Natural History Museum to lead new Department for Education partnership in England and put climate change and biodiversity loss at the heart of education

Natural History Museum to lead new Department for Education partnership in England and put climate change and biodiversity loss at the heart of education - Natural History Museum

© Trustees of the Natural History Museum

The Museum is delighted to be working with the Department for Education to lead a new partnership to establish a National Education Nature Park and climate action awards scheme.

A new partnership led by the Museum will work with the education sector to help map, manage and enhance all the land across the education estate, creating one, vast, nature park
Every young person in England will have the opportunity to develop a meaningful connection to nature, understand the concepts of climate change and biodiversity loss and feel able to do something about it
A new climate action award scheme will recognise the work being undertaken in schools and colleges to protect green spaces and promote biodiversity

The project aims to give every young person in England opportunities to develop a meaningful connection to nature, understand the concepts of climate change and biodiversity loss and feel able to do something about it.

The partnership, led by the Natural History Museum, working with the Royal Horticultural Society, the Royal Society, Royal Geographical Society, Learning through Landscapes, Manchester Metropolitan University and additional supporting partners, will work with the education sector to help them to map, manage and enhance all the land across the education estate, creating one, vast, nature park. This will play an important part in increasing biodiversity across the education estate and have a real impact on halting the decline of nature in England.

The National Education Nature Park will engage children, young people and their educators with nature, supporting young people in England to play a driving role in mapping and monitoring biodiversity on their grounds using citizen science and, critically, taking action to enhance it. Students will manage their green space like a National Park, taking on leadership roles such as managers, ecologists, communicators, fundraisers, grounds people and data analysts.

From creating pollinator-friendly habitats, to digging ponds, or creating planting schemes that support climate resilience, students will enhance biodiversity in their Nature Park and local community. With England’s primary and secondary schools covering an area twice the size of Birmingham, this is an opportunity to empower young people to make a real difference by creating environments across the country where nature thrives.