Sign Wording Help Please

Frances144

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Dec 21, 2011
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Shetland, UK
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I have a field with a lovely ox-bow stream in it. It is five miles from my house and is also the home of the Shetland ponies in the summer months. We moved the ponies out today to another field.

The local children, on their way home from school, are playing in the stream - building dams, digging into the stream banks (which is eroding it rapidly).

Yes, it is lovely the kids are not on their iPads but my stream is taking a battering and having the flow diverted with rocks, etc causes flooding when it rains and more erosion of the banks. Fences are now beginning to be affected too.

So, how do I stop the children going in? I want to put a sign up but not sure what, legally, I can say. In Scotland there is no such thing as trespass law.

I did talk to the school (primary) and they did talk to the children with good results but that was over a year ago so it is another lot of kids playing. It is a village tradition that children play in this stream. Usually, though, they have never dared go in anyone's field.

Obviously, I will go to the school and have a word but their argument is that it is not in school time so really none of their business.

(I am sorely tempted to electrify the fence, but I would have to buy another energiser which is costly and annoying).


Help, thoughts, please.
 
Hmm, difficult. I would have done what you've already done, gone and had a word with the school to try and sort it that way. I know the electric is costly but if it's the only way................but then again if they get a zap (the kids) then you'll be in bother...........................
 
I'd also go with talking to the school and asking them to talk to this years intake, stressing that it made such a difference last year. If you have a local fb page I'd also put something on there so any parents know not to let their kids have what they may see as harmless fun. If that fails I'd then bite the bullet and put electric fencing up along with warning signs that fencing is live and high power - it may be the signs will actually save you the trouble of electrifying it.
 
I feel for you up Frances, school is a good place to learn about erosion and the natural world, maybe you could suggest the school offer some lessons on the importance of leaving the natural environment alone, you could maybe suggest they go down in lesson time and do some research on flora and fauna of stream life, being mindful of the ecological impact of course, I think kids are pretty good if it’s been explained to them how important not digging the banks etc is for local wildlife.
If no one explains to them the damage they are doing how do they know?
Or whack some electric fencing up and zap the little buggers! :rolleyes:
 
Kids being kids, a sign explaining that the cute ponies down the road can't get a drink if the stream is messed with might help - if it's teens, then maybe not. If it's younger kids it'll have to be simple - their minds wander after the 1st sentence!
 
If you know who they are can you talk directly to their parents? At that age I'm a bit surprised they're walking home without an adult, and maybe the parents should be made aware of what they are doing to the stream and how dangerous it is.
 
I think I'd be a bit annoyed if my kids came home soaking wet and covered in mud and dirt. If it's out of school hours then it's not really a school issue. More the parents teaching there kids respect of peoples property. If there going down there in lunch break then it is a school issue.

Personally I'd stock proof it and put high tensile electric strands across the top a d give them a good zap.
 
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Up here, most kids walk home on their own to and from school.

There is no parent Council. It is a small school - possibly 20 kids in total and I think two teachers. My girls went there (15 years ago) though we live outwith the village (I drove them each day) and in those days there was only 8 kids in total and one teacher.

I don't know the parents or children as I don't live in the village. I live 5 miles away and am not part of their village life.

Parents don't seem to mind if their kids come home soaking wet or covered in mud.
 
I would hang around after school and talk to the kids about it. My kids would play in that stream if we lived there and they would be mortified if they understood the damage they are causing. Why not just have a friendly chat about it? Is there an alternative way the kids could play without causing damage? Could they do something to help? The vast majority of kids don’t want to cause trouble.
 
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I used to love playing in streams and building dams on holiday in Scotland, but I never knew it could cause difficulties for the land. Are there other spots where they can play? If so, I think they would respond well to being explained to, via their parents or school if possible.
 
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