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The World About us

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The Worldabout usWhen Mankind first evolved as hunter -gathers they relied entirely on natureand the world around them for survivaland therefore had total respect for it.Pagan worship of the Sun and ofMother Earth were understandablewhen all life on the planet seemed tobe connected to the light of the Sun,and the seasons, and fertility of theEarth.

Man has a special part to play in thecircle of life, however his superiorintelligence within the animal kingdomhas enabled him to exploit nature forhis own ends. At first animals providedfood and skins for clothing, the earthprovided water, timber, clay and flint fortools. Working in harmony with theirsurroundings each survived. As timewent by Mankind has shifted from aposition of harmony to a place wherehe now exploits the wealth of naturefor his own ends.

The hunter - gather tribes living deepinthe jungles of Borneo to the nativeAmerican Indians understood theharmony that needed to exist betweenman and nature. These peoples tookfrom the land what was needed tosurvive. No animal was hunted toexcess, the native American Indianshunted only the weak buffalo, imitatingthe hunting skills of the animals theyhad observed. Tigers and lions, forexample, hunt only the weakestmembers of a herd and as a resultnormally the fittest animals survive,

and so the circle of life continues, eachanimal and plant playing a unique part inthe cycle.

The diversity of plant and animal life onthis planet have evolved to suit everycondition encountered on Earth from thePolar bear to camel. In earlier times manlearnt what plants were good to eat andwhat plants had healing qualities.Cabbage, carrots, and potatoes wereonce wild plants. Man discovered that theyprovided good food sources and soonlearned to cultivate them. Similarly, thehealing power of plants and herbsenabled them to heal wounds and stayhealthy and much of this ancientknowledge has been incorporated intomany of today�’s medicines.

Mankind in the civilised world has, overtime, lost this deep understanding ofnature, often seeing the natural world as aplace to exploit for his own ends.Increased industrialisation, huntinganimals to extinction, and lack of care forour environment are all symptoms of thegreed that exists within our modernsociety. Even the passive activity offarming can put our rivers in danger due to

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over fertilisation of the ground. Each part ofthe circle of life must be maintained; if onepart of the chain is broken, other parts ofthe circle will fill its place often at theexpense of extinction of one or morespecies. Each action will have a counterreaction.

As Scouts, venturing as we do into wildcountryside, we get a unique opportunity todiscover and observe nature at first hand.On hikes and camps we are in factimitating our forefathers as they went outacross the countryside in search of foodand shelter. Today we carry modern hooptents, but in the past, nomadic tribesaround the world carried their tents withthem in search of new food sources,particularly, if they lived in a hostile areasuch as the desert. Modern hoop tents, forexample, are imitations of the traditionalyurts used by the nomadic people ofMongolia. We have a compass to finddirection but in the past our forefathersused the stars and nature�’s naturalcompasses to show direction. They carriedwith them honey and high energy foodsuch as nuts and fruits. Today we carrysnack bars, bars of fruit and nut chocolate.Have things really changed? Today we callit adventure. In the past this was life.

Adventures can take place in a any naturalsetting. All modern adventure pursuits,whether on water, land, or in the air areexperienced by placing yourself in�‘competition�’ with nature. Today, modernadvances in equipment design, limit, to acertain extent, some of the risks involved.However, wild places should always berespected. Nature has a nasty habit ofturning on you when you least expect it!Notice how quickly a sunny day can turninto a thunder storm, sometimes withoutmuch warning. This is the challenge of

venturing forth into wild places and itawakens in us a deep instinct to discoverand explore.

In order to fully understand andexperience the world that exists about us,in particular in wild places, someknowledge of the diversity of wildlife thatcan be found can be useful. Observationand discovery can lead us to experiencethe wonders of our planet. Wild animals,edible plants and foods exist at our feet orare lurking around the next tree trunk.Real battles and massive killings aretaking place all around us, as areunbelievable incidents of survival as thecircle of life continues.

It is important to state that in Scouting weare not overly concerned with the learningof the names of plants and animals; thisknowledge will come in time. We want youat this stage to explore and discover andopen yourself to experience the worldaround you. Use all of your senses in thisdiscovery, listen to the hum of the beesand the different songs of the birds. Tastethe fruits and nuts of the forest from thesweet to the sour. Feel the wind and rainin your face and the mud at the bottom ofthe stream you are crossing, oozebetween your toes, or the smoothnessand grittiness of different rocks. See thewonder of the landscape and the hand ofGod in its creation and smell the freshnessof the air and the fragrance of the heatherand wild flowers. Once you understandthe beauty of our planet and theinteraction of each of its elements, it willbe easier for you to conclude why we mustconserve, why we must protect, and, mostimportantly of all, why we must live inharmony and not exploit the world aroundus.

