life onthe sands

Tentsmuir PointNATIONAL NATURE RESERVE

A poem by Julia Mifkin

(volunteer at the reserve and local resident)

This pack has been developed to help teachers and leaders wishing to bring groups to thereserve. It provides ideas and support in designing an exciting and educational programme of activities, allowing young people an opportunity to learn first-hand about the natural andphysical environment whilst providing plenty of opportunity for cross curricular work.

Wherever possible, visits should be accompanied by the Reserve Manager, employed by SNH.

Telephone 01382 553704

led by the tidesdisappearing strandline

a world of shifting sands

grains of sandforming this coast

the endless push and tug of the tide

sands of time

and broken dune

section 1 - getting there

contents

IntroductionAbout the ActivitiesCurriculum LinksGetting ThereFacilities and How to BookEquipment ListBefore Your VisitThe Country Code

334899

1011

pg

section 3 - further informationResourcesAcknowledgements

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section 2 - activitiesActivity location plan Sea, Shore and SandTeachers’ NotesBiodiversity BeachcombersTentsmuir Players Present….Life on a BeachScavenger HuntJourney SticksPlants on the MoveBirds, Bills and Behaviour- Teachers’ Notes/ActivitiesDigital ImagingSinging Seals - Teachers’ Notes/ActivitiesMaking ConnectionsWoodland WaysTeachers’ NotesWoodland DetectivesSense of PlacePlant QuestWee BeastiesHome Sweet HomePoetic momentsPeople, Past and PresentManagement MattersValues and VisionsPeople PreferencesRebels Against RubbishTime Team

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before your visit

about the activitiescurriculum links

getting therefacilities & how to book

equipment list

the country code

introduction

section 1/1

introductionSituated at the mouth of the Tay Estuary in north-east Fife, Tentsmuir Point is a place of extraordinarynatural richness. As such, the area was designated a National Nature Reserve (NNR) in 1954, and isowned and cared for by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

The stark beauty of Tentsmuir Point has attracted visitors and settlers for thousands of years. Now, however it is the area’s incredible value as an educational resource that is bringing a new generation to Tentsmuir.

An ever-changing seascape is the backdrop to this living coastland with its shifting sand dunes, migrating wildfowl and colonies of seals. Visitors can easily explore the thriving natural habitat where they can see many rare species of ants, moths, butterflies, orchids, grasses and heathers.

The special natural features are matched by a wealth of historical references that date from the StoneAge and include the varied exploits of Vikings, shipwrecked sailors and outlaws.

This history combines with the diverse plant and animal life to make a study of Tentsmuir Point an exciting opportunity for any visitor.

About the Activities

The wild seascape and changing coastland of Tentsmuir are reflected in the breadth ofactivities suggested, which embrace the scientific, historical, artistic and poetic using awide range of media.

These activities are divided into three themes:

Sea ,Shore and Sand

looks at the characteristics of the ever-changing seascape. Sand dunes and beaches presentextreme conditions for animals and plants living there, and yet there are lots of different species to see.

Woodland Ways

focuses on the range of plants and animals present in the woodlands at Tentsmuir, their adaptations to the places they live, how they live, and how they are connected.

People, Past and Present

is an opportunity to look at the history of the area and people’s attitudes to the natural world.

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Most of the activities in this pack are designed for first-hand outdoor experience at Tentsmuir Point andthere is flexibility for parts of the activities to be completed back at school. The activities within eachtheme provide opportunities for pupils to work at levels C/D and sometimes B, E and F.

All the activities in this pack fit within the 5-14 curriculum.

The main focus is Environmental Studies. Many of the activities also meet attainment targets in ICT, Art and Design and English Language. There are also opportunities for meeting attainment targets in Mathematics, Religious and Moral Education, Health Education and Personal andSocial Education.

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Because of the open nature of the site and the lack of shelter, it is important that the young people areproperly clothed and equipped.

✓ Warm waterproof clothing in Winter and suncream and a sun hat in warmer weather.

✓ Wellington Boots

✓ First Aid Kit

✓ Mobile Phone

✓ Phone number of local hospital, school and SNH office

✓ Towel and spare clothing

✓ Packet of wet wipes

✓ Whistle

✓ Survival Bag

✓ Packed Lunches

✓ Flask with hot/cold drink and some chocolate/packet of sweets!

✓ Lots of binoculars

✓ Information and activity sheets with the equipment recommended for relevant activities

Remember!If you are using the information and activity sheets, each young person will need a clipboard andpencil. In addition, should it rain, you will need a supply of large heavy duty clear plastic bags tocover the clipboards and allow writing underneath.

facilities and how to bookgetting there

equipment list

At the Kinshaldy car park you will find toilet facilities, picnic tables, interpretation panels, an adventuretrail and barbecue areas. The toilets are closed during the Winter months, from December to Easter.

There is no built shelter, although the surrounding trees can afford some cover. Although there is no proper surface, it is possible for wheelchair users to access some areas of the reserve. If there isa wheelchair user in your group, please contact the SNH Reserve Manager before your visit for advice(see below for contact details).

How to book: wherever possible, visits should be accompanied by the SNH Reserve Manager.

Please book by contacting the:

SNH Reserve Manager, Scottish Natural Heritage Fetterdale Office, Tentsmuir Forest, by Tayport , Fife DD6 9PF.Telephone: 01382 553704[or, if you have difficulty, contact: SNH Fife Area Office, 46 Crossgate, Cupar, Fife KY15 5HS.Telephone :01334 654038]

The reserve is 1.5 miles north of the car park. It is possible to drive to it, however, this must be arrangedwith the SNH Reserve Manager. There is also accessfrom Tayport along the shore, but it takes one hour to walk.

Tentsmuir Point NNR is reached by a minor road from Leuchars, or off the B945 south of Tayport. Theminor road has been widened recently although in parts is still single track with passing places. Careshould therefore be taken especially if visiting in large buses. A surfaced forestry road leads to a ForestEnterprise managed public car park at Kinshaldy ( OS 1:50 000 Map 54 Dundee, grid ref. NO 498242). Payment for the car park and use of the toilets is required.

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Make no unnecessary noise

Help to keep all water clean

Care for any wildlife and keep to the paths

Leave gates as you find them

Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges and walls

Leave livestock, crops and machinery alone

Keep your dog on a lead

Take special care on country roads

Avoid starting fires

Leave only footprints - take your litter home

before your visit the country code

For any visit out of school there will be essential procedures and forms to be completed as part ofyour school or Local Council regulations. Please ensure you have met all these criteria before arrivingon site.

It is always helpful if you can visit the site yourself before you bring a group.

Please inform the SNH staff in advance whether there are any children with additional needs - medical, physical, behavioural or learning difficulties.

The country code, detailed in the box above, is a traditional code of behaviour. Countryside users areencouraged to adopt this code when visiting rural areas.

It is important also, in the interests of conservation and the environment, that good practice is demonstrated to pupils at all times during the field visit particularly when recording, sampling and measuring to ensure minimum impact. Pupils should be encouraged to consider the impact of theiractivities on the habitats and communities they are studying.

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section 2/13

activity location plan

teachers’ notesbiodiversity beachcombers

tenstmuir players present ....... life on a beach

scavenger huntjourney sticks

plants on the movebirds, bills and behaviour

digital imagingsinging seals

making connections

sea, shore & sand

section 2/15

section 1/1

teachers’ notessea, shore & sand

Wind and waves

Waves require two conditions to form:

• strong, steady winds blowing over the surface of the sea

• a long distance over which the waves can grow - known as the fetch

Wind effects - In sheltered waters of estuaries and basins, even strong winds only produce ‘choppy’waves, as there is not enough distance for them to build up into big waves. This controls the energythey have for erosion, transport and deposition - and mud rather than sand results.

Across the open sea, the distance that waves can travel is much greater, they can grow higher andlonger and travel faster. The coasts facing the North Sea are exposed to the full force of such waves.Hence, the energy is available to erode, transport and deposit vast quantities of sand.

At Tentsmuir Point, its geographical position at the southern end of the Tay Estuary means that currentsfrom the west and south meet and sand deposition is moving eastward.

Wave effects - As a wave grows, it becomes too high to support itself, and the crest over-balancesand forms a mass of foam and spray (surf). On the shore you can observe two wave types:

• pounding or eroding wave - where the main force of the water strikes the shore, usually where thereis deep water offshore.

• spilling or depositing wave - where it is shallow offshore and the wave spills over gently, the slow speed and friction means the sand being transported is dropped.

At Tentsmuir the dominant wave action is of the less damaging, spilling type.

Shore

Backwash ofprevious wave

Breaking wavePeaking wave Crest Trough

Tides and currents

Tidal movement provides the oceans/seas with a unique form of energy also partly responsible forshaping our coasts. Tidal movement in the open ocean is slight, but tides become significant in theshallow waters of the continental shelf. Tides are a result of the gravitational forces between the Earth,the Moon and the Sun.

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section 1/1

Tidal range depends on many factors including shape of coast, latitude, and season. There are twohigh and two low tides in a 24 hour period, linked to the Earth’s rotation in relation to the Moon. Strongonshore and offshore winds can also effect the tidal range.

Each month, at New and Full Moon, the lunar and solar effects are in phase - they are very high rangetides, called spring tides. The combination of high force easterly winds and resulting wave action,together with spring tides can lead to severe erosion of the sand dune edge at Tentsmuir Point.

At First and Third Quarters of the Moon, the lunar and solar effects partly cancel each other and the tidalrange is very low - neap tides.

Sand formation

Sand is produced by the action of the sea (waves and tides) wearing down coastal cliffs, from rocks toshingle to sand, and crushing and grinding shells from the seafloor. On Tentsmuir Point, probing hasdiscovered that the sand is over 30 metres deep in places i.e. bedrock has not been reached.

If beach sand is largely made up of shell fragments it tends to be alkaline (pH 7+) in chemical reactions.The sand on Tentsmuir Point beach is acid (pH 6 and below) in reactions because it is largely made upof ground down sandstone (Old Red Sandstone), the local bedrock.

Wildlife on the beach

On these shores there are few plants or stones to hide under, so the animals have only one safe placeto go - into the sand. These animals require many adaptations to be able to burrow and find food,nutrients and oxygen to survive.

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Human-physical interactions

Mobile sand dunes are very fragile habitats. They may be damaged or broken through naturally, by extrastrong winds or waves. Evidence of this happening are ‘blow outs’, where a channel breaks throughthe dune front. Blow outs may be increased by the action of humans - such as walkers, sunbathers,trail bikes, quad bikes.

Stage 1 - Mobile (yellow) dunes

On the landward (sheltered) side of the mobile dunes, more plants are able to establish themselves.These are mainly perennials (survive year after year) and they increase the stability of the dune until acomplete cover of vegetation is achieved. These completely stable areas are called ‘fixed’ dunes.

Dunes

Sand dunes and how they form

For sand dunes to develop, you need:

• plenty of sand - the offshore sand banks are sustained by coastal currents from the Tay and Eden rivers.

• strong onshore blowing winds - easterly winds blow strongly in Spring and Autumn. Sand grains bounce along the beach, like Ping-Pong balls on a table.

• obstacles to trap the sand - plants, seaweed, litter.

In the beginning - A small pile of sand builds up around an object on the shore. With time it continues to build up into a larger mound, eventually reaching above the high water level. This is called an ‘embryo’ dune. Over a long time, the sand is colonised by an important dune building plant - marram grass. This grass has huge root systems, going deep (as much as 12m) and ‘runners’ (rhizomes) going across the sand holding the plant firm in the sand. The plant in turn holds the sand inplace and keeps up with the new deposits of sand. It can grow up to a metre a year.

Specialisation - Marram grass is so specialised that it grows best when it is repeatedly buried by loosesand that would kill most other plants. Another adaptation it has to survive the salty and dry conditionsare its leaves. The leaf is rolled up lengthways to conserve moisture when the sand is dry, togetherwith a thick skin on the leaf to reduce water loss through evaporation / transpiration.

As the sand becomes more stabilised, other plants are able to grow among the marram grass. Two ofthe most common at Tentsmuir Point are sea rocket and sea lyme grass. Eventually the dunes grow sohigh on the landward edge of a beach that wind speeds are reduced over the dunes in front, and theytoo can grow in a shoreward direction. This area is called the mobile dune.

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Stage 2 - Dune grassland and dune heath

Fixed dunes are also called grey dunes because of the build up of humus and the cover of lichens(e.g. dog lichen), giving a greyish hue to the area. As the distance from the shore increases, sand nolonger accumulates and marram grass, unable to compete with the new colonising plants, becomesless common. Grasses, herbs, and mosses are common - buttercups, dandelions, bird’s foot trefoil,ragged robin, creeping fescue and sand sedge. This habitat is called dune grassland.

The older, drier, grey dunes are then colonised by woody shrubs - heathers, gorse, broom, wild roseand bramble - and non-native species like rosebay willowherb. This habitat is called dune heath.This tends to be wet or dry, depending on whether it is on the top of an old dune, or in the hollowbetween.

Dune slacks

Between the dunes there are natural hollows, which accumulate freshwater. These areas are calleddune slacks. Because the water table is higher in these areas, and in winter they form shallow lochans,colonising plants need to be adapted to waterlogged conditions. Here you find mosses, rushes, andtree/shrub species like willows and alders.

The Alders

Across Tentsmuir Point NNR you will see areas where lines of trees have been retained. These treesare alders - a native species, resistant to water-logging. They have been left to tell their story. Theystand today marking previous waterlines in the old dune slacks. Alder cones were blown into the waterand washed around. The cones dropped their seed when the water subsided. Over time, the seedsgrew into saplings and later trees. Some are quite tall now.

