Happy Birthday National Parks! South Downs announces inspiring initiative to help 75 schools
December 9, 2024
Seventy-five years ago National Parks were created as special places where people and nature could come together, bringing hope and joy to a nation scarred by war.
Now, 75 years on and to celebrate the anniversary on 16 December, the South Downs National Park is helping 75 schools to add beautiful wildlife havens to their school grounds.
Schools across the National Park and surrounding areas will be able to apply for grants of up to £1,000.
The “ReNature Grants” can be used for a myriad of purposes, such as planting a wildflower meadow, planting trees, digging a pond, building a bee hotel, installing bird boxes or creating an allotment. The initiative ties in with the National Park’s ongoing ReNature campaign, which is fighting against biodiversity loss by creating scores of new wildlife havens across the region.
It comes after the National Park launched a new immersive film trail along the South Downs Way earlier this year to mark the 75th birthday. The “Your National Park” trail celebrates the local heroes of the South Downs and explores their intimate connections with the amazing landscape.
Siôn McGeever, Chief Executive of the South Downs National Park Authority, said: “Seventy five years on since their creation, National Parks continue to welcome, inspire and reinvigorate people of all ages, while becoming hubs for the nation’s nature and climate ambitions.
“It’s wonderful to be announcing this new funding to support schools and young people as we mark this milestone for National Parks.
“Young people need access to nature more than ever before, not only because they are the future custodians of our planet, but also because outdoor learning brings so many benefits to their health and wellbeing. Ultimately, we want nature to be everywhere for everyone and this new scheme is another step towards that goal.
“Young people can play such an important role in helping biodiversity bounce back and I’m excited to see the new wildlife havens that are created by this inspiring initiative.”
Half of the funding is being provided by the National Park Authority and the other half by the South Downs National Park Trust, the official charity of the National Park.
Applications can be received until 1 July and are on a first-served basis.
Find out more and apply at https://southdownstrust.org.uk/national-parks-75th-birthday-renature-fund-for-schools/
The National Park’s ReNature initiative is looking to transform 13,000 hectares – or over 20,000 football pitches – into habitat for wildlife by 2030. A total of 6,082 hectares – an area bigger than Worthing or Portsmouth – has now been created or improved to help nature thrive. Find out more at www.southdowns.gov.uk/renature
- The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act received Royal Assent on December 16, 1949, establishing National Parks in the UK. This visionary piece of legislation aimed to create a legacy of protecting Britain’s most precious landscapes following the horrors of the Second World War. There was a desire to encourage the public to get out of the polluted cities and factories and spend time in the countryside to refresh body and mind. The Act also laid the groundwork for the creation of long-distance countryside trails, now known as National Trails in England and including the 100-mile-long South Downs Way.
- There are 15 National Parks in the UK and the South Downs is the youngest, having been created in 2010.