In search of lost words from nature at Burnham Beeches

A campaign to reinstate ‘words from nature’ which may have been ‘lost’ from children’s dictionaries is still at large, several years after it was first launched.

Back in 2017 several high-profile authors got together to express concern over children's dictionaries ‘deleting’ important wildlife and nature words from their publications.

'Acorn', 'bluebell', 'conker' and 'blackbird' were being removed from the tens of thousands listed in reference books, as were 'kingfisher', 'otter' and 'catkin' with the argument being that the under-eights didn't use them any more. 

From there, The Lost Words campaign was born, which included a book of the same name from author Robert Macfarlane and illustrator Jackie Morris.

The duo combined their creative efforts in a bid to reinvigorate the interest in adders and brambles and bluebells, and scores of other ‘words’ - and it worked.

Hundreds of schools around the country picked up on the campaign and children started writing their own poems and going out on their own searches for all things ‘lost’ in nature.

South Buckinghamshire’s children can go on an exploration of their own on September 18 at Burnham Beeches where the last event in its summer programme of free events aims to ‘reinvigorate the public consciousness of wildlife.’

An a cappella quartet ‘Way Beyond the Blue’ will play music and read poetry in a performance inspired by The Lost Words book and short nature walks to locations within Burnham Beeches will take place.

Ben Murphy, from the City Corporation, which manages Burnham Beeches said:

“The ancient woodland is an important resource for the wildlife that lives there, as well as providing recreational opportunities and improving the mental wellbeing for visitors living both locally and further afield.

“This will be a fun event for families and I hope to see you there.”

'The Lost Words' walk is part of Natural England’s Festival of National Nature Reserves (NNRs), a series of events throughout the summer to celebrate 70 years of NNRs being safe havens for wildlife.

Burnham Beeches is managed as a registered charity and is one of several areas of natural beauty that is protected as important habitats for wildlife, as well as being special areas of conservation and sites of Special Scientific Interest.

The free event is free, with suggested donation of £3, and will run from 1.30pm–3pm on September 18.