Stage 3 - Woodland climax

The natural succession would then take us to a woodland climax vegetation - birch, alder, Scots Pine.As you walk across the grey dune area at Tentsmuir Point you will find a number of tree stumps, fromrecently felled trees. This is because dune heath and dune grassland are such rare habitats inScotland, that SNH is managing the site to retain the heath and grassland and prevent the transition to woodland.

biodiversity beachcombers

Biodiversity Beachcombers focuses on the beach, its physical nature and the processes that form it. Itmay also lead into looking at the impact this has on wildlife and the adaptations they have for living insuch a difficult environment.

This is a series of ‘linked’ activities which can be used in sequence or chosen from…a lucky dip at theseaside.

OBJECTIVE: to experience at first hand the unique Biodiversity of the

seashore - and have fun doing it!

TIME: 1 - 2 hours

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: buckets and spades, clipboards and paper and pencils,

bugboxes, a big stick, an orange, measuring tape, string or yellow wool,

quadrats or hula-hoops (if you are doing the quadrat activity).

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Before the activity

Discuss with the children what they understand by Biodiversity, ask them to help to complete a listpoem using the letters Biodiversity and writing the names of plants, animals, minibeasts – and people – beginning with each letter.

Foreshore, Backshore

Begin with a walk to the water’s edge, (barefoot if possible, or wear wellies, it is impossible not to wantto walk into the water a little!) Stand in a line and let the water wash over your feet, play around in andout of the water. Take a little time to watch and experience the seaside. Gather into groups of three orfour and have one child in each simply gather some words – how does it feel, what can they see, whatcan they hear, what can they smell! Use these later in the classroom to write some poetry, descriptivepassages and create word collages.

Look out to sea. Who lives in the sea, above the sea? What challenges do sea creatures have tomeet? (storms, predators, pollution… ) Look back on to the land. Who lives there? What challengesdo they have to meet?

The sea and the shore are separate communities or ecosystems. They are interconnected but quitedifferent. This is an important aspect of Biodiversity…and this particular sea shore is a great place tosee this! Now form a long line along the water’s edge. Put a big stick into the sand just at the edge ofthe water and throw an orange into the sea! These are markers to return to throughout your time at thebeach. Remember to pick up the orange afterwards. Ask the children to walk forward in your line towhere they think the average high tide line is. How many paces did they take? This area is the foreshore and the tide covers and uncovers it twice a day. The area beyond the high tide or strandlineis the backshore. There are very high tides that reach back into the dunes but the strandline - a line ofdebris -should be easy to spot.

Biodiversity is a word, introduced in 1985, that covers all living things and their habitats. It includesmammals, birds, insects, trees, flowering herbs, grasses, mosses and lichens and the communities andhabitats (ecosystems) in which they live. It includes not just the total number of species, but also thegenetic variation within species, and the variability of the natural living systems in which they live.

What does Biodiversity include?

Biodiversity is all living things, from the tiny garden ant to the giant redwood tree. You will find biodiversityeverywhere, in window boxes and in wild woods, roadsides and rain forests, snow fields and the seashore…We are part of Biodiversity and depend on it for our quality of life…Biodiversity is the living bankthat everyone should invest in.Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report

From morning coffee to evening night-cap, we benefit in our daily lifestyles

from our fellow species. Without recognising it, we utilise hundreds of

products each day that owe their origin towild plants and animals. Our welfare isultimately tied up with the welfare of

Biodiversity.

Biodiversity is the totality of the world’s living things, including their genetic make up and thecommunities they form.Oxford Children’s Encyclopaedia (OUP 1996)

6What is Biodiversity?

Why Is Biodiversity valuable?

Biological diversity…is the key to the maintenance of the world as we know it.This is the assembly of lifethat took a billion years to evolve. It….created the world that creates us. It holds the world steady.Professor Edward Wilson

All quotes are from the publication Biodiversity For All: A Toolkit - by the Scottish Biodiversity Group

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Speck of sand game

Spread the children out around a clearly defined area from the backshore to the foreshore or mark outthe four zones: foreshore, strandline, backshore, dunes. Explain the rules:

You are a sand grain. This is your big opportunity to make it as a permanent sand grain living in thesand dunes. There are four areas to the game:

Building sand dunes

If it is a very windy day take a moment to watch how the sand travels across the surface of the beach.Ask the children to ‘trap’ the sand by building a tiny sand wall. They are building a miniature dune –sand that remains trapped long enough for marram grass to grow creates stable sand dunes. Thissand trap demonstrates ‘accretion’ if they then wreck a section of their tiny wall watch what happens –this is ‘erosion’. Ask the class to find evidence of accretion and erosion across the beach and in thedunes. How could they measure this over time?

Look at the map provided and discuss how the coastline has changed. Talk about disappearing or collapsing coastal cliff areas, and those building up, sand spits.

Look at the map for Tentsmuir Point showing the change in coastlines over time.

Talk about the tank traps, consider what has happened to the shape of the shoreline. Think about howthey could provide a report which investigates the rate and amount of erosion and deposition of sand atTentsmuir accurately – why would we need this information?

Biodiversity across and within the species

Ask the children to find four different natural objects along the strandline. Encourage them to have agood look. As they lift seaweed (there is not much at Tentsmuir) they will disturb sandhoppers. Taketime to catch some in bug boxes and look at them.

Gather together to share the finds in a collage or graph on the sand. This is diversity across species– an important aspect of Biodiversity. Choose one of the most common shells and ask the children tofind one the same. Ask them to look at it carefully, compare it with their neighbour – how are they different? Collect the shells, put them in a bag and then see if they can identify ‘their’ shell – this isdiversity within species – another important aspect of Biodiversity.

Now form a straight line from the edge of the sand dunes to the foreshore. Ask the children simply towork in pairs to dig a hole (with their hands) where they are standing! Does the sand change as theydig? Ask them to describe how it changes…colour, texture, smell. Did they reach water? Now walk upand down the line to see if all the sand profiles are the same. Ask ‘Why?’ Collect some of the different types of sand to study back in the classroom.

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Suggested follow-up:

Use the shoreline activity sheet to reinforce understanding of the different sections of the shore, encourage the children to add any other details to their beach picture.

Create a beach table

Create a beach table at school. Collect a bucket of sand and spread it on a table, place the objectscollected from the beach along the strandline on the sand, creating a natural effect.

Take a small sample of the beach sand, and set it up for everyone to see under a microscope. If youhave a chance obtain a sample of shell sand (from the West coast or garden centre) for comparison.

Use reference books to find out what all the natural things they brought back from the strandline are -shells, seaweed, egg cases, cuttlefish, crab shells or legs. Wash anything that might get smelly.

Make drawings of the different animals; create a display.

Design a seaside t-shirt

From natural items collected at the beach and any seaside pictures available (the ones in this pack may be photocopied ), ask the children to complete the following exercise:

Stage 1: Draw from the items in pencil looking at line and pattern (on the shells). Share the itemsaround the class so that everyone has 3 - 4 drawings. Mount all the drawings on one sheet.

Stage 2: Each child has 3/4 colours of felt pen (designs can be stronger if colour is limited) and theydraw from their drawings, simplifying the shapes and repeating the patterns. Play with the images created to explore different ideas.

Stage 3: Finalise the design by editing and selecting.

Stage 4: Mount all the drawings onto large sheets of paper. Summarise the process with notes - Why did a certain colour or image work better etc.

Transfer paper can be purchased to use on a laser printer if you can scan the images.

Paper, pencils, felt pens, large sheets of paper for mountingYou will need:

Foreshore, Strandline, Backshore,Dunes

When you shout ‘onshore’ an onshore wind is blowing them three giant steps towards the dunes.

When you shout ‘offshore’ an offshore wind is blowing them three giant steps towards the sea.

When you shout ‘rain’ they crouch down still – wet sand doesn’t move!

If you reach the sand dune area you link up with the others there and you are safe, protected by thevegetation.

When you shout ‘storm’ everyone on the foreshore has to return to the sea edge of the foreshore area,the backshore returns to the foreshore and anyone in the dune area who is at the end of a link also hasto return to the foreshore.

Additional instruction: If you shout out ‘motorbikes in the dunes’ anyone in the dune area has toreturn to the strandline

Sand Castles

Build sand castles in three different areas the dry sand, the shoreline and the wet sand. Which sandcastle is best? Which sandcastle slips and collapses? Can you make a tunnel? Which sandmakes the best tunnel?

Will the animals living in the sand experience the same problems? Where do you think they wouldchoose to build their house?

How might they have adapted the way they burrow?

Life Down Under

Life Down Under focuses on the adaptations of animals, living on top and under the surface of thesand, to their environment. These animals play a valuable role as food for other animals livingalong a beach. Most commonly found are the burrowing lugworm, which leaves the characteristicwiggly castings and feeds on the organic matter on the surface of the sand.

Divide the young people into groups. Each group is given a square or circle to investigate. Usequadrats or hula hoops. For each square or circle the following observations are made:

Look at the position in relation to high and low water-marks. Record what can be found on thesurface – shells/seaweed how many different types? Look for lugworm casts. If there are many,count them.

Dig out a spadeful of sand from the marked area. Take care to dig straight down and deep toreduce risk of harming animals. Wash the sand through the sieve with sea water, place any animals carefully in the white trays containing sea water and some sand.

When the animals have been looked at fill in the holes and put the animals in a dip on the top ofthe sand, with a little sea water over them. Watch them burrow back into the sand.

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diversity across the species

Draw a picture in each box of a creature you saw at the beach

Description:

Diversity within the species (use coloured pencils)

Draw three of the same shells. Look at the different colours in them and the slightly differentshape. See if you can show this in your drawing.

Use books to identify what you have found – what do they eat?

Think about colour, shape, number of legs and where you found your creature!

biodiversity beachcombers

In coloured pen or pencil write down on this map where the foreshore, backshore, strandlineand dunes are. Draw arrows pointing in the direction of an onshore wind. Write onshorebeside your arrow. Do the same for offshore.

How has the coastline changed over time?

What do you think caused this?

Do you remember what accretion and erosion is ? Write it down.

Accretion

Erosion

How does a sand dune form

tentsmuir players present....life on a beach

The Activity

Sort the class into small groups, preferably pairs.

Give each group a critter card with the facts on the back. Allow time to ‘practise’ the life cycle ofthe critter and be ready to present it to the rest of the class. (Tip: one could read the facts whilstthe others act it out).

Find or draw a suitable stage area in the sand/sand dunes and seat the class around as if theyare the audience. Invite the children on to the stage in pairs in dramatic fashion: “Tentsmuir play-ers present John and Fiona as Eddie the Eider Duck”

OBJECTIVE: to understand the life cycles of the animals that inhabit

Tentsmuir Point through creating a simple drama performance.

TIME: 1 hour

LOCATION: on the dry sand, or in the classroom.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: enough copies of the critter cards to allow the class to

work in groups of two or three.

Cathy Crab started life as a small funny looking creature floating in the sea. Thenshe grew up into an adult crab with fourpairs of walking legs and two large pincers with which it grabs its prey.Crabs continue to grow as adults andhave to shed their skin, hiding when theydo so as they emerge from the old shellsoft and easily eaten. They are fierce,fast moving predators that eat limpets, barnacles, fish, mussels and seaweed.

Cathy Crab

Larry the Lugworm is long and thin. He lives under the sand in a u-shaped tube type burrow and strengthens the walls of his burrow with mucous (spit!). He can move by pulling in and pushing out his tummy. He has feathery gills in the middle of his body. He moves backward in his burrow to pooh- this appears on the surface as coils of sand. He moves forward when the tide is in to feed by sooking in sandy water – this leaves a depression in thesand with a wee hole in the middle. Fishermen dig up lugworms to use as bait – poor Larry!

Larry the Lugworm

critter cards✃

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Sandy the Sand hopper wriggles all the time! His body is very flat sideways and he has fourantennae on his head and twelve legs on his body – six are jumping legs to help him hop. Hecan burrow in the sand and under seaweed where he hides during the day. At night he likes tospring along happily in the wet sand close to the water feeding on small pieces of plant andanimals. He only lives for just over a yearand it is only when he is dead that we cansee his body parts clearly as they are nolonger whizzing about!

Sandy the Sand hopper

Ollie the Oystercatcher started life in an egglaid in a simple scrape in the sand. As adowny chick he was well camouflaged andwould sit quite still in the sand to avoid predators. He grew up into a very proud birdwith a long orange bill and pale pink legs.His favourite song is a loud pic-pic-pic. Heuses his bill as a probe to find food in thesand. He is very strong and can open shellssuch as cockles and mussels by prising hisbill into the shell. Scandinavian and Icelandicbirds join Scottish oystercatchers during thewinter (ask some other folk to join in andspeak in foreign voices).

Ollie the Oystercatcher

Sindy the Seal

Susie Seaweed begins her life as a spore, floating gentlyaround in the water before finding a good place to live.There are three groups of seaweed: green and brown seaweed like the sun, and red seaweed likes the shade.Susie is a brown seaweed and she grows close to theshore in a huge forest providing hiding places for lots ofsea dwelling creatures. She is left on the shore at low tidewhere she can be found lying on the sand providing shelter for lots of small creatures like the sand hopper. Athigh tide she stands up tall and waves about in the watergetting energy from the sun and nutrients from the seawater - her skin includes air bubbles that help her standupright in the water. She has big strong root systems –often attached to rocks- these are called ‘hold fasts’ andwill hold her steady even during big storms.

