Explore: Urban Nature
We're challenging students across the UK to help everyone better understand the nature around us, in our towns and cities.
The Explore: Urban Nature Programme has ended, but your journey continues!
This page is being updated, but you can still access our resources to help students across the UK engage with urban nature.
In the meantime, we still need everyone's support to better understand the nature around us, in our towns and cities.
Nature in the UK is under threat, and we all have a part to play in the solution. We need your students to track and monitor the nature closest to home, become the local experts, help us observe and collect new data, and take action through science to make a real difference.
In partnership with
Ways to take part
Discover our learning resources
Use our curriculum linked learning resources with your students to explore the nature on your doorstep and discover the challenges it faces.
Get local museum support
Your local museum will be running workshops and other events, where students can build working scientifically skills and do their own nature investigations.
To be connected to your nearest museum, email: [email protected]
Join in with community science projects
Gather real data to help understand the nature around us. Join our Nature Overheard project and investigate how road noise affects insects.
National Partners
A museum near you will be leading activities in their local schools and at their sites. Find your closest museum below:
- Natural History Museum, London
- RSPB: Giving Nature a Home in Glasgow in partnership with Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
- Great North Museum, Newcastle
- Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales
- Birmingham Museums Trust
- Leeds Museums and Galleries
7. Wollaton Hall (Nottingham City Museums and Galleries)
8. Natural History Museum, Tring, Hertfordshire
9. National Museum Northern Ireland
10. Dorset Museum
11. Stoke-on-Trent Museums
12. Touchstones Rochdale
13. The Horniman Museum and Gardens
To be connected to your nearest museum email: [email protected]
Why urban nature matters
Over 83% of the UK population live in urban areas. Towns and cities are where most people experience nature - in parks, gardens and patches of wasteland, rather than in the countryside or national parks.
These urban green spaces are important: strongholds for a wide range of species, and places for people to connect with nature, improving our mental and physical health.
But these spaces can be neglected and may come under extra pressure as the urban population grows.
We want to help thousands of young people dig into what urban nature is, what it does, how it's changing, and what we can all do to support it.
Funding
We thank all funders to the Urban Nature Project campaign so far, including those who wish to remain anonymous, for their generous support. We recognise the following funders for their exceptional contributions to the campaign:
