Action for Conservation

Action for Conservation is a UK charity with a mission to create the next generation of nature conservationists.

Action for Conservation is founded upon the principal that young conservation professionals who are working in the field are best placed to inspire and motivate young people to consider a career in conservation.

One of its approaches is to work with secondary schools to inspire and empower students to become the next generation of conservationists. The WildED Programme consists of a series of tailored workshops and student-led activities for students in Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 that take place during one school term. This expedition into the world of conservation gives students the skills and knowledge to lead their own environmental action projects that will have a positive impact on their local area.

The next stage of their engagement is their conservation camps, where young people from ages 12-16 spend an all-inclusive week connecting with nature and learning how to protect it alongside other young people from across the UK. The camps are packed with conservation activities, careers advice and adventure guided by young conservation professionals, the Action for Conservation team and their partners.

Then, every young person who returns inspired from their camp experience is invited to join Action for Conservation’s ambassador programme for the following year. This mentoring scheme further develops the conservation skills and knowledge of ambassadors and helps them take real action back home.

In 2019, Action for Conservation launched an exciting restoration project in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. The pioneering Penpont Project is run by a Youth Leadership Group of twenty 12-18 year olds from diverse backgrounds. Working in partnership with farmers, the landowners, conservationists, and local stakeholders, they are restoring habitats and ecosystems and exploring innovative farming and forestry approaches to provide a healthy support system for people, biodiversity, and agriculture.

Given that COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 made in-person outreach and engagement impossible, Action for Conservation pivoted to create WildWEB, a digital programme to support young people aged 13-17, keep them engaged with the environment movement and help them take action for the environment online.

Synchronicity Earth is supporting Action for Conservation as part of its commitment to help develop and nurture diverse networks and communities to support conservation.