Susie the Seaweed

Sindy lives in shallow water close to theshore but she spends most of her timelying around on rocks or sand banks.She looks very fat. When she decidesto swim she lumbers awkwardly on herbelly into the water and then swimsbeautifully smoothly and strongly, blowingout air loudly through her nostrils whenshe wants to dive. She can stay underwater, holding her breath for up to 20minutes chasing and catching fish, octopus and squid. When under watershe can reduce her heartbeat from 150to 10 per minute.

critter cardscritter cards

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Eddie the Eider started life in an egg laid in a hollowin the sand dunes and lined with vegetation and athick mass of down which was pulled over him tokeep him warm (like a downie: feather downies aremade from eider down feathers). Almost as soonas he hatched his mum took him down to the seato swim. He is very beautiful with a white head anda black ‘mask’ over his eyes. He makes a low,gentle ‘coo, coo’ sound. Eddie has a strong triangular bill, which slopes down from his forehead. He dives for food, staying underwater for as long as a minute – he likes to eatmussels and can also catch and eat crabs. Eddie and the rest of the Tay eiders are veryimportant - they form one of the largest flocks in the UK in winter when they are joined byDanish and Dutch eiders (ask some others to join in and speak in foreign voices).

Eddie the Eider Duck

critter cards✃

OBJECTIVE: to raise awareness of the natural environment through exploration.

TIME: 30 - 45 minutes

LOCATION: you may use the activity as a means of getting from one place to

another, for example from the beach back to the track, or to explore a

defined area on the reserve.

YOU WILL NEED: a copy of the list for each group and collecting bags.

The Activity

Begin the activity by explaining to the group that they are going to explore the wonders of this natural place as scavengers. Divide the group into pairs– no live animals or living plants to be collected.

Having collected all the items, each pair returns with their findings and arranges them on theground. Each pair can then share and discuss their findings with other pairs in the group as theyreturn.

Items of real interest from the various groups can be taken back to school for further study and ordisplay. All other items are scattered carefully, by the young people, through the area where theywere collected - returned to nature.

On the list there are items which may need explaining:

1. everything in nature is important to something else.

2. a sun trap is anything that catches the sun’s heat or energy - leaves or plants, animals, water, rocks and sand.

scavenger hunt

The Scavenger Hunt activity is drawn form Joseph Cornell’s Sharing Nature with Children

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scavenger hunt

Collect only natural things that you can return safely and without damage

1. a feather

2. something blunt

3. something bright

4. as many different shells as you can find

5. something straight

6. something important to nature

7. a chewed something

8. exactly 10 of something

9. something that makes a noise

10. a sun trap

11. something blown by the wind

12. something that can harm nature

13. something slimy

14. something that can float

15. a footprint or a smile!

journey sticks

OBJECTIVE: to raise awareness of the natural environment through observation

and creative process.

TIME: 2 hours. This activity can be divided into two parts, 45 minutes - 1

hour on-site collecting the ‘evidence’ and bagging it up. The making of the

sticks could be done back at school, preferably out of doors.

LOCATION: exploring the reserve or during a walk. YOU WILL NEED: bags for

‘collecting’ their mementoes, lots of scissors, wool, some ‘spare’ sticks.

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How to do it

Let the group explore the site to be mapped. While they are walking around, encourage the youngpeople to collect mementoes of their journey - of those places or things on the way that ‘stood out’ forthem - the exciting and secret places and things that they would like to share with someone else. Askthem to find an attractive ‘stick’ - this will form the base of their ‘map’.

Once the everyone has completed their journey, they can start binding wool and objects together ontotheir stick as part of their journey story - building up their map.

A journey stick is a personal record, but to be most effective it needs to be shared. Start by encouraging individuals to find a friend who went on a different journey, and swap their stories - let them get to know the site through each other’s eyes.

Above all, the power of the journey stick lies in the personal ownership it gives the creator - it is theirstory, a colourful, personal and special record of their visit. It is unique.

Before the Activity

Useful ways of getting started:

Tell the story that

• A journey stick is ‘delivered’ to school with a note from an old man who wants to share with the group the wonders of Tentsmuir Point NNR. He thinks the best idea is for them to go and createtheir own journey sticks of the place, and find out what a wonderful place it is.

• Take some time to think about maps and journeys - what do they mean to us, as a society, and as individuals? Look at the different kinds of maps available - old ones, modern ones, mind maps, tapes, try maps etc.

• Read some early traveller’s journals - David Livingstone, Scott, Shackleton; research native American Indian and Australian aboriginal cultures and ways of recording journeys. In many ancient cultures (e.g. Australian aborigines), recording an event takes place in several different ways - songs and stories, dance, drawings or tokens.

This activity is adapted from Gordon Maclellan’s book Talking to the Earth.

Suggested follow up

If there is time, the young people could lead each other across the site on ‘guided tours’ usingtheir journey sticks.

Back at school, create a display of the site mapped out and interpreted using the journey sticks.Write to a descendant of the old man (SNH staff) to come and visit the school and share the journey sticks with them.

Tell the story of their journey sticks on video camera, using interview techniques.

My journey began in the early morning - the sky was clear and blue, birds were singing and thesun was rising (pale blue wool, feathers and an orange and yellow ‘sun’ weaving).

At the start of my walk I walked across a heather area, covered with fallen leaves, and there Istopped to marvel at their colours. (Purple and green wool with heather twigs, grass and colouredleaves woven in.)

Moving on across an open area, carpeted with a greyish lichen, I came across a lone alder tree,on the edge of the dunes. (Grey wool with pieces of lichen and alder cones woven in.)

I followed a path across the sand dunes. The spiky marram grass tickled my bare legs. I listenedto the wind through the grass (pale yellow with marram grass woven in, and white wool strands forthe wind.)

As I returned I spent most time on the beach, letting the sand push through my toes and searching the strandline for shells, and other fascinating things, natural and man-made. Thinking - where did they start their journey? I paddled in the waves, following their curved fronts.The going home was much as the coming. (Yellow wool, with plaited blue wool making a waveshape, a cockle shell strung on.)

1. When wrapping, keep the wool tight, feeding one colour into the next, so no unexplained bits of twig are exposed.

2. You don’t need to start at one end and work right to the other. A bare end gives space to push the finished journey stick into the ground, or a trough of sand - a useful display method. If you work right to the end, does that mean you have finished your journey and you have nowhere else to go? Do journeys ever end?

3. Keep talking - if only to yourself. Everything that goes onto the stick is part of the story of yourjourney. Talking helps you tie object, colour and happening together.

4. Be adventurous - think about colour. Wool may reflect changing colours in the environment,the sky, how you feel. Create shapes out of things you have found: pools woven from their rushes, a 5-bar gate, a building.

5. Special objects can be added out of sequence to show their importance: a single boot on the shore.

making a journey stick information sheet

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plants on the move

This activity focuses on the way that plants move to colonise an area, and how they are adapted to be‘first’ colonisers, or later followers, as conditions change. It can be an opportunity to look at differentplant groups and to concentrate on the process of succession and adaptation.

There are a variety of activities for different levels and age groups.

Plants are the first colonisers of a new area and they have to adapt to a combination of wind exposure,drought, salty conditions and sand lacking humus or nutrients.

The process by which plant communities create conditions allowing new species to invade is calledecological succession. This helps to establish a new coastline and enables other vegetation and associated animal communities to settle there.

Before the activity

Sampling with Quadrats

Discuss the idea of looking at a large area and the idea of sampling. Practise using quadrats/hulahoops and counting different plants on the grass in the school grounds or in a local park.Construct and use a simple plant key.

If you are looking at different plant groups, introduce the words and whether the plants are flowering or non-flowering; introduce fungi as neither plants or animals, living only off dead plantand animal matter. Look at some pictures of the different plant groups.

Use the information sheet to aid identification of plant groups.

Plant treasure hunt

The Treasure Hunt is a good startingpoint for observing and learning aboutplants. Make sure that no-one picksany live plants. Each student shouldbe given a copy of the treasure hunt activity sheet. After completing theirindividual hunt they may wish to see ifthey can find each others’ plants usingthe drawings and descriptions – agood test of field skills!

OBJECTIVE: to learn skills in field studies and plant identification;

understanding ecological succession.

TIME: 1 - 2 hours

LOCATION: see link of tank traps identified on the activity location plan.

YOU WILL NEED: activity sheets, quadrats/hulahoops (1 per group). coloured

pencils, identification.

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Plant succession survey

Level C – D: Use plant survey recording form.

This activity can be done by walking from the beach into the dunes in an approximately straightline. Ask the students to stop where they think there is a change in the vegetation. Survey eachdifferent area of vegetation as you cross into it - start in the dunes with marram grass; where themarram has disappeared; in a wet hollow area, on the top of an old dune and so on. Thequadrats are thrown down randomly.

Level E – F: Use plant survey recording form 2.

You will need transect lines made of two bamboo poles joined with a length of string,measuring tapes, bamboo poles, quadrats/ hula-hoops.

Divide the group into smaller groups of 3-4. Each group takes a transect line from the tank trapsor woodland fence to the beach which crosses the different dune areas. Place the bamboowhere it is observed the nature of the vegetation changes significantly. Measure the length of thetransect from tank trap or woodland to beach edge. Record at which points (paces or metres) thevegetation changes, and observe whether it is connected with a change of slope, anything else,or just the distance from the sea. Place the quadrats at regular intervals e.g. 2 or 3 metres.Draw, describe and, if possible, identify the plants or plant groups by using the identification chartsand keys provided. Count/estimate the number of each species present and measure the heightof the tallest plant.

Extension activity: record the % vegetation cover of each quadrat - <25%, 25-50%, 50-75%,>75%, or use fractions. Any other observations they may consider important at the site, includingadaptations of plants to environment can be recorded. [At each quadrat site, within the group,they swap roles, so that everyone has a turn at recording, pacing or measuring, observing andidentifying.]

While still at the site, compare the variety of plants growing on the youngest dunes with that of theoldest dunes and dune hollows. What does that suggest about the animal communities?

Suggested follow up

• Combine the results of each group. Create a summary table. Demonstrate how to draw up a bar graph - make a graph for number of species against length along the transect (age of dune - old to young).

• Make a line or bar graph showing height of tallest plant against length along transect (age of dune).

• Explain their findings. The graphs should illustrate how there is a greater variety (and more plants in total) of species on the oldest dunes. As the plants live and die, the organic matter accumulates, creating soil and enabling a greater variety of plants to thrive.

• Discuss the adaptations the plants have for living and surviving where they did -leaves, flowers, roots,low to the ground to get out of the wind (except grasses, because they are so streamlined).

• Develop a display illustrating ecological succession on the dunes.

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of managing the dunes to keep the grassland and heathland, and prevent woodland regeneration.

4. A tall plant

The plant is cm tall

Its leaves are

and I found it

3. A flower with ragged petals or ragged leaves

The plant is cm tall

Its leaves are

and I found it

dune plants treasure hunt

Find the following five plants. Do not pick any flowers. Fill in the gaps and in the box draw a picture of the plant.

1. A plant with white flowers

The plant is cm tall

Its leaves are

and I found it

2. A spiky plant

The plant is cm tall

Its leaves are

and I found it

5. A rare plant (ask the reserve manager)

The plant is cm tall

Its leaves are

and I found it

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key to plant groups

1 plants with green leaves, or similar

2 plants without green leaves, or similar

3 plants with woody stems protected by bark

4 plants without woody stems

5 flowering plants with large, single, woody stems growing very tall when adult (over 5m)

6 flowering plants with many woody stems growing not as tall when adult (less than 12m) often less than 2m high

7 flowering plants producing seeds, or new plants

8 non-flowering plants, producing spores

9 plants with stems, coloured flowers, seeds, and broad leaves with veins

10 plants with round stems, flowers, seeds, and narrow or round leaves

11 plants with round stems and flat or curled leaves

12 plants with round leaves and stems with flowering parts

13 plants growing on land

14 plants growing in freshwater, or the sea

15 plants growing upright or flat to the ground leaves (fronds) are tightly coiled when young spores form in sacs on underside of frond

16 plants growing low to the ground, like cushions producing capsules on stems with spores inside leaves in spirals around stem

17 plants that grow on land, rocks or rotten matter

18 primitive plants growing in freshwater or the seamay produce spores, may be attached or float

19 plants mainly grey - green in colour as a crust, or leafy growth on sand or other plants. A fungus and alga living together

20 plants with fruiting bodies (toadstools), of any colour - red, orange, brown, containing spores

go to 3

go to 17

go to 5

go to 7

go to 9

go to 13

go to 15

algae/seaweed

go to 19

algae/seaweed

go to 11

trees

shrubs

herbs

grasses

rushes

ferns

mosses

lichens

fungi

main plant groups information sheetIn the circle note down where you found your plant

trees

grasses

mosses

shrubs

rushes

lichens

herbs

ferns

fungi

some dune plants information sheet

Cowslip

Primrose

Bluebell

Cuckoo flower

Germander Speedwell

Early Purple Orchid

flowers in spring - early summer

flowers in full summer as well as the above

Daisy

Dandelion

Buttercup

Spear Thistle

Creeping Thistle

Thrift

Ragged Robin

Cross-leaved Heath

Ling Heather

Yellow Rattle

Northern Marsh Orchid

Pyramidal Orchid

Adderstongue (fern)

Grass-of-Parnassus

Common Centaury

Seaside Centaury

Sea Campion

Stitchwort

Sea Rocket

Groundsel

Ragwort

Bird’s foot Trefoil

Common Wintergreen

Creeping Ladies-Tresses

Red Clover

White Clover

Sea Sandwort

Hawksbeard

Mouse-ear

Creeping Willow

Tufted Vetch

Common Vetch

Purple Milk Vetch

Meadowsweet

Pennywort

Red Campion

White Campion

Coralroot Orchid

Pansy

flowers in late summer - autumn

See the SNH Reserve Manager for full colour keys

Some common and less common herbs Site grid ref:

plant survey recording form 1

survey quadrat

number of different plants

most common plant

height (tallest plant)

Group number:

number describe/draw/name plant centimetres

1nearest

the beach

2

3

4

5

6

What do you notice about the number of plants?