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Circle of life

Green Plantsusing solar energy

Waste CO2 returned to air.Timber as fuel and buildings.

Waste returned to soil.Food as grain, fruit and

greens.Fibres for clothing

Fibre and skins for clothing.Food as meat, milk and eggs

Food asgrain andfruit

Waste is foodfor

decomposers

Food for someparasites Food as

grain, hay andpasture. Manure

returns to soil

Food for some

Insects

Birds

Food for some

Food forsome

Food as algae

Farm animalsand birds

Man

Fish

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The Big Chiefsends word....The Red Indians of North America havecaptured the imagination of the young -and not so young - for generations. Theirbravery in war, and their savagery too, hasformed the plot for many thrilling stories.The names of the Cherokee, Iroquois,Sioux andmany other tribes are well known.However the author of the address printedhere was the chief of a less well knowntribe, the Suquamish, from the north westUnited States: and he is remembered notfor his bravery as a warrior, but for hisattempts, which were largely successful, tolive peacefully alongside the �‘Bostons�’ -the white settlers from the eastern UnitedStates. As a small boy Chief Seathl hadseen Captain Vancouver sail up PugetSound. His imagination was captured bythis white man whose orders werepromptly obeyed by his men, and theambition to live inpeaceful harmony with the white man wasborn. It was strengthened by the ta - man -a- wis (or vision), that he had as a youngman, in the form of a white seagull. Thegull was a symbol of peace to theSuquamish, as it was white and itindicated that his mission was to seekpeace with the white man.

At the age of twenty - two (1808) Seathlbecame the Chief of the Suquamish andits allied tribes. He must have been asuccessful chief, for 43 years later, whenthe first permanent settlement was madeon the eastern shores of Puget Sound, hewas still chief. Soon after the settlementwas made he persuaded Dr. David S.

Maynard to move his trading post there,from the southern end of the sound.Maynard soon became the first Justice ofthe Peace of Duwamps, Thurston County,Oregon Territory. He didn�’t like the name�‘Duwamps�’ and it was suggested by ArthurDenny, one of the Commissioners, that thesettlement be named after Seathl, theman who was chiefly responsible for it.Seathl was at first horrified by the idea, butMaynard persuaded him to accept it. Asthe Indian �‘Seathl�’ was hard to pronounce,it was changed to Seattle, which today isthe largest city of the North West. USA.The Chief�’s �‘Testament�’ was an addressgiven to the tribal confederation, probablyat the time when the first Governor of thenew Washington Territory, Major IsaacStevens, was annexing Indian lands -mainly by exterminating the AmericanIndians. The great chief in WashingtonD.C. was President Franklin Pierce(1853 - 57), part of whose Home Policywas to open up the North West ofAmerica. There is wisdom in Chief Seathlwords, which is timeless. Many of thethings he feared would come about, arewith us today, and his words have a greatrelevance to our modern situation.

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Today a statue of Chief Seathl standsat the junction of Fifth and DennyStreets in Seattle, Washington, and thename of his tribe is revered in theSkokomish Indian Reservation

The words of ChiefSeathl

�“The Great Chief (President FranklinPierce) sends word that he wishes tobuy our land. The Great Chief alsosends words of friendship andgoodwill. This is kind of him since weknow he has little need of ourfriendship in return, but we willconsider your offer. For we know thatif we do not sell, the white man maycome with guns and take our land.How can you buy or sell the sky, andthe warmth of the land?The idea is strange to us. If we do notown the freshness of the air and thesparkle of the water, how can you buythem?Every part of this earth is sacred to mypeople. Every shining pine needle,every sandy shore, every mist in thedark woods, every clearing andhumming insect is holy in the memoryand experience of my people. The sapwhich courses through the treescarries the memories of the red man.

