National Education Nature Park and Climate Action Awards

The Natural History Museum is leading a partnership that has developed the new National Education Nature Park and Climate Action Awards, empowering young people to make a positive difference to both their own and to nature’s future.

Together with our partners including the Royal Horticultural Society and others, we are putting nature at the heart of education. We are giving children and young people the opportunity to transform their learning sites for nature create a network of green spaces in nurseries, schools and colleges that form the National Education Nature Park.

The accompanying Climate Action Awards will help children and young people develop skills and knowledge in biodiversity and sustainability, and celebrate their climate action efforts.

Responding to the urgency of the planetary emergency and the Department for Education's Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, this is once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the way we teach climate education and support young people to act and increase biodiversity across England.

How to get involved

Visit the National Education Nature Park website to register to join, and access a library of free, quality-assured, curriculum-linked resources that embed nature and climate education across all subject areas. The programme launched in October 2023, and will continue to develop over the next few years.

How did pathfinders pilot the programme?

We worked with 40 pilot education settings across early years, primary, secondary, SEND and Further Education in the Greater Manchester and West Midlands areas, testing innovative engagement activities to inform the wider programme.

These activities included nature photography and mapping the sounds heard on school grounds, so pupils could practice noticing and getting closer to nature, and investigating the ways different plants can be used to solve pressing local environmental issues like flooding or habitat loss.

Esri UK have created a short reflection on student findings from Pathfinder testing days.

Partners for nature

This partnership is led by the Natural History Museum with the Royal Horticultural Society, supported by the Royal Society, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), Manchester Metropolitan University, Learning Through Landscapes, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the National Biodiversity Network Trust.

Collectively we are the UK’s leading institutions within our fields, with world class expertise and brand recognition across schools and Higher Education, science research, and public engagement with nature.

• The Natural History Museum’s world-leading scientists are designing and advising on biodiversity gain and measurement, including designing survey packages and guides to help schools monitor and model biodiversity, and the free climate education resources.
  As lead partners, the Museum oversees the overall project management, including developing a new online platform for the programme. The Museum is supported by the Royal Society, Royal Geographical Society, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and the National Biodiversity Network Trust. 

• The Royal Horticultural Society is leading on the National Education Nature Park pilot programme and development of the delivery model, including the design, development and administration of the activity in education settings. The RHS is providing regional support of Nature Park delivery through regional officers working on the ground. The RHS is supported by Learning Through Landscapes and Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Esri UK is the geospatial technology partner in the programme, providing the digital mapping platform and expertise in biodiversity mapping.
• The project is funded by the Department for Education.

As the programme develops, we are also looking to work in partnership with the environment and education sector, universities, and scientists to pool our expertise and resources to provide the support that educators and students want.