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Moorland Indicators of Climate Change Initiative 2008
Background
The Moorland Indicators of Climate Change Initiative (MICCI) was born.
The Economic and Social Research Council provided a grant so that this could be included in the Festival of Social Science/ National Science Week in March 2008. The ESRC has also kindly supported the 2009 project too.
The upland areas of Britain are a significant global carbon store, in the form of peat. Whether moorlands are a net carbon sink, or source, is of fundamental importance. Human interaction in terms of direct erosion and fire as well as the effects of global warming are the major variables influencing this debate. Students investigated the interaction between people and the moorlands and their effect on climate change.
This is an innovative project involving secondary school students from across the Southern Pennines. Through a series of creative investigations, young people learnt more about our connection with the planet by exploring the role that peat plays in carbon sequestration.
Approach
This project involved 15 schools from in and around the national park. They were all initially invited to take part because they were specialist science schools and were within half an hours drive of the national park boundary and close to moors.
Each school was given a moorland site to investigate and collectively they covered most of the upland areas of the Peak District National Park from Staffordshire up to Kinder, Bleaklow and Black Hill down to Bakewell.
Students and teachers were engaged in the planning stage using emails and a chat room facility, called campfire, to discuss the design of investigations with real scientists and each other.
They carried out fieldwork during the Festival of Social Science week and took back samples to be tested at school. Some of the water analysis was done by Manchester University and the results were analysed by the Moors for the Future Partnership. The results were presented at a "celebration day" on October 17 2008 at Losehill Hall.
Outcome
This Initiative exceeded all expectations both from a schools point of view and from the National Park’s perspective. It achieved considerable media interest and increased the profile of the Losehill Learning team throughout the region.
There has been an increased sense of ownership and responsibility by pupils for their local environment and the National Park and how it links with a global issue (Climate Change). The value of these visits for students has been increased by their experience in team work and outdoor learning hopefully leading to improved confidence and engagement back in school.
The schools have contributed to fulfilling their aim of raising expectations and attainment by enriching and enhancing their curriculum through outdoor learning.
This project matches curriculum needs, looking directly at the effects of human activity on the environment, and applying student's scientific thinking outside the classroom as well as broadening their understanding of climate change. It has also allowed the students access to the world of real scientists, and researchers the chance to engage the public about their work.
From a National Park perspective the project has helped to achieve some key corporate outcomes
- Promoting the need to protect the natural resources (such as water, soil and air quality) of the National Park".
- Providing learning opportunities to key rural and urban audiences, particularly residents, young people and under-represented groups from surrounding urban areas.
The students’ research will make an important contribution to the restoration and conservation work of the £4.7m Moors for the Future project in the Peak District National Park.
For further information please contact chris.robinson@peakdistrict.gov.uk (MICCI coordinator)
