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Southern cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus vestalis) by Jade Oliver

Playing our part in ‘Backyard Nature’ – connecting children with nature

A Southern cuckoo bumblebee caught in a pot for identification

30 July 2019 

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust is proud to be part of ‘Backyard Nature’, a nationwide drive to help children connect with nature.

‘Backyard Nature’ is inspired by the Eco Emeralds, a group of young environmentalists from Anfield, Liverpool, motivated by recent documentaries including ‘Our Planet’.

Backyard Nature pledges to galvanise communities, and empower the children that live in them to act as nature guardians for their patch, no matter how small. It has committed to encourage and support a million hours spent in the outdoors, encouraging children to connect with the environment and take action.

The Eco Emeralds approached retailer Richard Walker, Managing Director of Iceland, inspiring the foundation of the campaign with their plea. Walker was working with community platform Semble to devise ways to help children act as nature guardians and the Eco Emeralds provided the catalyst to activate the campaign. Backyard Nature is funded by the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation and supported by groups including The Wildlife Trusts, WWF, Clarion, Hoop and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. It seeks to provide a practical means of connecting children with the nature on their doorsteps, encouraging them in their roles as the next generation of environmental guardians. Backyard Nature will support all children to take action, regardless of their circumstances.

Richard Walker said: “The nation is waking up to the immediate challenge facing us – far bigger than any of the other issues being discussed in the media at the moment, the environmental crisis has huge implications for us all.

The Eco Emeralds share my belief that the next generation needs to connect with nature and become conservation activists, and their commitment to motivating and enabling others to do this is truly inspiring. I strongly believe that children need to know nature in order to want to protect it, and this campaign is about supporting them to do just that. By encouraging children to spend one million hours in their ‘backyards’, the campaign is committed to truly connecting the next generation with the planet we all need their help to save.”

Gill Perkins, CEO, Bumblebee Conservation Trust said: “We’re delighted to support the Backyard Nature campaign. The aims perfectly match our ongoing work at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust helping and supporting people of all ages to create bumblebee friendly areas, both big and small. It’s up to all of us to make sure our plant pots, gardens, and community greenspaces are bee-friendly to stop today’s common species becoming tomorrow’s rarities.”

Backyard Nature aims to build an army of young nature guardians across the UK and help them protect wildlife on their doorstep. The website asks young people, and their grown-ups, to sign-up online to become Backyard Nature guardians for their area. Once joined, users can find their local patch (with a map highlighting local green spaces), download useful DIY guides and also find conservation events happening nearby. Sign up now.