Everyone benefits if there is greater understanding of the natural environment and its role in our lives. Natural England is committed to increasing everyone’s understanding of and ability to take action for the natural environment.
Over the next 18 months, Natural England plans to develop a learning strategy which will set out its views on what needs to be done by it and others to enable more people to know more about the natural environment.
Young people are an obvious audience in whom to instil a sense of interest and appreciation. Natural England wants to encourage more schools to use the ‘outdoor classroom’. Some of the things which it has already provided are:
- Educational resources to help everyone, and in particular pupils, understand nature and the landscape and our impact on them.
- Nature for Schools resource packs with more than 100 lesson plans which meet National Curriculum requirements.
- A Countryside Code Education Pack to broaden young people’s understanding of the English countryside and the Countryside Code.
And through its close working with the BBC and the Springwatch and Autumnwatch campaigns, Natural England is working to raise awareness and understanding of the key issues that affect the natural environment near you.
Natural England will build on these initiatives and the research it has commissioned to develop new ways for helping all people to discover more about their natural heritage.
- Outdoor learning - details of earlier research (Countryside Agency)
- Nature for schools (English Nature)
- Countryside Code (Natural England)
- Countryside Code education pack (Natural England)
- Nature in the garden (English Nature)
- Wildlife fun (English Nature)
- Lundy Island virtual tour (English Nature)
- Nature on the Map (opens in new window)
(Natural England)