What do you notice about the height of the plants?

centimetres

Site grid ref:

plant survey recording form 2

survey quadrat

length along line

kinds of plant species

most common plant

height (tallest plant)

Group number:

metres number name plant/group

1

2

3

4

5

6

Other observations at survey sites

1

2

3

4

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birds, bills and behaviour

teachers’ notesImportant International Site for Birds

Tentsmuir Point and the Tay Estuary is an area of international importance for wintering waders and wildfowl (geese and ducks ).

Waders

You will notice that many species of waders live in the same area. They can get along because theyare different sizes, with different lengths of legs and bills adapted to different ways of feeding and preferred foods. This also helps their identification. Looking at the birds’ bills and their feeding behaviour is one way you can use to tell some of the birds apart. You can also see how well adaptedthe birds are to their environment.

The birds come to feed on the mudflats and sand, digging with their bills, or diving in the shallow intertidal waters. Most of the animals living in the mud and sand are invertebrates - lugworms, cockles, ragworms.

Waders most likely tobe seen

Oystercatcher

Dunlin

Redshank

Curlew

Knot

Ringed Plover

Sanderling

Grey Plover

Bar tailed Godwit

Whimbrel

Waterfowl most likely tobe seen

Common Eider

Common Scoter

Common Shelduck

Tufted Duck

Red-breasted Merganser

Goosander

Greylag Geese

Pink-footed Geese

Other birds you may see include gulls, herons and occasional small birds - skylarks, take time to lookand listen to these birds as well - make comparisons.

Table of Waders and Wildfowl most likely to be seen at Tentsmuir Point

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birds, bills and behaviourAdaptations - legs

Some birds have long legs because they need to walk through deep water. Having long legs alsomeans that the bird can look down into the water to see its food and surprise it. Those birds with shortlegs often run along the water’s edge looking for snails in the sand - some bend their legs and dip upand down, some are stiff legged and look like clockwork toys.

Webbed feet allow for better swimming.

Adaptations - bills

Most birds’ bills show adaptations for feeding. Long beaks help them reach food deep in sand or mud;curved bills allow stones to be turned over, or move seaweed disturbing insects; short bills can scoopup animals on or near the surface; sharp bills can puncture shells; blunt, flat bills allow successfulspooning and sieving, strong; sharp bills allow shells to be split apart.

Behaviour

Some birds will be loafing (staying in the same place doing nothing in particular), others may be restingon or off the water with their heads tucked under their wings, or busy washing and preening theirfeathers. Many will be feeding, flying or walking/running.

Conservation

Wildfowl issues - when considering issues about the conservation of waders and wildfowl, rememberthat some species of wildfowl are still hunted and eaten today - duck and geese. Shooting is strictlycontrolled within ‘seasons’ to prevent the death of chicks and feeding parents. Even so, uncontrolledshooting still occurs in Scotland.

Members of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) conform to an acceptedCode of Practice - this recognises that the protection of birds is important for their survival. Not all wildfowlers are members of BASC.

These activities focus on the wonderful bird-life of the seashore. They look at the main features ofcoastal water birds (waders and wildfowl in particular), their feeding habits and their adaptations to howand where they live.

OBJECTIVE: to introduce bird watching and identification.

TIME: 1 hour

LOCATION: at the north end of the Reserve - see area identified on the

activity location plan. Otherwise use the southern end of the reserve around

the sand banks. The best conditions are a fine clear day with no rain or

strong winds, early morning (before 1030) or late afternoon (after 1500)and

at halfway tide(nearer to high tide).

YOU WILL NEED: as many pairs of binoculars and telescopes as possible,

Activity sheets and reference sheet.

The best months to see wintering waders and wildfowl (geese, ducks and swans) are September toApril. At most times of year oystercatchers, curlew, redshank, eider duck, knot, black-headed gulls andherring gulls may be found.

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Stage 1 - Bird identity and habits

Observing and identifying: Choose your observation site on the edge of the dunes, with a good viewof the shorebirds. Sit still and quietly. Sharing the binoculars and scanning the birds, wait until thebirds are settled (for 5-10 minutes). How many different kinds of bird can you see?

Recording and counting: As a group, identify the seven different bird species on the shoreline: oystercatcher, eider duck, shag, curlew, dunlin, redshank and grey plover. Tick each one you identifyon the recording sheet. If you are able to count them, also write down the number or guestimate. Alsoobserve what they are doing, and whereabouts they are. Can you identify any other bird species?

Stage 2 - Fitted for feeding

Observing and recording bills and other adaptations: In pairs, or as a small group, take some timeto observe one particular bird, quietly describing to each other its different characteristics.

Complete recording form: Complete a sketch. Comparing the bill (beak) length of waders and thedepth at which invertebrates live in the mud/sand. Complete descriptions of how it is fitted for feeding.

Observing other evidence from the sand: On the way back along the shore look out for signs ofactivity - bird prints, hollows and holes in the sand, piles of lugworm casts, imprints of small animalsmoving across the sand - worm trails, prints, peck marks etc. Before leaving the beach form a circleand share what everyone had found most interesting from watching the birds so carefully. What surprised you and what fascinated you?

Before the Activity

Look at pictures of the waders and wildfowl you are most likely to see. Discuss ways of telling themapart. Practise using binoculars and telescopes. Discuss how the group needs to behave for a successful birdwatching expedition.

What will the group record, what will they observe and what conclusions will they draw?

Where is it? Select from:

• on the water far out

• on the water close in

• in the water’s edge - in wave zone

• along the water’s edge - not in wave zone

• on the sandy beach

• other

Your name:

bird identity and habitats

birdname

bird checklist

(no.) what is it doing? where is it?

Date:

What is it doing? Select from:

• loafing

• resting/sleeping

• swimming

• washing

• preening

• feeding

• flying

• walking/running/hopping

Oystercatcher

Eider duck

Curlew

Dunlin

Redshank

Grey plover

Others:

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fitted for feeding information sheetfood from the sand

ringe

d plo

ver

lapwing

grey

plov

erdu

nlin

knot reds

hank

black

-taile

d go

dwit

oyste

rcat

cher

bar-t

ailed

god

witcu

rlew

Waders’ beaks:

Invertebrates in the sand and mud, and how deep they live

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Depth(mm)

sandhopper(up to 40mm)

cocklebivalve mollusc(up to 40mm) tillin

bivalve mollusc(up to 50mm)

hydrobid snails(on/near surface)

crab(on/near surface)

ragworm(up to 200mm)

peppery furrowbivalve mollusc(up to 150mm)

lugworm(up to 200mm)

information sheet

dunlin grey plover

redshank sanderling

bartailed godwit knot

digital imaging

OBJECTIVE: to explore the reserve and make a record of the trip through

digital media.

TIME: this activity could take place throughout the day with follow – up time

in the classroom.

YOU WILL NEED: a digital camera, (extra memory and extra battery power), a

computer with an editing software package.

our day at the beach

Before the activity

Ensure that you know how to use the digital camera and software before you take it on site and how to change the batteries whilst out of the classroom. Digital cameras use a lot of battery power and memory. You want it to last all day and give everyone a chance to take photographs.

The Activity

The camera is a wonderful tool to encourage looking closely at the environment. Young peoplehave a natural sense of composition and should be allowed to snap happily to gain confidence inthe use of the camera. The cameras should be shared throughout the day.

After the activity

Your camera should have a picture transfer system to download onto your computer. Only a simple editing package is needed to make a collage.

Suggested Follow-up

• A collage diary of the day with text captions

• A power-point presentation of the Reserve

• A simple web site of the Reserve

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There are two species of seal in Scotland - Atlantic grey seals (grey) and harbour, or commonseals (common). Seals are abundant at Tentsmuir Point. However, neither species are commonworld-wide, thereforeTentsmuir Point is an important breeding site and wehave a responsibility to protect the seals.

Atlantic Grey Seals are most easily told apart when in the water, by theshape of their head and position of their nostrils. The Greys have a largerhead with a straight Roman nose and sideways facing nostrils.

Some say they look as if they are wearing a top hat.

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teachers’ notesAt Tentsmuir Point there is some seasonal fluctuation of numbers

Grey seal - peak numbers about 2 000

The grey seals favour the Abertay Sands and the sandbank in front of the old lookout tower. Theybreed in summer and the pups must moult from white to a dark coatbefore they can swim, which takes several weeks after birth. Sealpups use the anti-tank blocks as well as the dune edge for shelter.

The Common seals have a smaller, stepped profile to their face and forward facing nostrils - like a dog. Some say they look as if theywould wear a flat cap.

Common seal

Common seal - peak numbers about 750

They use all the sandbanks and the southern foreshore. They breed in autumn and the singlepups are able to swim and dive almost immediately.

The seals are easily disturbed by dogs and people.

Seal hunting - Seals used to be hunted for their fur. Grey and common seals were both hunted inShetland until recently. Seals are seen as a problem by fishermen, especially when their numbersstart to increase. At Tentsmuir in the early 1990s around 800 seals were a common sight. Adecade later, around 2 000 seals may be seen on the sandbanks. They like to eat salmon andindividual seals have been known to cause problems at fishing stations - damaging nets and eat-ing fish.

Seal Culls - There is no doubt that seals eat a significant quantity of fish, and will eat whatever fishthey catch - commercial and non-commercial - this makes them often unpopular with the fishingindustry. They can be seen to compete with fishermen for the same prey species. The argu-ments for and against a cull of seals to improve fish stocks for the fishing industry are well-rehearsed.

However, the relationship between fish numbers and seal numbers is not fully understood. Risingnumbers of seals are not necessarily responsible for declining fish stocks. The controls on fishstocks are complex and certainly as much to do with human exploitation and impacts such aspollution. Predation by mammals only has a marginal effect on total fish stocks.

Seabirds and porpoises together take more fish than seals. It does not follow that a cull of sealswould increase the amount of fish available to fishermen.

singing seals

singing seals

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Seals encourages young people to use the expressive arts in the study of wildlife, using words and pictures.

OBJECTIVE: to observe and record the seals at Tentsmuir, using poetry and the

expressive arts.

TIME: 1 - 2 hours

LOCATION: on the southern foreshore, just beyond the standing lookout post -

see activity location plan.

YOU WILL NEED: clipboards, sheets of paper for drawing or writing, pencils

(HB, B).

Seals are warm-blooded mammals like ourselves. Their friendly faces are familiar to most peoplewho have visited Tentsmuir Point. This, and their ungainly movements on the sandbanks, belietheir true nature. They are hunters and under the water are streamlined swimmers able to speedthrough the water after their prey - mainly fish.

Seals are abundant at Tentsmuir Point and Scotland has a large proportion of the world’s overallpopulation of both common and grey seals. However, neither species are common world-wide.In an international context Tentsmuir Point is an important breeding site and we have a responsibility to protect the seals.

Before your Visit

Read and discuss the poems, ‘We, the Seals’ and ‘Singing Seals’

• Practise using binoculars and the telescope in the school grounds.

• Discuss the important things about wildlife watching - being quiet, moving slowly and smoothly, observing carefully.

The Activity

Find a comfortable spot from where you have good views of the seals on the sandbanks. Sharethe binoculars and focus on the sea.

Observe the seals - are there both grey and common seals, about how many? What are theydoing? Are they making any noises? Do they look calm or are they disturbed? Are they divingunder water, time how long they stay underwater - how long can people hold their breath for - try itand see!

Ask everyone to think of one or two words that describe the seals, or their feelings about them.Write the words in the damp sand with a stick. Which words sound good together – see if thegroup can make a poem or the beginnings of a story. Alternatives are to create a seal rap, a wordspiral, or a simple performance.

Write this up for use in the classroom.

Encourage everyone to make a sand-sketch of a particular seal, or a group of seals, then do apencil drawing.

Before you leave, use a circle to find out what everyone liked the best about the seals and theactivities.

Suggested follow up

Create a seal gallery in the classroom or school hall with all the sketches, stories and poems.

Take a visit to the rescued seals at the St Andrew’s Sea Life Centre.

the smell of wet warmthrolling on the sandbank

blubbersleeping sunbathers

ungainly limbsheavy weights

safety in numberssmooth swimmer

cool

fur like moss

We, The Seals

Some say that we are the hounds of Neptune; Whereas others say we are angels that fell from Heaven.

Some say that we are the souls of the drowned; Whereas others say we are enchanted humans.

Some say that we are angels that fell from Heaven; Whereas others say we are neither fish nor beast.

Some say that we are enchanted humans; Whereas others say we are the children of the deep.

Some say that we are neither fish nor beast; Whereas others say we sound like dogs barking. Some say that we are the children of the deep;

Whereas others say we can sing like sirens. Some say that we sound like dogs barking;

Whereas others say we are the hounds of Neptune. Some say that we can sing like sirens;

Whereas others say we are the souls of the drowned.

Poem by Gordon Meade

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Singing Seals

The heads Of unbodied seals

In Berwick harbour. First one,

Then another. We're able to count

Three at least. Surfacing with only a ripple, They submerge with even less. But in their time Above water, in their fewmoments Of air-breath, their heads holdours. You ask If they'd like Your singing.

I speak of theirs. Of legends. Of one-eyed

Sedna and her severed fingers. Of fallen

Angels and humans Under spells.