The white man�’s dead forget thecountry of their birth when they go towalk among the stars. Our dead neverforget this beautiful earth for it is themother of the red man. We are part ofthe earth and it is part of us. Theperfumed flowers are our sisters; thedeer, the horse, the great eagle, theseare our brothers. The rocky crests, thejuices in the meadows, the body heat

of the pony and man - all belong to thesame family.So, when the Great Chief in Washingtonsends word that he wishes to buy ourland, he asks much of us. The Great Chiefsends word he will reserve us a place sothat we can live comfortably to ourselves.He will be our father and we will be hischildren. So we will consider your offer tobuy our land, but it will not be easy for thisland is sacred to us. This shining waterthat moves in the streams and rivers is notjust water but the blood of our ancestors. Ifwe sell you land, you must remember thatit is sacred, and you must teach yourchildren that it is sacred and that eachghostly reflection in the clear water of thelakes tells of events and memories in thelife of my people. The water�’s murmur isthe voice of my father�’s father.

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The rivers are our brothers, they quenchour thirst. The rivers carry our canoes andfeed our children. If we sell you our land,you must remember, and teach yourchildren, that the rivers are our brothers,and yours, and you must henceforth givethe rivers the kindness you would give anybrother.The red man has always retreated beforethe advancing white man, as the mist ofthe mountain runs before the morning sun.But the ashes of our fathers are sacred.Their graves are holy ground, and sothese hills, these trees, this portion of theearth is consecrated to us. We know thewhite man does not understand our ways.One portion of land is the same to him asthe next, for he is a stranger who comes inthe night and takes from the landwhatever he needs.The earth is not his brother, but his enemy,and when he has conquered it, he moveson. He leaves his father�’s graves behind,and he does not care. He kidnaps theearth from his children. He does not care.His father�’s graves and his children�’sbirthright are forgotten. He treats hismother, the earth, and his brother, the sky,as things to be bought, plundered, soldlike sheep or bright beads. His appetitewill devour the earth and leave behindonly a desert. I do not know.

Our ways are different from your ways.The sight of your cities pains the eye ofthe red man. But perhaps it is because thered man is a savage and does notunderstand. There is no quiet place in thewhite mans�’ cities. No place to hear theunfurling of leaves in spring or hear therustle of insect wings. The chatter onlyseems to insult the ears. And what is thereto life if a man cannot hear the lonely cryof the whippoorwill or the arguments of thefrogs around the pond at night? I am a redman and do not understand. The Indianprefers the soft sound of the wind dartingover the face of the pond, and the smell ofthe wind itself, cleansed with the middayrain, or scented with the pinon pine.

The air is precious to the red man, for allthings share the same breath - the beast,the tree, the man, they all share the samebreath. The white man does not seem tonotice the air he breathes. Like a mandying for many days, he is numb to thestench. But if we sell you our land, youmust remember that the air is precious tous, that the air shares its spirit with all thelife it supports. The wind that gave our

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grandfather his first breath alsoreceived his last sigh. And the windmust also give our children the spirit oflife. And if we sell you our land, youmust keep it apart and sacred, as aplace where even the white man cango to taste the wind that is sweetenedby the meadow flowers.

So we will consider your offer to buyour land.

If we decide to accept, I will make onecondition; the white man must treat thebeasts of this land as his brothers. I ama savage and do not understand anyother way. I have seen a thousandrotting buffaloes on the prairie, left bythe white man who shot them from apassing train. I am a savage and donot understand how the smoking ironhorse can be more important than thebuffalo that we kill only to stay alive.What is man without the beasts? If allthe beasts were gone, men would diefrom a great loneliness of spirit. Forwhatever happens to the beasts, soonhappens to man. All things areconnected.

You must teach your children that theground beneath their feet is the ashesof our grandfathers. So that they willrespect the land, tell your children that

the land is rich with the lives of our kin.Teach your children what we have taughtour children, that the earth is our mother.Whatever befalls the earth, befalls thesons of the earth. If men spit upon theground, they spit upon themselves. Thiswe know. The earth does not belong toman; man belongs to the earth. This weknow. All things are connected like theblood which unites one family, all thingsare connected. Whatever befalls the earthbefalls the sons of the earth. Man did notweave the web of life; he is merely astrand in it. Whatever he does to the webhe does to himself.

But we will consider your offer to go to thereservation you have for my people. Wewill live apart, and in peace. It matters littlewhere we spend the rest of our days. Ourchildren have seen their fathers humbledin defeat. Our warriors have felt shame,and after defeat they turn their days toidleness and contaminate their bodies withsweet foods and strong drink. It matterslittle where we spend the rest of our days.They are not many. A few more hours, afew more winters, and none of the childrenof the great tribes that once lived on thisearth or that roam now in small bands inthe woods will be left to mourn the gravesof a people once as powerful and hopefulas yours. But why should I mourn thegraves of my people?

