about education as much as anything, and getting people to really appreciate the countryside around us. It's not about the countryside being full of rules and regulations, it's about how we can best utilise it and enjoy it for everybody's benefit."
CLA President Mark Bridgeman said: “The British countryside is famed the world over for its beauty. It's no wonder millions of people every year visit rural communities for holidays and day trips.
“But the countryside is a working environment, where farmers and land managers work tirelessly to produce world-class food with high environmental and animal welfare standards – and it’s important young people, in particular, learn to enjoy their time in rural areas safely and responsibly.
“These resource packs offer will enable teachers and group leaders to put fun and engaging lessons plans together on the Countryside Code so children can put what they learn into practice.”
Carl Edwards, Director of Leaf Education, said: “LEAF Education is delighted to have been able to work with the CLA on the production of these resources. Together we believe it is incredibly important that young people learn from an early age about the important messages in the Countryside Code. The earlier young people experience the joy of the countryside, the greater their chance of developing a life-long enjoyment and respect of the environment around them.
“Supporting teachers through these curriculum linked resources will not only help them in delivering an understanding of how the countryside works, but also help their pupils translate the importance of how to respect, protect and enjoy first their local environment and then the wider countryside.”