Of Eskimo rituals And the culled soul's

Three day search for heaven. You start humming

In a more than human tongue And up they come again.

Poem by Gordon Meade. ‘Singing Seals’ first appeared in the publication ‘Singing Seals’

Food chains

The simplest way of looking at interrelationships between plants and animals is to look at a food chain -showing the feeding relationships, and the flow of energy between plants and animals from the sun.

making connections

OBJECTIVE: to look at the flow of energy through food chains and food webs.

TIME: 30 - 45 minutes

LOCATION: anywhere on site.

YOU WILL NEED: book illustrating marine plankton, ball of yellow wool.

Plants, animals and their physical surroundings should not be studied in isolation from each other.There is no need to get hooked up on naming things. Instead, look for examples of how things areinteracting and depending on each other when you are out there on the reserve.

Before the Activity

Introduce the terms - producer and consumer - primary and secondary, and herbivore, carnivore,omnivore, detritivore and decomposer.

The activity

The best time to introduce the idea of food chains or webs is just after the group have eatensomething so that they can relate to what has just been eaten.

All food chains start with the sun.

Ask the question: “ Give me the name of a food you’ve just eaten which doesn’t originate from thesun’s energy?”

Ask the children to make a chain to work out where their food originated from

For example: milk …. Cow - grass - sun

crisps…. Potatoes - sun

sausages… pork or beef! Pig or cow - plants - sun

the sun is the source of energy for all living things

(it has now been discovered that some deep ocean communities are powered by sulphide gases,but all terrestrial food chains are powered by the sun)

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A simple seashore food chain

Foodwebs

The more complex story is that all life is interdependent and ultimately dependent on the sun. Manylarger animals eat more than one thing, so they fit into several food chains. These foodchains linktogether to form a foodweb.

Food chains:

Take a walk on the beach. Use it as a final activity after watching the birds or seals on the shore or looking at the life in the sand.

Talk about the plants and animals in the sea that they can’t see - plankton (have some pictures to showthem) - animal and plant plankton are microscopic wildlife floating in the sea, in millions, providing foodfor many sea-living creatures i.e.from barnacles to whales.

Look at the shells on the beach - these are all empty, but once held animals within them, what did theyfeed on? and what fed on them?

When you have discovered enough creatures (alive and dead!) to form a food chain, divide the childreninto small groups. In their small groups they each chose what they will be (not forgetting the sun) and linkarms or hold hands in the relevant order, forming a food chain.

Foodwebs:

Ask everyone to spread out into a large circle. Take a ball of yellow wool or string (explain that it represents the sun’s energy) and ask a volunteer to be the sun.

Ask what are the smallest plants in the sea catching the sun’s energy - plant plankton, and the largestplants in the sea - seaweed. Connect both of these to the sun with wool.

What eats plant plankton? - animal plankton, whale, barnacle. Connect these into the web and continue in a similar fashion for sea weed. Continue through the food web, as shown in the diagram, oras you design it, until everyone is linked up.

Remember to ask what happens to the plants and animals when they die - there are several scavengersand detritus eaters that feed on this material. Ask about the advantages of being a scavenger.

When everyone is linked up, you can demonstrate some of the problems human activity has brought tonatural food webs - anything effected has to lie down or pull the strings it holds, anything that feels thestring being pulled also lies down and so on.

Look at, and discuss the effect of: oil pollution effecting plankton

overfishing small fish

disease effecting mussels, or salmon

Suggested follow up

• Recreate the food chain or web as a wall display, or a 3D representation; provide young people with A4 sheet to write down the food chain or web for themselves.

• Carry out more research on the animals and plants, finding illustrations or information to add to the display.

• Most food chains have only 3 - 4 links, some may be longer - set it as a challenge to find the longest.

• Go and visit a local woodland, or investigate the wildlife of the school grounds. Try making up awoodland or school grounds food chain or web from their own experiences or from research. Compare the two different environments.

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The sun is the source

of all energy

Plants use the sun’senergy to make foodthrough the process of photosynthesis

Plant eaters(herbivores) eat plants

Meat eaters(carnivores)

eat other animals and may in turn

be eaten by other carnivores

Scavengers(detritivores) eat dead and

decaying plant and

animal material

woodland detectivessense of place

plant questwee beasties

home sweet homepoetic moments

woodland ways

teachers’ notes

section 2/71

This activity explores the differences between native woodlands and conifers planted by man.

The essence is that native woodlands provide habitats for a wider variety of plants and animals thanplantation forests and therefore, are more valuable for wildlife and have a higher biodiversity value. Thisdifference can be seen first hand at Tentsmuir Point.

Native woodlands and biodiversity value

Since the last Ice Age, different plant and animal species have been able to adapt to woodland conditions. The natural woodland climax vegetation at Tentsmuir is broadleaves, with some Scots Pineon the acid, well-drained soils of the sand .

Woodland structure

Native woodlands have a recognisable structure, although it is not always possible to clearly identifyeach layer.

The ground layer is made up of the shortest plants, such as mosses and dead leaves and stems ofother plants, supporting fungi (toadstools). The herb or field layer is made up of taller grasses, ferns,herbs and tree seedlings growing up through the ground layer. The shrub layer consists of largerplants again, with woody stems e.g. gorse, broom, brambles. It may include hazel, which grows withmany stems - a shrub. The tree layer is made up of the single stems and canopies of our largest,most amazing plants - trees.

A plantation forest in its early stages does not develop this structure, due to the lack of light.Woodland structure is a very important factor in determining the biodiversity value of a woodland or forest. The greater the variety of structures provided by different plants, the more different kinds of animals may be supported.

Native woodlands often need management today, due to threats introduced through human activities -overgrazing by sheep and deer is common in many areas, although not for Tentsmuir; invasion by non- native species through self-seeding is a threat at Tentsmuir, and non-native conifers planted nearby is often the cause.

Conifer plantations and biodiversity value

Conifer plantations were unpopular with those interested in nature conservation particularly in the past,because of the effect of displacing native wildlife and altering the landscape. They were managed sole-ly for their timber and economic returns.

Forest management has changed a lot and it has been recognised that forests are places for peopleand wildlife as well. Forest Enterprise manages Tentsmuir forest for timber and other purposes, such asrecreation, and its management also improves its wildlife value - compare the new plantation with theolder, open plantation.

The planting of conifer species meant a large number of bird species of open moorland and grasslanddisappeared from the Tentsmuir area, however, wildlife is very adaptable too and some woodlandspecies have moved into the area as a result. Bird species moving in include - Siskin, GreenWoodpecker, Crossbill, Woodcock, Willow Warbler and Goldfinch.

woodland ways

teachers’ notes

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section 1/1

Often in woodlands it is easier to find evidence that animals are present rather than find the animalsthemselves. Often you will hear an animal, like a squirrel before you see it, just as the animals will hearor sense you before they see you.

This activity encourages looking and listening to discover what is there.

woodland detectives

The Activity

Find a place in the woodlands and ask everyone to stand in a circle facing outwards. With theireyes closed, what can they hear? Listen to the sounds and the stillness of the natural world.

Explain that the Reserve Manager is trying to find out who lives in the woodland, who are residentsand who are migrants? He needs some good detectives.

Divide into three groups for each type of woodland - native woodland, open plantation, youngplantation and ask the questions:

Will noises or smells give away any animals? Will different animals live in different layers of thewoodland? How will they remember all the clues? Use the recording sheets Looking for Cluesand ask the groups to investigate the areas and find the evidence.

When they have finished, gather everyone into a circle to report their findings and produce evidence if they have it. Discuss similarities and differences.

OBJECTIVE: to understand the different woodland types and how they support a

variety of creatures.

TIME: 1 - 1.5 hours

LOCATION: see the activity location plan - in any of the native woodland

fringe, the open plantation on the other side of the reserve fence, in the

new plantation on the other side of the track.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: magnifying glasses, plastic collecting bags for evidence,

activity sheets.

view of dune heath with native and conifer plantations

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Nest

Hair

Feather

Grazed Grass

Pellets

Mouse Hole

Bird Droppings

Mammal Droppings

Bird Song

Nibbled Fungi

Suspect

Suspect

Suspect

Suspect

Suspect

Suspect

Suspect

Suspect

Suspect

Suspect

looking for clues

Tick ✓ the boxes when you have found some evidence of animals in the woodland

Suggested follow up

Research the individual animals for whom clues or evidence has been collected and complete an Ideal Homes Activity Sheet.

Make a wall display of all the signs and creatures that caused them.

Make a list of all the animals’ evidence which was collected and send it to the SNH Reserve Managerfor his records. Return at a different time of year and see if the same evidence is found. Create a database for the different seasons - the different clues and creatures.

What sort of clues should they try finding?

Sounds - birdsong - laughter call of the green woodpecker, drumming of a great spotted woodpecker, cat mewing of a buzzard, squeaks of voles and mice

Smells - musky smell of a male fox

Sightings - droppings of fox, rabbits, roe deer, hare; holes in leaves - caterpillars; holes/ tunnels in dead wood or bark - larvae of wood boring beetles; leaf/stem galls - produced byvarious wasps laying eggs in tissue - grows like a wart, with developing young inside; webs - spiders; tunnels in hill sides/grass - bank voles, rabbits, fox; cuckoo spit - leafhopper eggs andlarvae protected by the foam; chewed cones - squirrel (tatty ends) mouse, hare(neat ends),molehills - moles; footprints in sand/mud; feathers or hair; nests; bird pellets - birds of prey;nibbled woody stems, fungi - rabbits, hare,deer,mice,slugs,snails

common blue butterfly

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Gsense of place

This activity allows the young people to consider their thoughts and feelings about being out of doors ina natural place.

OBJECTIVE: to consider a personal reaction to a natural environment.

TIME: 15 - 20 minutes

LOCATION: within the different types of woodland - native, open

plantation, new plantation - look at the activity location plan.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: activity sheet, sense of place - 1 each for each

environment.

The Activity

Choose a place where the children can sit comfortably with a clear view of the area. When theyare all settled ask them to close their eyes and relax for a minute, then open their eyes when theyare ready to complete the sheet.

Ask the young people to look at the activity sheet. For each pair of words a mark should be putin the square nearest to how they feel (right or left). If they don’t feel particularly one way or theother they should mark the middle box.

Move to a different type of plantation and repeat the exercise.

When they have finished they can try to write down words of their own which reflect how they feelabout the contrasting plantations.

Suggested follow up

Discuss some of the following:

What do the young people like or dislike about the particular places?

Does everyone feel the same? Was this expected?

How would you feel about these places at night, in winter…?

Collect the words together for storytelling or poetry in the sand.

1. Name of animal

2. What type of home do you live in?

3. Which storey (layer) of the woodlands is it in?

4. What is your neighbourhood (habitat) like?

5. What do like best?

6. Where to you get your food from?

7. Where do you get your water from?

Deep Woodland

Clearing

Woodland Edge

Deadwood

Deep Woodland

Clearing

Woodland Edge

Deadwood

Food

Puddles

Droplets on Leaves

River

Sunbathing Nightlife

Top floor(canopy) Middle floor

(shrub) Ground floor(herb layer)

Basement or below(ground layer)

ideal homes

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sense of place

small

crowded

colourful

messy

quiet

busy

safe

peaceful

boring

friendly

this place feels

large

open

drab

tidy

noisy

calm

dangerous

hectic

interesting

threatening

Your name:

Native woodland

(Circle which one)

Tick the boxes nearest to how you feel.

Young plantation Old plantation nplant quest

Plant Quest looks at the similarities and differencesbetween the native woodlands and the plantations, inrelation to their plant life, and the reasons behind the differences. This activity introduces the idea of a quadratas a means of sampling the real world - botanists samplewhen there’s too much to count everything!

OBJECTIVE: to identify plants and woodland types through creative exploration

and field work.

TIME: 1 hour

LOCATION: see location plan for areas of native woodland, new and old

plantation.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: activity sheets, quadrats(1 per group) , 1 metre rule,

light meter, pH and moisture probes (1 per group)

To make a quadrat you can use a hula-hoop or card strips (50cm long) and

paper clips.

At Tentsmuir Point you can find: native broadleaves and planted conifers and there is lots moreto see in the native woodland !

There may be several different habitats within a woodland area - it is much more than just agroup of trees and other plants.

Often in winter the dips between the old dunes now colonised by trees on Tentsmuir are filledwith water, even in spring and summer they will be much damper than the humps.

6

7

8

Did You know?

ragged robin

2/81

Before the Activity

Practise using a quadrat in the school grounds or local park. Count the number of different plants in thequadrat. Practise using any other equipment you have at the same time - light meter, moisture probe,pH probe.

Discuss the importance of scientific method in using a quadrat - where should it be put? What aboutfair testing - how many times should they ‘throw’ the hoop to make sure their findings are representativeof the area as a whole? Have a look at the recording sheets and how you will use them.

The Activity

This activity will involve moving between three different woodland areas. See the location plan tochoose the first area. At the first site, split into groups. Each group should use the ‘Tree key’ toidentify what type of trees are in the woodland. Once the woodland type is identified, use the‘Quadrat Sheet’, and the quadrats to measure the plants in the woodland.

When all the groups are finished, move on to the next area of woodland for the quadrat measure-ments. Repeat the above for the third area of woodland.

Suggested follow up

• You can age young conifers by counting the number of whorls of branches - they grow from their growth tip each year. To age a broadleaf tree measure its girth in centimetres, at about 1.5m height, and divide by 2.5 for a very approximate age.

• Compare their results. Draw charts (bar/pie) from the figures. Display the results.