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Tribes are made of men, nothing more.Men come and go, like the waves of thesea. Even the white man, whose Godwalks and talks with him as friend to friend,cannot be exempt from common destiny.We may be brothers after all; we shall see.

One thing we know, which the white manmay one day discover - our God is thesame God. You may think now that youown Him as you wish to own our land; butyou cannot. He is the God of man, and Hiscompassion is equal for the red man andthe white. The earth is precious to Him,and to harm the earth is to heap contempton its Creator.

goodbye to the swift pony and the hunt?The end of living and the beginning ofsurvival. with all your heart, preserve it foryour children, and love it ...as God lovesus.

So we will consider your offer to buy ourland. If we agree it will be to secure thereservation you have promised. There,perhaps, we may live out our brief days aswe wish. When the last red man hasvanished from this earth, and his memoryis only the shadow of a cloud movingacross the prairie, these shores andforests will still hold the spirit of my people.For they love this earth as a newborn

The whites too shall pass; perhaps soonerthan any other tribes. Continue tocontaminate your bed, and you will onenight suffocate in your own waste. But inyour perishing you will shine brightly, firedby the strength of the God who broughtyou to this land and for some specialpurpose gave you dominion over this landand over the red man. That destiny is amystery to us, for we do not understandwhen the buffalo are all slaughtered, thewild horses are tamed,the secret corners of the forests are heavywith the scent of many men, and the viewof the hills blotted out by talking wires.Where is the thicket? Gone. Where is theeagle? Gone. And what is it to say

loves its mother�’s heartbeat. So if we sellour land, love it as we have loved it. Carefor it as we have cared for it. Hold in yourmind the memory of the land as it is whenyou take it. And with all your strength, withall your mind, Creator.

One thing we know. Our God is the sameGod. The earth is precious to Him. Eventhe white cannot be exempt from thecommon destiny. We may be brother afterall. We shall see�”.

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Woodcraft is not only a knowledge ofthe names of plants and animals, but adeeper and more meaningfulrelationship with our surroundings. It isthe experience of nature through allthe senses that provides the mind witha more intensified picture of theinterrelationship between all things onthe planet and enable us to harmonisewith them.

Have you ever been in a naturalsituation when you have experiencedsomething wonderful? It could be asimple thing - like sitting on the top of amountain or perhaps sitting out a stormin your tent. Often these experienceswill present to you a realisation of theworld around you, the presence of Godand the wonderment of God�’s creation.Such experiences may only happen toyou once in a lifetime while others mayexperience such a thrill every day.

Through the use of all of our senseswebecome aware, and begin thelearning process. Seeing, hearing,feeling, smelling and tasting; eachsense provides unique information tothe brain. The combination of sensoryinformation greatly increases theexperience.

Using all the senses allows a fullerpicture to be developed in the mind. Atree, for example, can be seen andrecognised. The leaves have their ownshape. Are they shiny or furry as youfeel them? Do they have a smell and ataste? The bark can be smooth orrough. Could you identify it blindfolded

by touch alone? By using as many of thesenses as possible more information ischannelled into our memories.To experience nature you have to get outand explore it fully. Here are some simpleexercises that will help you explore andimprove your sensory skills.

Hand-OakSit under an Oak tree and compare thelines on your hand with the branchstructure and roots of the tree. Before longyou will find comparisons between thelines on your hand and your chosen tree -a personal connec-tion.

Mirror walkWalk along a forest track holding a mirrorat your waist, facing up. You will noticemany things - tree patterns, birds, stars,cloud formations.

Colour PaletteCollect small specks of colour in the areaof your exploration. The specks of colourcan be placed on the back of a stickylabel. You will notice that many differencecolours are present and that there reallyare 40 shades of green!

Experiencing Nature

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Time aloneStand silently and alone for 10 minutes ina forest and listen. How many sounds canyou hear. Try and become aware of thenoise you make as you travel through theforest, if you can hear the noise so canevery animal.

SmellSmell the air around you and smell everyplant you can find.

Lie in the high grassLie on your back in long grass and look tothe sky. Feel the wind around you and seethe waves of wind drifting over the grass.

Nailing jellySome things just have to be experienced.How do you describe the smell of anorange, the wildness of the winter sea orthe closeness of the stars in thewilderness at night? Why, its easier to nailjelly to the ceiling!

