We are delighted to host Dr Laura Soul and Dr Jade Gunnell from the Natural History Museum working with the Department of Education on the UK’s Nature Education Strategy.
The NHM (an IUCN Affiliate Member) is working to provide every young person with opportunities to connect with nature. Could this new approach to nature education help create the next generation of advocates for the planet? How will this help the UK’s education sector become a world leader in climate change by 2030?
Together with partners, including the Royal Horticultural Society, they will give students the opportunity to transform the green space at their place of education into their own Nature Park. The programme embeds community science, supporting young people to work with others in their local area to take part in scientific research into biodiversity conservation and further our understanding of the factors that are most effective to boost biodiversity. No matter their interests, young people will be able to contribute to a collective effort to understand the issues impacting their local environment and take action in response. In this webinar we will outline what the Nature Park is, how it fits into wider activity from the DfE climate and sustainability strategy, it’s benefits for young people, and the community science approach we will be taking.
This webinar is introduced and moderated by Sophie Stenson, Chair of the IUCN NCUK’s Education and Communications Working Group and a PhD student studying sustainable governance as part of the RENEW project.
Some useful links which were shared and mentioned by our attendees (anonymised for GDPR – but if you would like to contact any of these projects, please feel free to reach out and we can put you in touch!):
- More information on the National Education Nature Park and Climate Action Awards scheme: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/national-impact/national-education-nature-park-and-climate-action-awards-scheme.html
- Eligibility criteria include the ranking in Natural England’s measure of combined deprivation and local access to natural green space; whether the nursery, school, or college is in a levelling-up area; and, for schools only, the level of pupil premium allocations. Eligibility criteria can be seen here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-boost-to-improve-outside-learning-facilities
- Currently only 1206 schools are eligible for Nature Park and Climate action awards funding. Other sources of funding will be signposted on the new website so all education settings can take part fully.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nature-park-and-climate-action-awards-funding-allocations
Other projects mentioned:
- 8 Billion Ideas: Just launched a project with 8BillionIdeas which has some synergy too New Initiative Aims to Ignite a Passion for Sustainability Among Primary Students (8billionideas.com)
- www.naturepremium.org
- ‘Generation Wild‘, by WWT is a nature connection programme for schools, children, and families in economically disadvantaged areas.
- At NatureScot we have run a pilot education toolkit Nature Discovery Map Scotland https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/young-people-learning-outdoors-and-developing-skills/nature-discovery-map-Scotland.
- There is work happening with colleagues in Bali and Switzerland to develop https://www.natureontheschoolboard.com/home – building on Faith in Nature putting nature on the board of their business.
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