• Look at the aerial photograph of Tentsmuir Point and the impact of the plantation forestry and its straight lines.

• Discuss the differences between native and exotic species for wildlife value.

• Ask a forester in to school to explain the different management used in plantation forests, for landscape value, attracting wildlife and for recreation, and why there has been this change in the last 30 years.

• Look closely at the shape of the leaves. Copy the shapes and the lines carefully using a pencil or fine pen. Use your key to identify which trees these leaves come from.

plant quest quadrat sheet

How many different types of plants?

Are the trees mostly the same ageyes/no

Are the trees in straight line?yes/no

Are there a lot of dead tree leaves/needles on the ground?yes/no

How tall is the tallest plant?

How much light is there?

How wet is the ground?*

What is the acidity of the soil?**

* dry / moist / very wet / water, or use moisture probe

** use PH probe, or use litmus paper and water

Young Woodland Native Woodland Old Plantation

Your name:

Place your quadrat on the ground and measure the following:

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Look closely at the shape of the leaves. Copy the shapes and the lines carefully using apencil or fine pen. Use the key to identify which trees these leaves come from. tenstmuir tree key information sheet

leaves like needles

needles in pairs

long needles (over 8cm)

CORSICAN PINE

short needles (2-5cm)SCOTS PINE

leaves round and jaggy edgedALDER

needles single, sharp andleave a stump on the stem

SITKA SPRUCE

pointed end to leaves

leaves single on stem

leaves triangular and jaggy edged

BIRCH

leaves oval and smooth

WILLOW

leaves long ovals, with jaggy edges

ROWAN

leaves in pairs on stem

flat end to leaves

Leaves flat and broad

START

Uwee beasties

Tentsmuir Point NNR is renowned for its insects, snails and slug populations. The woodlands andwoodland edge are particularly good habitats to investigate. This activity looks at finding, recording andidentifying.

OBJECTIVE: to identify a variety of invertebrates in the woodland areas.

TIME: 1 hour

LOCATION: see areas of different woodland type on the activity location plan.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: bug boxes, magnifying glasses, activity sheets, a good

reference book on minibeasts and the minibeast keys from the SNH Reserve

Manager.

cinnabar moth

The Activity

During your visit make sure that the young people realise that minibeasts are found in every layerof the woodland. However, in amongst the foliage, under rotting logs and stumps and piles ofbranches are especially good places to look. Stones are also good, but there are not manyaround Tentsmuir Point!

Break into small groups of 3-4, and take it in turns to collect invertebrates (minibeasts) in the bugboxes or jars. Use the magnifiers wherever possible. With the collection of each animal, the keyshould be used to identify it if possible. Photograph, draw or describe in words the findings.

Check that all the animals have been gently released.

Suggested follow up

Research the different minibeasts - their needs, food, adaptations etc. Create a wall display involvingtheir investigation and research the results.

Before the Activity

Make sure the need to handle the animals carefully is emphasised, together with the need to let them go when they are identified.

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who am I?

Where did you find me?

Did I have lots of friends like me?

What size am I?(use a ruler)

What colour(s) am I?

How many legs do I have?

What was I doing?(sleeping, resting, looking for food)

Who am I?

Young WoodlandMinibeast Native Woodland Old Plantation

Your name: Group:

give me a new name

Ehome sweet home

This activity will introduce the habitat and the ecosystem. It has been adapted from The Ecology Packproduced by Landlife.

OBJECTIVE: To understand that plants and animals are adapted to living in

different habitats in order to meet their needs and that they each have a

role( niche) in the community.

TIME: 1-2 hours

LOCATION: see plantation and native woodland areas located on activity

location plan.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 set per group-At Work cards (mounted and laminated if

possible), Home Application form, Home Sweet Home Information sheet.

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Notes

Native woodlands are home to many different kinds of animals and plants and have a greater variety of species (and, therefore, biodiversity value) than most conifer plantations, especiallyyoung plantations (5-15 years old).

Nothing lives on its own and we call the collection of plants and animals living in one place - a community. Wherever the plant and animal communities live, they have to be suited to the existing physical and biological conditions - the habitat.

The system within which plants and animals effect each other, within their habitat, is called anecosystem. Scientists who study habitats and communities are called ecologists.

This activity focuses on the ways that plants and animals adapt their work and lifestyle to theirhabitat. Animals that compete for the same food and shelter share the same niche. However, it is possible for them to overcome this by coming out at different times of day - bats and birds, orby one choosing to feed at different levels - grey squirrels often feed on the ground.

The Activity

• Explain to the young people that today they are going to investigate the availability of jobs and homes for the woodland animals and plants they have been finding in the different areas of woodland. It is important for the animals to have a job where they live. Most animals and plants have more than one job.

• Split into pairs and distribute the ‘At Work’ signs, and accompanying information sheet, discussing each sign in turn, ensuring they understand the job. They should look for examples,or evidence of, animals or plants doing the different jobs. The appropriate sign should then be displayed next to them.

• Give out the housing application forms. Ask each pair to complete them for selected animals or plants they have found evidence of working.

• When everyone has finished, get together and share the findings. Summarise, that they have discovered the community of the woodland, made up of individual plants and animals, occupying different parts of the habitat and completing different jobs which they are well adapted to carry out.

• Discuss what would happen if the woodland was felled or planted over with conifers.

Suggested follow up

• Construct a 2D/ 3D representation of the woodland, identifying the different homes and inhabitants.

• Look at the different ways animals/ plants and woodlands are protected for the future, particularly endangered species - ask someone from SNH in to illustrate a number of ways used at Tentsmuir and elsewhere (in your area).

at work signs

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home sweet home information sheet

Living things which can turn the sun’s energyinto other forms of energy (new food likesugar) which other residents can eat.

Energy transformer(ET)

mainly green plants, fungi(converting stored sunlight energy in dead wood)

Living things which make the air breathablefor others in the community.

Air conditioner (AC)

plants do it for animals

animals do it for plants

Animals that eat plants (whole or bits) keepingtheir number down, for other plants to grow.

animals that are primary consumers or herbivores

Animals and fungi which help other residentsby removing or breaking down dead materials

Rubbish collector(RC)

animalsfungi - find out about lichens

Animals which move things from one part ofthe community to another. Seeds and pollenoften get moved in this way.

Transporter (TR)

animals with sticky or hairy outsides

Living things who help make the soil a betterplace to grow by adding organic waste material, or reworking it all and mixing ittogether.

Soil builders(SB)

bacteria - can’t see them but they do; plants with roots; fungi; animal droppings;animals that eat dead stuff and which burrow

Animals which help control the numbers ofresidents in the community so that it doesn’tget too crowded and there is enough food/water and air for everyone.

Population controller (PC)

animals that catch other animals - alive – andeat them

Job title Job description Community members

1.

2.

Energy nutrient recycler (NR)

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

home application form

bramble bush (berry maker)

sunlight tomake food

nuts andseeds(cones)

from plants from foodor openwater

nest in treecanopy

from animals

and plants

from rainand soil

from soilfor roots

broadleaves tocatch sun, spikes tostop animals eatingit, berries for eating

very agile in treebranches, movesand stores food

in soil

red squirrel (cone/nut harvester)

T - Top Floor M - Middle Floor G - Ground Floor B - Basement

Who am I? What do I need every day?

Energy Air Water Shelter T M G B Job How suited

My address? Work suitability?

✓

✓

ET,AC

AC,TR

Ideas for Poetry

Poem Portrait

In the dunes or woodland -choose a plant and sit beside it for a while. What does it smell like? Whatcolour is it? Is it bright or dark, warm or cool? Are the leaves smooth, furry or rough? Does it havepetals- are they thick and velvety, or thin, almost see-through? Is the plant tall or tiny? Stiff or waving inthe wind? Alone or with others? Invent a name for your plant, draw it and then write a word portrait of itaround your sketch.

Talking leaves - in the woodland

Cut out paper leaves and punch a hole in one end of each. Take a handful into the woodland, sitbeside a tree and listen. What sounds is the tree making? Write one word on each leaf, then tie all theleaves on a branch. As the leaves flutter in the breeze, say the words aloud. Just listen to their sound.Record the students as they speak and use this soundscape back in the classroom.

Shape poems

Choose a tree and draw an outline of a leaf or of the whole tree. Fill the shape you have drawn withwords that describe the tree.

Descriptions

Try to describe a plant/tree/seashell to someone who may not have seen it before. Use natural language, and be as precise as you can. Use as many senses as you can – sight, touch, small,sounds (but probably safer not to use taste!). Take your description and play with the words, makethem prettier or sharper. Use them as a jumping-off point for a story, an invention, an act of the imagination.

Place a familiar object in a bag and ask a student to feel it and describe it without seeing it – can theothers guess what it is?

poetic moments

Poetry is one of the most accessible and adaptable activities. It requires no equipment, no experienceor expertise beyond the ability to speak and/or write. Poetic Moments is a selection of simple ideas for using poetry to open your students eyes to the world around them, and give them something meaningful and memorable to take away and treasure.

A poem ‘begins in delight and ends in wisdom’Robert Frost

“imagine what you are writing about. See it and live it. Do not think it up laboriously, as if you wereworking out mental arithmetic. Just look at it, touch it, smell it, listen to it, turn yourself into it. When youdo this, the words look after themselves, like magic.”Ted Hughes

OBJECTIVE: to observe the environment from a creative perspective and create

simple poems as a result.

TIME: 1 hour

LOCATION: anywhere on the reserve.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: pencils and paper for each person, a bag.

j

2/952/94

Interrelationships

Think about what natural objects mean to you and to us all. How do we use them? How do othercreatures use them? What would happen if they weren’t there? Why do we give them the names wedo? Can you think of a better name? Why are some plants associated with specific feelings, emotions,ideals? Why is love like a red, red rose? And why does the thistle stand for Scotland? What’s sofunny about sneezewort? Does anyone sell seashells on the seashore? (mussels, scallops….)

Acrostic

Write the name of a sea or seashore creature in capital letters down the side of a page, then use eachletter to start a line of a poem about it.

Growing a Poem

Draw a big circle on the page or in the sand and clockwise around the edge, quickly write the first wordthat comes to mind when you think of:

Then join pairs of words across the circle - it doesn’t matter which two you join, because everything isrelated in some way! Next, write a sentence that links the two words showing what that relationshipcould be. If new words that you like better spring to mind, use them! Then take the six lines you havewritten, and play around with them until they are in an order that you like, changing them any way you want.

a flowerwater

a coloura feeling

a treea texture

a tastea smell.

a birdthe weather

an insecta season

Crawling sideways, speed on legs

Rapidly running

Away away

Bubble trail

2/96

management mattersvalues and visions

people preferencesrebels against rubbish

time team

people, past and present

section 2/99

This activity provides excellent opportunities to discuss why sand dunes are so special and the importance of sand dune management. It also allows you to understand why sand dune environmentsand their wildlife are under threat in Scotland and Britain, how, over time, values have changed withregard to views on their importance to society.

management matters

OBJECTIVE: to develop an awareness of issues of conservation.

TIME: 30 minutes

LOCATION: on site, during a walk with the Reserve Manager, or back in the

classroom as a reinforcement activity.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: sets of cards for each group.

Before the Activity

Discuss with the young people the concepts (and terms if you feel it appropriate) of biodiversity (seeMore About Tentsmuir Point NNR), and wildlife conservation (positive management activities protectingspecies and their habitats for their viable survival).

How to do it

The statements on the Activity sheet describe good management and problems for sand dunes. Onthe beach, give a set of cards to each group and ask them to draw two circles in the sand. One circlewill be for good management techniques, the other for problems in the environment. The groupsshould then sort the cards into the appropriate circles.

This activity is easily adapted for use in the classroom.

Good management can enhance the wildlife ( biodiversity) value of these sand dunes, as well astheir physical (landscape) value. If well managed and interpreted they will also attract people to thearea and contribute to the local economy.

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Discussion Points

What are the main threats to sand dunes generally?

Commercial development - caravan sites and golf courses e.g. St Andrews, also plantation forestry e.g.Culbin Sands on Moray Coast, and recreational activities e.g. trail bikes and 4WD vehicles. The wildlife isdisturbed as a consequence, also by more passive leisure activities such as walking the dog, horse rid-ing.

What are the main threats to the sand dunes at Tentsmuir Point?

As a nationally important site for wildlife - National Nature Reserve status - one of the main threats hasbeen the natural succession to woodland (unfortunately speeded up by non-native species from theforestry plantation). Wildlife is also under threat from dogs off leads and by trail bikes which have causeddamage to the dunes in the past.

Why is it important to manage sand dune systems?

By managing sand dune systems the damage caused by human activities can be minimised - planting ofMarram Grass can protect areas of erosion and boardwalks prevent damage to plants and sand.

Why is it important to manage the sand dunes at Tentsmuir Point?

The management at Tentsmuir is largely trying to sustain the dune heathland and grassland ecosystemsand their associated plant and animal communities. The Highland cattle help by grazing, so do the rabbits, but too many of either could cause problems from overgrazing. The sea fences keep theHighland cattle in, but also keep the trail bikes out, as do the locks on forestry gates. These also keep4WD vehicles out. Designation as a National Nature Reserve is the strongest legal protection such anarea can have in Scotland.

blowout on dune edge with marram grass

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values and visions

This activity helps young people think about their own values about nature. Sand dunes and beachesare valued for many different reasons - their history, ecology, natural history, geomorphology, aesthetics,as well as providing for different kinds of recreation. It is important for the young people to understandthat what makes a place special is often entirely personal.

OBJECTIVE: to develop an awareness of issues of conservation.