FuelledFuelled by a million man-made wings

of fire the rocket tore a tunnelthrough the sky

and everyone cheered

Fuelled only by the thought of Godthe seedling urged its way through

the thickness of blackand as it pierced the heavy ceiling of

soil and launched itself upinto outer space

no one even clapped

Marcie Hans

Man�’s impact onnature

More than 3 people are born everysecond.

Humans have grown to be thedominant species, forcing nature into

retreat everywhere.

The world population increases by over300,000 people per day.

Deforestation - Deserts spread at16,000 hectares a day.

5 litres of safe clean water is requiredper person per day.

Forests are disappearing at a rate of30,000 hectares per day.

500,000 plastic items are dumped intothe sea every day.

It takes about 450,000 litres of water tomake a car, 160,000 litres to make four

tyres, 1000 litres to make a litre ofpetrol, 700 litres to make a single

newspaper, and 300 litres to make asingle canned drink.

Every form of life is unique, warrantingrespect regardless of its present worth

to man.

United Nations: World Charter forNature

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Common BirdsIn your garden

Robin Great tit(chick)

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Wagtail

Raven

Thrush

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Blackbird Wren

Goldfinch

Sparrow

Magpie Starling

Bluetit

Jackdaw

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Common Birdson the water or seashore

Gannetand chick

Gull

Moor hen

Tern

Puffin OysterCatcher

RazorbillGannetin flight

Shag

Swan Cormorant Mallard Duck

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If the earth were only a metre in diameter, floating a fewmetres above a field somewhere, people would come from

everywhere to see it. People would walk around it, marvelling atits big pools, the bumps on it, and the holes in it. They would also

be amazed at the very thin layer of gas surrounding it and thewater suspended in the gas. The people would marvel at all

the creatures walking around the surface of the ball,and the creatures in the water.

The people would declare it sacred because it wasthe only one, and they would protect it, so that it would

not be hurt. The ball would be the greatest wonder known,and the people would come and pray to it, to be healed, to

gain knowledge, to know the beauty and to wonderhow it could be. People would love it, and defend itwith their lives because they would somehow know

that their lives, their own roundness, could be nothing without it.If the Earth were only a metre in diameter.

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CommonTrees

Sycamore

Rowan orMountain ash

Scots pineHawthorn

Oak

Ash

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Silver birch

Yew

Spruce

Hornbeam

Lime

Larch

Horse Chestnut

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Willow

Maple

HazelSessile Oak

HollyBeech

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The OakTrees and woodlands area vast living habitat for allkinds of insect and animallife and act as a refuge inopen areas for smallanimals.

Hedgerows, for example,are great storehouses ofwildlife activity frominsects to wild flowers.

The Oak tree can grow up to 45 metreshigh, 15 metres in girth, sink its roots up to4 metres into the ground and weigh 100tons.

It drinks 400 litres of water a day, has200,000 leaves and grows 10,000 acornsa year.

The oak is home for 500 species ofinsects and provides nests for 20 speciesof birds.

Caterpillars swing on threads, devastateleaves and grow into Oak leaf roller moths

Squirrels rear their young in branches andbury acorns for winter.

Wood mice live in root tunnels.

Earthworms enrich soil by digesting fallenleaves.

Blue tits nest in holes in the trunk andbranches whereas wrens build severaldomed nests in the branches.

The Oak supports 22 different weevilssome of which bore into the acorns.

Gall wasp eggs are hatched in knob likeapples on twigs and roots.

Bettles and woodlice live in decayed woodand fallen leaves.

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Wild Flowers

Wild Garlic

Bindweed

Speedwell

Wood sorrel

Hogweed

Buttercup

Poppy

Daisy

Dandelion

Foxglove

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Bluebell

Primrose

TormentilWild Rose

ChickweedBird�’s foot trefoil

Clover

PlantinThistle

Yellow Iris

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Wild Animals

Squirrel

Hare & rabbit

Fox

Deer

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Rat

Frog

PineMartin

Otter

(Hard toobserve)

Badger

Hedgehog

Bat

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Star Charts

For thousands of yearsmankind has been amazed andfascinated by the night sky.Some cultures base theirwhole existence on themovement of the night sky.When you are out camping orbivouacking it is an idealopportunity to spread out yourgroundsheet or bedroll underthe skies, and lie back andobserve the heavens above.

