Category: News
Our Projects
As part of our expedition, we will be undertaking projects as individuals and a project as a group as a way of contributing to knowledge of our polar regions. Our hope is that what we learn from our time in the Arctic will aid scientific research. We also aim to share our findings with supporters back home.
Proposed Group Project
For our group project we plan to look at microplastics in the water. We are hoping to get a device called a Manta-Ray which can be attached to our boat and pulled along the surface of the water. Through the mesh nets and and filtration systems inside the Manta-Ray, we can identify how much plastic is in the water. This device is inspired by the animal, the mantaray, which is able to feed on plankton and filters water through its gills, without ever getting clogged. To learn more about this incredible method, the BBC have an excellent video that explains the filtration process, demonstrating once again how nature can inspire development.
Manta-ray: a breakdown of parts
Image taken from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.811112/full
Manta-ray in action
Image taken from https://schmidtocean.org/cruise/microplastics-of-the-alaskan-gulf/
Preparation for personal projects
The group coming together for the first time following Jambowlree in February 2024!
In order to help us in prepare for our project work in the Arctic, our Scouts and Leaders attended Wildwood Trust Kent, where we linked up with the education team. Steve Kirk, Natural Heritage Officer, took our group out for the day to teach us a variety of surveying skills of flora and fauna, as well as share his incredible knowledge about the behaviours and evolutionary adaptions of Arctic animals including Arctic Foxes and Reindeer. We then ended our morning of learning with pizza for lunch and then atalatl throwing- ancient spear throwing!
Steve was able to teach us a number of different surveying skills, why we use them, the importance of recording, best practice methods to ensure the efficacy of our studies and how to use the different tools in surveys and samples. This included quadrants for flora surveys, how to set up small mammal traps, and using identification keys to look at different insects in leaf litter. Below is a picture of Samuel using a pooter to suck the bugs into the pot for closer examination.
Samuel using a pooter to examine the bugs he and team mate Amy found in their leaf letter.
In this next picture, Steve showed us how to use a quadrant to identify how much plant life can be found growing in a particular area. Unfortunately, being autumn, this is not quite the right time of year to undertake this study as plants are starting to die off. That said, we still learned about how to ensure random sampling to prevent bias in our studies.
Quadrant in action with Steve in between fungi identification
Following our survey sessions, Steve shared with us his exceptional knowledge of reindeers and arctic foxes. The group were impressed to know that reindeer actually see in ultra violet and their heels also click as they walk, which enables them to navigate in such poor conditions such as a snow blizzard as they can hear one another.
Photo of reindeer by Lydia Vadgama, 12th October 2024
In respect of the Arctic foxes, Wildwood Kent have recently had babies, known as cubs or pups. The pups have already grown quite big having been born earlier in the year in May and they have already started growing into their winter coats. We observed the pups playing with a variety of enrichment toys, encouraging them to explore, play and practice their hunting skills. We even managed to catch some of them practicing their pouncing. In the wild, Arctic foxes will listen out for small rodents in the snow below them and then nose dive into the snow to capture their prey. Steve also shared with us that historical records indicate Arctic foxes are incredibly inquisitive and rather fearless. It is reported that they were rather comfortable to approach humans, were brazen enough to steal their food, chew their gloves and take their personal possessions! They were relentless in returning to human camps despite often being hit by humans or having things thrown at them for poaching their supplies! They totally live up to the phrase “who dares wins”. We observed some of this behaviour in their enclosure with their enrichment toys.
Photograph of Arctic Fox taken by Lydia Vadgama, 10th October 2024
Overall, this was a truly excellent day. One of our young people Sophie said the following:
I really enjoyed Wildwood with Steve as our guide – he was amazing. He knew loads about everything from mushrooms to atalatl throwing! The techniques that he showed us with collecting data on flora and fauna was really interesting and can definitely help some of us with our project ideas. I can’t wait to go back to Wildwood!
Steve teaching Helen the best technique to throw the atalatl.
Whilst there are no plans currently to undertake a project on spear throwing, the activities of the day really got us to reflect on what we might do as projects moving forwards. Some are exploring the history of navigation and tools used 100 years ago vs today. Some are interested in animal behaviour and the impact of climate change. Others want to look at health and wellbeing whilst living on a boat. I can’t wait to see the results of what we discover and share this with everyone who supported us on this journey.
If you’re interested in accessing some of the amazing learning and training that Wildwood have to offer, get in touch with their education team at: https://kent.wildwoodtrust.org/education-kent/. They can offer bespoke learning for children and adults alike.
If you have any ideas of what we could research whilst in the Arctic, or if you have a research project and you need data collecting from somewhere in the Arctic circle, please get in touch with us as we could possibly help! You can comment below or drop us an email found on our contact us page. Let us know what you think.
Arctic Quest Annual Auction
Every December from 2023 to 2025 we are holding an auction to raise funds for the Kent Scouts ArcticQuest2026 Polar Research Project.
If you do win an item we welcome an optional additional contribution towards postage costs. This is mandatory for international bidders at a fair international postage rate for the country concerned.
We welcome donated items for the auction. Anything of value to help the team raise some funds. Contact alan.noake@kentscouts.org.uk if you have an item to donate.
Kent County Scout Council
Charity Registration Number: 303471
Louis Rudd MBE
The team are absolutely thrilled that Lou Rudd MBE has agreed to be their project patron. He is a record-breaking polar adventurer, expedition leader, former Royal Marine Commando and SAS soldier, with 34 years of service. He is the first – and only – person to have traversed Antarctica twice using human power alone, has reached the South Pole four times from different coastal start points and summited Antarctica’s highest mountain. He is a member of the exclusive Explorers Club, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an Ambassador for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Director of Expeditions for Shackleton, a Published Author and accomplished Public Speaker.
ArcticQuest2026
Overall Aim: Following on from the success of the REQUEST2021 Antarctica Global Project the aim is to continue in the footsteps of Scout Marr who went north in 1925/26 and completed polar research as part of Frank Worsley’s British Arctic Expedition.