TIME: 30 - 45 minutes

LOCATION: on the beach after a visit with the Reserve Manager or back in the

classroom.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: a set of Value and Vision cards.

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: discuss with the young people the three concepts-

biodiversity, conservation and sustainability.

Much is made nowadays of sustainable development. Sustainable development is sometimes compared simply to a 3-legged stool - a leg each to represent the environment, society and the economy. To be acceptable, any development or change in management must consider the well-beingof each leg - each must be able to function properly and be able to do so in the long term (for ever). If any one leg fails, the development is unsustainable. This model may be used in a local or global context.

A major consideration is that, in reality, the environment supports everything else - so how important canthat make the need to protect the environment, over and above social or political/economic needs?Occasionally, because we have made mistakes in the past and destroyed the environment and its habitats completely in some places, we have to make the primacy of nature the major purpose of caring for a place in order that it can survive somewhere. This is the major function of National Nature Reserves.

The Activity

• Choose a place on the beach and get into a circle. Ask what kind of future the young people would like for their local area - what will it look like? Do they think places like Tentsmuir Point areimportant in that future vision?

• Give out a set of cards to each group (3-4). Ask the children to work together, discuss what each of the cards says, and then after reading them all, decide on an order for them. The top statement represents the most important reason for protecting the sand dunes and the bottom statement the least important reason.

• When they have finished they can compare their choices with other groups. If there are big differences they can discuss their opinions and how they reached their decisions. Where were the big disagreements? If there weren’t any, why might this be?

Suggested follow up

Take the list of ideas for the futures from the brainstorm, and discuss them more fully. Ask them to drawa version of their ideal future place. Make a display.

Compare the visions with the ranked statements and the values they reflect. Talk about the relationshipbetween values and attitudes and the choices they make in their everyday lives, as to what they do andhow they do it.

2/104 2/105

People take trail bikes over the sand dunes,destroying the plants and compacting thesoil. This helps to cause ‘blow outs’ throughthe dunes.

Dog walkers let their dogs off the lead duringthe breeding season of birds and seals.The dogs chase the birds off nests andseals, and break the eggs.

The trees are felled and removed to allowheath plants to grow again, and encouragebutterflies, other insects, and birds to return.

Highland cattle are used to graze out thewoody species and tough weed species likerosebay willowherb.

A sea fence is put up and looked after tokeep the Highland cows in, and the trailbikes out.

Occasional oil pollution occurs making sealsand seabirds vulnerable to oiling and ordeath.

The number of rare plants is monitored byusing quadrats. Done each year by theReserve Manager or University students.This will show up overgrazing by rabbits or cattle.

The growth of the conifers and lower numbers of rabbits have allowed scrub andwoodland to grow on the old dunes.

Some woodland has been left along theinland edge of the reserve to encourageinvertebrates and rare orchids.

Seeds from non-native and tough ‘weed’species find the slacks and open old dunes easy to colonise.

The Warden and local community go on aguided walk to learn about the Reserve andlook at the butterflies.

More wet winters and the windmill pumpbringing water from the forest drains aremaking the dune slacks wetter.

statements statements for ranking activity sheet

2The wild atmosphere of the landscape - at the meeting point of land and sea - makeTentsmuir Point attractive and of high landscape value.

3The Tay estuary and Tentsmuir sands are internationally important wintering areas forlarge numbers of birds resident Eider ducks,and for seals.

4The Tentsmuir sand dunes provide us withfascinating information about the area’s past,and its folklore. Arrowheads from 8 000 yearsago have been found in rabbit burrows.

5Sand dunes are young and continuously changing. The movement and build up ofsand provides valuable information abouttoday’s coastal processes. This will help usfind better ways to protect coasts elsewhere,which are being removed by the sea.

6The sand dunes, as a nature reserve, providegreat opportunities for the future, particularlyfor wildlife. New habitats will attract morekinds of plants and animals. People will cometo enjoy, monitor and better understand theirneeds - artists and scientists.

7The sand dunes at Tentsmuir Point are hometo an incredible variety of animals and plants.Several are quite rare elsewhere e.g. theseals, some insects and orchids. This biodiversity is due to the variety of habitatsdeveloped over a relatively short time, but lostelsewhere in Britain.

8As the sand dunes are managed as a naturereserve they attract visitors to the area. Thisprovides employment for local people andmoney to the local shops and services, supporting the rural community of NE Fife.

9The management of the sand dunes as anature reserve encourages the local community, including young people, to join inand understand more about how it works;helping look after ‘their place’, for the benefitof the local area.

1Tentsmuir Point sand dunes are a wonderfulremote place to play, go for a walk and havepicnics. They can be enjoyed by people of allages. They are a nice wild place ‘to be’.

people preferences

This activity focuses on designing a questionnaire, completing a number of interviews and analysing theresults to help the local SNH Reserve Manager of Tentsmuir Point NNR find out what local people andvisitors know about the reserve and what their hopes are for its future use.

OBJECTIVE: to develop an awareness of issues of conservation.

TIME: 2 - 3 hours

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: copies of the visitor questionnaire, pencils/pens,

clipboards.

values and visions activity sheetYour name:

You will be given a set of cards. Read the statements on each card and between yourank them on the diagram below. The top box has the most important reason for pro-tecting the sand dunes at Tentsmuir Point. The bottom box the least important. Put theothers in some order in between.

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Name of interviewer:

Date/day/time:

Place:

visitor questionnaire activity sheet

Q1 Have you visited Tentsmuir Point NNR recently?

Yes

No

Q2 How often do you visit?

Once a day

Once/twice a week

Once/twice a month

Occasionally

Q3 How do you travel there normally?

By foot

By car

Q4 Which of the following activities have you taken part in there?

Walking - with a dog/s

Walking - without dog/s

Running/Jogging

Cycling

Trail biking

Bird/Seal watching

Nature walks/guided walks

Picnics/ BBQ

Fishing

“Would you mind helping me/us with our survey for Tentsmuir Point National Nature Reserve?There are some information questions and some looking for your opinions. It will take about 5 -10minutes to complete. Thank You.”

Be clear that you are talking about the National Nature Reserve, not the car park andbeach at Kinshaldy.

People interviewed

1 2 3

Before the Activity

Talk about what we mean by the terms recreation and leisure and what they depend upon. How hasthis changed over the last 50 years?

The Activity

The SNH Reserve Manager at Tentsmuir Point NNR has contacted the school. He is looking forsome help from volunteers to carry out a visitor survey to help him with the management of the site.What kinds of questions does he want answers to? A demonstration questionnaire is included.Discuss the issues with the Reserve Manager. You may then design a similar questionnaire with theyoung people.

Ask the young people to carry out the questionnaire survey with 3 adult people they know. Discusswhy they should not all be from the same family - similar experiences, values and attitudes.Discuss the idea of sampling a population and the size of sample required.

Give them a date by which the survey must be completed. The results can be combined to give areasonable sample size (look for 90-100). Discuss the scientific basis to their method.

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rebels against rubbish

OBJECTIVE: to look at the variety of man-made rubbish that ends up on our

shores and what action can be taken to help.

TIME: 1 Hour (extended to whole school initiative) LOCATION: at the

strandline on the beach.

LOCATION: at the strandline on the beach.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: copies of the information sheets.

Q5 What aspects of the place do you like about it?

the beach and the open dunes

the seals

the birds

the wildlife generally

the remoteness

the quiet

the lack of development - seating etc.

the interpretation

other - list

Q6 What changes if any would you like to see? list

1

2

3

4

Q7 Who owns Tentsmuir Point?

Fife Council

private landowner

Scottish Natural Heritage

Q8 What does the term National Nature Reserve mean for a place?

Correct explanation given

Incorrect explanation given

Don’t know

Q9 How do you think the local people canbenefit from Tentsmuir Point?

ask for examples

economic benefits

environmental benefits

social/health benefits

Q10 Why is it important to consider the needs of wildlife, and the landscape value of TentsmuirPoint in making changes?

People interviewed

1 2 3

123

continued

Thank you very much for your help!

2/113

rebels against rubbish information sheet

Season Season

Adopt a Beach Survey Results - 2001

Plastics Toiletries

Drink/Food 103 170 102 Cotton buds 157 59 53

Cleaner fluid 3 3 Strip/ s. towels 23 105 23

Oil 3 2 Other 8 3 4

Fishing line 8 8 Paper

Rope 55 60 25 Bags 4 2

Shotgun carts 10 3 Cardboard 1

Pieces 194 136 79 Cigarette stubs 1 11 7

Other 61 75 41 Other 15 2

Polystyrene Wood

Fast food 8 30 5 Corks 13 4 14

Foam/ packing 80 15 45 Crab pots 1 1

Pieces 56 36 70 Pallets/ timber 2

other 1 4 2 Other 11 14

Rubber Glass

Protect clothing 4 Bottles 9 20 5

Tyres 1 Light bulbs 2 4 4

Balloons 7 3 Pieces 4 7

Other 2 3 7 Other

Cloth Ceramic

pieces 4 9 Crockery

clothing 2 7 Bricks 2

String 17 10 7 Other

other 6

Metal

Aerosols 2 1 8

Drink cans 8 12 24

Food tins 2

Oil cans

Other 3 3

Medical/Safety

Syringes

Other 1 1

w s a w s a

Legally binding?Act 1990 it is illegal to drop litter in apublic place – although you may thinkthis is common sense!

Under annex V of the MARPOL convention it is illegal to dump plasticitems over the side of a ship.How do you enforce it?

w - winter s - summer a - autumn figures - numbers of pieces

The Activity:

Warn everyone to not pick up any broken glass, sharp objects or dangerous litter and not to touch anything they are not sure about.

Walk along the beach and identify where most of the rubbish is - the strandline. Look at the contents of the strandline. Draw 3 circles on the sand - label them animal, plant, manmade.Let them search for 5 minutes to find one object of each kind. Discuss the group’s findings. You may find things placed in the wrong circle e.g. cuttlefish, maiden’s purse, shells.

Define rubbish and litter. Consider whether there is natural rubbish. What will happen to it? It will get broken down or eaten. Everything is recycled in nature. Look at the litter. Can anything be recycled? Is anything biodegradable (can it break down and be used as energy for other plants and animals?) How do the young people feel about litter? Can we do anything about it?

✓ Don’t throw it away carelessly, think about what we use.

Discuss the length of time items will last. Which ones are truly biodegradable?

How do the young people think the problem of this kind of rubbish on our beaches could be stopped? Is it a local or global problem? What are some solutions –

✓ agreeing laws

✓ improving sewage treatment

✓ no direct dropping in the sea

✓ education of fishermen and people generally about the dangers for wildlife (and people)……

Suggested follow up

Organise a Beach Clean-Up and become involved in Adopt a Beach Campaign through the MarineConservation Society.

Look at the school grounds and plan an anti-litter campaign in school.

Make a code of good practice.

Choose ‘green’ products when possible - phosphate free detergents and shampoos, biodegradable cleaners

Buy fewer plastic things; buy things with less packaging – encourage others to do the same

Re-use bottles, yoghurt pots and other containers where possible

Use cardboard boxes, baskets or cloth bags at the supermarket instead of plastic carrier bags,reuse carrier bags

Never pour paint, oil or garden chemicals down the drain

Never drop litter or let a dog foul the beach - clear it up

Never flush things down the toilet that can go in a dustbin/ landfill

Take part in recycling schemes

oo

oooo

o

o

2/114

time team

OBJECTIVE: to examine the history of Tentsmuir area through storytelling and

creating a timeline.

TIME: 2-3 hours

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: a length of rope, card for making ‘timecapsule’ labels,

string, scissors, felt pens, Sellotape.

Contact the SNH Reserve Manager at Fetterdale (tel.01382 553704 ) if you wish

to borrow a timeline already prepared.

This activity gives the young people an insight into the long and interesting history of Tentsmuir PointNational Nature Reserve by making a time line and listening to stories from the main players throughouthistory.

To make your own follow the instructions below:

How to make it

Mark the rope at 10 regular intervals with felt pen. Make labels for ‘Today’ and for each 1000 year interval and attach with tape.

• Fix on the time capsules: Prepare time capsule cards using different coloured card with the statements given on the time line below - write the heading on one side and the statement on the other. Make sure they are easily readable (laminated if possible). Fix cards to rope in appropriate places.

Stories

Once the timeline has been made, use the stories on the tags to allow the young people to think aboutand discuss what life must have been like on Tentsmuir Point at different times throughout history.Relate also, people’s activities and ways of life to the surrounding environment of the times.

Today 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10, 000 years ago

Length of rope

Suggested Follow-up

When the timeline comes back to school it can be hung around the classroom and a wall display developed underneath, including their future research.

rebels against rubbish information sheetRubbish and how long it takes to rot

Object

Aluminium cans and tabs

Tin cans

Plastic bottles

Glass bottles

Cigarette ends

Plastic bags

Plastic film containers

Nylon fabric - nets, ropes

Leather

Clothing and woollens

Orange peel/ Banana skins

Crisp packets

Number of years to rot

80 – 100

50

indefinitely/ unknown

1 million

1 - 5

10 - 20

20 - 30

30 - 40

up to 50

1 - 5 years

up to 2

up to 8

2/117

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The Hunter Gatherer’s Story• Discussion points on the story:

– What was M doing?

– Can you think of a name to remember this Mesolithic woman by?

– How do they feel about living in Morton at that time.

– How did M and her family use the area of dunes and the beach?

– How did they use the forest? Was it similar to the forest plantation or more like the broadleaved woodland at the edge of the reserve?

– What did they spend most of their lives doing - surviving or enjoying themselves - howdoes that compare with us?

