An environmental charity in Amersham is encouraging young people to connect with nature as part of its anniversary celebrations.
The Field Studies Council is celebrating 80 years of nature-based education at its centre in Mop End, Amersham.
The charity, which has branches across the UK, hosts a range of classes, programmes and scholarships to promote outdoor learning for young people.
It is also involved in developing new resources to support the syllabus-based education of children in schools.
Alongside supporting a new Natural History GCSE qualification, the charity is also involved in developing a new curriculum for schoolchildren in Wales and Scotland.
Head of Education for the Field Studies Council, Scott Wycherley, said that despite the charity's 80th anniversary being a cause for celebration, the current state of the economy means nature-based learning is not a priority for most people.
“I can sit here all day and wax lyrical about outdoor education and all its benefits but schools are under really big challenges. Post-covid, I think a bit of confidence has disappeared in relation to group outings.
"Courses have increased in price, schools’ energy bills are going through the roof and transport costs are on the rise. It’s really upsetting to see those barriers.”
He added that educating young people about environmental issues was more important than ever due to the urgency of the global climate crisis.
“In my lifetime, I’ve seen the seasons change. I remember when summers were summers – you would get your BMX bike out and it was sunny for the whole of August. In wintertime there was snow and proper snow.”
“Now, our summers are wetter and our winters are milder. We had a record-breaking summer last year and they’re expecting 2023 to be the hottest on record.
“These youngsters are going to face further challenges in their lifetime, so we have to equip them for that.”
Other projects in the charity's pipeline for 2023 include Wilder Connections, a project aimed at honing young people's skills for future nature-based roles, and the Epping Forest Young Naturalists project, which arms 11 to 14-year-olds with conservation skills.
The Field Studies Council, which welcomed nearly 120,000 new learners last year, is also expanding its Young Darwin Scholarship scheme as part of its anniversary celebrations.
The scheme provides mentorship for students who have a passion for the natural world, with former scholars going on to pursue careers in biodiversity.
For more information about the Field Studies Council, visit www.field-studies-council.org/.
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