The earth is constantly movingso the stars visible in the skyare determined by theposition of the earth in relationto the heavens. Some starconstellations are only visibleat certain times of the year. Theplanets are also visible andtend to appear lower on theskyline and be brighter.

Look out also for shootingstars. Also spot satellites asthey move around the earth.Discover our own galaxy, theMilky Way.

The charts illustrate the manyconstellations visible insummer around July and inwinter around December. Usethem as a general reference.For a more precise map of thenight sky, you will need arotating star map.

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To get a clearer view of star constellations you can use a telescope or a pair of binoculars.Binoculars are a good choice if you are a casual watcher as they allow a wide field of view.They are particularly good for looking at the moon.The power of binoculars is not important, the standard 7 or 10 power will do the job. Youwill probably need a tripod or a cushion placed on a fence or wall to steady yourbinoculars.

Use the stars to find direction.

The MoonThe Moon is the biggest objectin the night sky and on a frostynight it can be seen at its best.Each of the areas of the moonhas been mapped and you willfind it easy to identify each areawith the aid of a telescope orbinoculars.

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Clouds form in a number of ways depending on wind conditions at different heights,and the weather system following behind. Clouds can be either fluffy, fibrous or flat inshape. Their names are in Latin and they indicate the type of cloud; Cumulus - Heap,Stratus - Layer, Cirrus - Tuft of hair, Alto - Higher, Nimbus - Rain.

High level clouds usually indicate good weather and calm conditions.

Middle range clouds usually indicate changeable conditions with darker type clouds inthis range indicating rainy conditions.

Low level clouds usually indicate drizzle, fog and low wind conditions.

Clouds

Low level - Strato-Cumulus Clouds ( 500 metres)

Medium level - Altocumulus and Altostratus clouds ( 3,500 metres)

High level - Cirrocumulus and Cirrostratus clouds ( 5,000 metres)

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Weather lore is almost as old as the human race. However its scientific use is doubtful.Some of the old sayings can be useful indicators, but always rely on the scientific method,the weather forecast.

Rain before seven, fine before elevenFour hours of continuous rain occur occasionally when a weather front becomes

slow moving, but periods of rain are usually shorter.

Long foretold, long last; short notice, soon pastThis is true insofar as the slow advance of a depression with falling pressure andthickening cloud brings bad weather often lasting a day or more, whereas rapidclouding over is more likely to be the precursor of a single shower or a smaller

fast-moving depression.

Red sky in the morning, shepherd�’s warning; red sky at night, shepherd�’s delight

Mackerel sky and mares�’tails, make tall ships carry small sailsHigh level clouds often form well ahead of depressions and their associated fronts.Mackerel skies and mares�’tails describe forms of cirrocumulus and twisted sheavesof cirrus respectively, implying strong high-level winds. In the days of sailing ships

they may have been rightly viewed as likely forerunners of stormy weather.

If clouds be bright, it will clear tonight. If clouds be dark, it will rain by darkBright clouds suggest sun shining through gaps between and on to cumulus clouds.

These clouds often dissolve towards sunset to give a clear, cold night.Dark clouds are usually deep and more extensive.

A bright circle round the sun denotes a storm and colder weatherThin high level cloud often produces both solar and lunar halos. It precedes

depressions which bring rain and strong winds, and eventuallycolder weather to the rear.

Always a calm before a storm - This is frequently true but not always.

The sudden storm lasts not three hours. The sharper the blast, the sooner it will past

These both truly reflect the difference between the sudden heavy deluge and squallywinds with a heavy shower or thunderstorm, and the generally steadier and often

prolonged frontal rain associated with depressions.

Weatherlore

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Respect the people who live andwork in the countryside.

Respect private property, farmlandand all rural environments.

Do not interfere with livestock,machinery and crops.

Respect, and, where possible,protect all wildlife, plants and trees.

When walking, use the approvedroutes and keep as closely aspossible to them.

Take special care when walking oncountry roads.

Leave all gates as you find them anddo not cause damage to property.

Do not enter farmland if you havedogs with you, even on a leash, unlesswith the permission of the landowner.

Guard against all risks of fire,especially near forests.

When travelling in large groups try tomaintain a low profile.

Take all your litter home, leaving onlyfootprints behind.

Keep the number of cars used to aminimum, park safely and do notrestrictaccess.

Minimise impact on fragile vegetationandsoft ground.

Take heed of warning signs - they arethere for your protection.

Take care not to pollute water sources.

(Based on the Farmland Code of theIrish Farmers Association.)

Countryside Code