Prompts:

– M’s tired and why

– the camp, menfolk - hunting, women - gathering

– medicinal plants and making things

– dark, feeding, sleeping, sounds, moon and stars

The Pictish Peasant Boy’s Story• Discussion Points on the story:

– What was P doing?

– Can you think of a name to remember this Pictish boy by?

– How do his family feel about living here at the time?

– How did P use the area of the dunes and heathland?

– What did they spend most of their lives doing?

– Why was this period known as the Dark Ages do they think?

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The Hunter Gatherer’s Story“Ahhh! I am tired……it’s time to get back, I’ve been gathering roots and fruits for our supper. I’vewalked a long way in the forest and along the beach. The beach and the river banks are the bestthings to follow to go inland, and sometimes I can find animal tracks to get me through the trees.Before I left we had also spent some time collecting enough wood for the fire and freshwater for cooking at our camp. We have to do this every day.

Near my camp I feel safe - we light fires to keep us warm and to keep the bears and wolves away atnight. Sometimes, when the menfolk and our brothers go off to trap birds and hunt deer in the forest,we go with our mother to collect shellfish, seabirds eggs and seaweed from the shore to bring home.My mother also finds wild plants that make us better when we feel ill, or get bad injuries. We also enjoyhelping to make useful things from dead plants and animals - it’s amazing the variety of things we canmake, everything we need!

We must return to the camp before dark, we all have a meal together before it gets dark - I like the deermeat best. I am afraid of the dark anyway, but I love the full moon and the twinkling stars. I thinkeveryone is always tired by the time it is dark and we all fall asleep around the fire. Sometimes, I wakeup in the night and look out at the moon and the stars - it’s wonderful listening to the waves on thebeach, and imagining what created the moon and stars!

Prompts: – M’s tired and why

– the camp, menfolk - hunting, women - gathering

– medicinal plants and making things

– dark, feeding, sleeping, sounds, moon and stars

The Salmon Netter’s Story• Discussion points on the story:

– Who was the character and why did he go out fishing?

– Can you think of a name to remember S by?

– How did S feel?

– What was he advising on building at the moment?

– How did S describe the sands?

– Had it changed since he had been working there?

– What other animals did he see that you do not find in such number today?

The Wartime Watcher’s Story• Discussion Points on the story:

– What was P doing?

– Can you think of a name to remember P by?

– Why could the Poles not go home?

– Why were the Polish stationed nearby and what did they do?

– How did they use the area?

– What raw materials do you use to make concrete from?

– Why was so much concrete, corrugated iron and barbed wire used?

– What did they feel about the place?

Prompts:

– The lemonade bottle and future

– In the shelter

– Working hard – tank traps

– Wild place – like home – boredom

– Family at home – food and shelter

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The Salmon Netter’s Story“My family have been Salmon-netter’s and boat builders for generations. Both of these are skilled jobs.When there are not so many salmon around, we can always be building boats so we can make a livingand put bread on the table. Not everyone can do that these days.

I’ve had to stop now of course, because of the rheumatism, but I’ve plenty memories. Let me tell youabout the netting first. It’s hard, cold, work, often we come home soaked to the skin, and we’ve beenon our feet all day! The idea is to catch the salmon as they return to their spawning rivers in the spring.The River Tay right here, is one of the biggest rivers for salmon on the east coast. We can do the netting two ways, either using fixed nets - set up on poles dug deep into the sand, which we walkalong at the ebb tide and haul out the fish. Otherwise, out in the estuary, we use sweep nets from theboat. We shoot the net over the stern and then row out from the shore in a half circle, back to theshore a bit further along. Back on shore we drag the net in and hope the fish are caught! Need toknow your tides and the fish!

I prefer the netting - I really don’t like being on the sea much. But I love walking along the sands - sunor rain never matters - feeling the wind on my face, and the space. The sky seems huge. Best of all isthe noise of the thousands of birds calling all around - terns, plovers, curlew - just everywhere. What aplace it is! What I could do without is all the seals - we could really do with getting rid of them - theytake our fish you know!

Once we’ve got our load of salmon, we take it up to the ice house, not far away. It’s so cold in there,keeps the fish fresh as daisies. So many being caught nowadays - this is a new idea for keepingthem.

Now the boat building…… but you’re tired of listening to my stories, you can hear about that anotherday. You get going…….”

Or

“Now the boat building, well that’s a very different skill. There’s tools for cutting wood of all types, into allkinds of shapes and sizes. We’re only talking about cobles - that’s our speciality, we use them, weknow what’s needed. You know them? Small, flat-bottomed, boats made from wood, clinker-style?Takes one to row, and one to feed the net out. Used a lot of oak out of the local forests for the build-ing. Helping to build a boat right now, I am, been getting difficult to find suitable trees though - I blamethe local people. They clear the old trees for their farming and then don’t stop their beasts eating theyoung trees. Something will have to be done soon or we won’t have the wood to build boats anymore!”

The Pictish Peasant Boy’s Story“You have arrived on a very important day! We are busy preparing a feast for our returning menfolk.They have been to battle to win back our lands. They were victorious against the Northumbrianinvaders from the south…we have heard they are within a day’s walk from home, and should reach thevillage by nightfall. To see my father again is all that I ask, even if he be wounded. My brothers and sisters love to hear him talk about the battles he has fought, and the strange ways of other people -Romans and Celts he has met. We sit around our family fire and listen to his stories and songs forhours!

Our family has lived in these parts for several generations. The soil is good, less sandy than nearer thesea. It is a wild windswept area, but we have all that we need - from the forest, the heath, the grassydunes, the beach and the sea. I am never bored! There is not much time when I am not helping withthe family in the fields, growing ‘bere’ for making bread and gruel, and beer (an alcoholic drink for celebrations), looking after the cattle and sheep on the heath, helping with the heath burning, going fishing or bird trapping, and helping in the house, curing and scraping the skins and that sort of stuff.We are busy from dawn to dusk - the womenfolk too.

Having ground to graze our cattle is very important for us. The cattle too must be looked after. I love tosit in the heather listening to the wind and the birds on a sunny day when I am minding the cattle. If itrains it is not always so good, I take a skin to sit under, but even the rain on your face feels great.

We must burn the heather regularly, every few years, to encourage young juicy growth for the beasts.Some years ago, before I was born, there was a huge fire which was out of control over a large area.Here today you only see grass, I think the heather was mostly all killed. But the grass is good feedingfor the beasts too, and the milk they produce tastes very good. The animals are descended from wildcattle that used to roam about this area, called aurochs.

I am soon going to take lessons in stone carving. My uncle is very talented in this. Important peoplecome from a long way away asking him to carve stones for their lords.

I have to go, we have a whole pig turning on the spit, cooking for tonight, it’s my turn to go and turn it.”

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The Reserve Manager’s Story“To walk along the beach on an early morning in late Spring is my idea of heaven. I often take time tolie on my back on a sunny day in the dunes looking up at the sky. I feel the warmth of the sun on myface and the sand. I see the clouds scudding by and my face is tickled by the spiky ends of the grass.But it is my ears that are bombarded by the highpitched calls of the sea birds, and the melodioussongs of the small skylarks as they fly high and then parachute down – a seaside symphony!

When I get up again my eyes spot the dabs of colour in the slacks, as the spring flowers burst through.Whenever I come new colours seem to have been painted in! What a difference from a few years ago,when most of the area behind the dunes was covered in a woodland. The trees had self-seeded fromthe forestry plantation behind. A lot of them were the Scots and Corsican Pine and were shading outother species. The windmill is doing a great job too in pumping water back into the slacks to makethem wet like they used to be.

I wish I had been around in the early 1900s before the forestry. This place was very different then. The Forestry Commission got the ground just after the First World War when, because of the war, the country was short of timber. The planting job was done in 1925. They didn’t realise the damage theywere doing by draining the ground and planting conifers, they just wanted the wood. They put up rabbitfencing to keep the rabbits out, but it also stopped the ducklings returning to the sea from their nestsamong the newly planted trees – many perished each year despite the efforts of the foresters.

Before then, as the name suggests – Tentsmuir – it was heather moorland and wet bogland. We knowthis from old maps and what people wrote about the area. The owner, wanting to make money, introduced grouse shooting. He transplanted heather onto the new blown sand and managed it byburning. The grouse were brought in from Perthshire. A lot of bird species have been lost fromTentsmuir as a result of these land use changes, some have been gained too. When something isn’tvalued, no-one notices or cares about what happens to it.

Today, we realise that Tentsmuir is very special for the variety of animals and plants it supports and thegrowth of the sand dunes. In 1954, Tentsmuir Point was made a National Nature Reserve. It’s my jobto make sure it is looked after and protected. But there are still a lot of people who don’t care and don’tthink. There is so much that local people, including young people can do to help – keeping the scrubdown, clearing litter, encouraging everyone to keep their dogs on a lead and explaining why, enjoying ittoo! With your help we can make sure it survives.”

The Wartime Watcher’s Story“I am enjoying the very last drop, of my very last bottle of Polish lemonade. Now, I am going to push itinto the sand at the back of this Anderson shelter - that way I don’t have to carry it home, and I couldleave a note in it - some child in the future may find it, and think it’s a message from a ship-wreckedsailor - that would be fun! Some fun and laughter is what we need these days.

This is not so fun though really - we have been in the shelter for an hour now, while German bombersfly over us. It won’t be long we hope…..ahhhh, there’s the ‘all clear ‘ siren now. We can get out in thewonderful open air again, and keep awake.

We are working hard even though we have finished building the line of anti-tank blocks along the shore-line. That was really hard work, for each one we had to create a mould from timber and/or corrugatediron, then mix and pour in the concrete, let it set and then use the mould for the next one and so on.The only mechanical help we had was a railway line that brought the raw materials in from Tayport, therest was up to us! Then there were the gun emplacements and the observation platforms to build. It isvery easy and quick using concrete and metal it must be admitted. Rolls of barbed wire are used every-where, to keep attackers out.

I feel it is a very wild place here, with a lot of wildlife, a bit like where I come from on the coast ofPoland, near Gdansk. How I miss it! Very nice in peacetime, but not so easy to enjoy with survival ourmain concern. Our days are now taken up with manning the observation and gunnery posts - it is quitetiring looking across the sea and into the sky for long periods, we take it in turns, it can be very boring -we smoke a lot, read and play cards to use up the time.

We can’t complain, our families are still suffering living under German rule - probably hungry. We atleast escaped and can fight for the freedom of our country with the British and their allies. We are fedand sheltered nearby at Kinshaldy - a nice place, sheltered by the plantation.”

Prompts: – The lemonade bottle and future

– In the shelter

– Working hard – tank traps

– Wild place – like home – boredom

– Family at home – food and shelter

Wartime Defences - artist’s impression

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For further information and resources on the natural environment, plants, animals and their habitats, biodiversity,sustainability, and, school grounds grants.

Contact www.snh.org.uk

On this site you can find recommended publications and lots of linked web sites. You can order free posters andfree fact sheets, download teachers notes, or contact our Education request service.

Go to the A-Z button at the top and look for Education on the A-Z. You can then choose from Primary,Secondary, education request or school grounds.

Research on the Web

Click on the ‘Education Request’ section and scroll down to where you can see the list;

‘Birds and Beasts’, ‘Fins and Flippers’, ‘Plants and Petals’, ‘Boughs and Branches’, ‘Trout and Toads’ and ‘You CanMake a Difference’.

Click to research recommended web sites.

Looking at Projects

Go to www.snh.gov.uk, click on the A-Z and go to Education. Scroll down to the ‘Young Peoples Art Project’ tosee films and web sites that young people have already made about their woodlands and marine environment.

resources

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The original text for this pack was provided by Lynnette Borradaile and edited for publication by Irene Watson.Further activities provided by Susan Webster.

Thanks to all SNH staff, especially Julia MacPherson and Tom Cunningham.

Illustrations provided by Alan Scott, Jan Hendry and Irene Watson.

Photography by Lorne Gill, Laurie Campbell and David Whitaker.

Further thanks to:

Joyce Campbell

Tess Darwin

Fife Council Education Service

Dundee City Council Education Service

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Gordon Meade for supplying the Seal poetry

Julia Mifkin for supplying introductory poem

Design By River Design

Copyright Acknowledgements

Some of these activities draw from existing good practice, and particularly tried and tested activities.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright owners, and to acknowledge the original sources of activities andillustrations used. We apologise to any authors who are unacknowledged and will gladly do so in future editions.

We should like to thank the following for their copyright permissions:

Fragile Environments - The Use and Management of Tentsmuir Point NNR, Fife, ed Graeme Whittington 1996.Published by Scottish Cultural Press & Scottish Children's Press, Unit 13d, Newbattle Abbey Business Annexe,Newbattle Road, DALKEITH, EH22 3LJ, Scotland, http://www.scottishbooks.com/index.htm

Journey sticks activity - Talking to the Earth, Gordon Maclellan. 1995, reprinted 2002. Capall Bann Publishing,Auton Farm, Milverton, Somerset TA4 1NE. http://www.capallbann.co.uk/home.cfm

Prehistoric Morton by Reg Candow, 1989, published and printed by D Winter and Son, Printers and Publishers,Block 16, Dunsinane Avenue, Dundee

Birds, Bugs and Beasties - a pack for nature conservation study in Grangemouth. Published by Central RangerService, RSPB, SWT, WATCH

Home Sweet Home activity - The Ecology Pack, Landlife, National Wildflower Centre, Court Hey Park, Liverpool,L16 3 NA, www.landlife.org.uk

Biodiversity for all - a toolkit by the Scottish Biodiversity Group. www.scotland.gov.uk/biodiversity

acknowledgements

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