Cambusbarron Community Development Trust is offering young people and families the chance to deepen their connection with nature and explore their local environment by taking part in an individual or family ‘John Muir Award’ programme this summer.
Participants will Discover, Explore, Conserve and Share their experience within Gillies Hill Community Woodland.
The John Muir Award programme is a well-established national scheme that encourages people to get to know and love the wild places all around us.
The John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme focused on wild places. It helps people connect with, enjoy, and care for wild places. It is non-competitive, inclusive and accessible. It is open to ages 11+ for Individual awards (no upper age limit!) and younger children can take part through a Family award. It aims to:
- Foster appreciation and value for nature, urban greenspaces and wild landscapes.
- Encourage awareness, understanding and responsibility for wild places.
- Promote personal development through outdoor experiences.
- Encourage an environmental agenda.
- Recognise the achievements of everyone who meets Award Criteria.
More info is available here: www.johnmuirtrust.org/john-muir-award
Participants in the John Muir Award programme will primarily be supported by Amos, our Community Forest Manager, throughout the summer and we may also have some ‘guest experts’ join us too. The sessions will vary each week with suitable activities being carried out to achieve the award. To gain the first level ‘Discovery’ award, 24 hours of activities that involve discovering, exploring, conserving and sharing experiences of wild places need to be undertaken over July and August.
Typical activities include exploring tree and animal species within the woodland, bug spotting, pond dipping and exploring the extensive trails and paths. Taking practical action for nature – wildlife or pollution surveys, litter picks, monitor habitats through checking wildlife cameras – and then reflecting and sharing the experience too.
Joining the programme is completely free and all the activities can be done for free as well. At the end of the programme, all participants who gain the award will receive an official certificate of their achievement from the John Muir Trust.
If you’d like more information about the programme or to sign up, please contact woodland@ccdt.org.uk Sign up is open until the 3rd July and the programme will start on the 6th July and run for 5 weeks through the summer holidays.
