Find help and local expertise
The National Education Nature Park programme's five-step process to make improvements for nature on your learning site can help to structure your thinking about improving your outdoor areas for nature. Guidance for the first set of improvements - grey to green - can be found here. After using the Nature Park resources with your learners to understand your site and identify the best improvements, it’s vital to continue involving your young people in making changes. Keeping them engaged creates new ways to connect with nature and feel a sense of ownership over the changes being made.
For some tasks, such as removing hard standing, digging a pond, or installing raised beds, you may need to bring in the outside help of an external contractor or seek professional advice. There will also be a vast network of local nature enthusiasts and growers who can provide advice or help support your activities. This page provides some considerations and organisations you might think about when finding help. We also have a Finding funding page where you can find more information on funding the improvements you want to make for nature.
Before hiring external contractors consider
Have they worked in education settings before?
Are DBS checks required for working on site?
Are they a community-focused, socially responsible or environmental organisation who can bring added value to projects?
Will they prioritise designing a space that is good for nature and your students, whilst continuing to function as multi-use?
Can they support teachers and young people in engaging with the build process?
Can they support the school estate team on maintenance plans?
Does your Local Authority have an approved supplier list?
Find charities with design experience in biodiversity solutions for education settings
- https://www.treesforcities.org/our-work/schools-programme
- Trees for Schools is a Trees for Cities programme, aiming to transform urban school grounds into leafy green oases for the children of today and for future generations. Their projects include playground re-design with a year of engagement sessions to ensure the sustainability of new planting. They work with schools with high levels of deprivation and a lack of access to green space across the UK, with coordinators based in London, Cardiff, Bradford and Glasgow.
- https://www.groundwork.org.uk/themes/landscape-design-and-management/
- Groundwork are a federation of charities who support communities and individuals to take practical action to create a fair and green future. Their landscape architects and community engagement teams work closely with communities, schools and health providers to identify ambitions for local greenspaces and co-design solutions which enable people and nature to thrive. For more tips and inspiration follow them on social media or visit https://www.groundwork.org.uk/greening-community-spaces/
- https://ltl.org.uk/
- A network of accredited professionals who have a range of skills and experience including designers and environmental educators. All can advise on engaging learners (from EYs to secondary) in the design and change process and all will be able to support the implementation and management of changes, but, depending on its scale they may need to bring in contractors.
- https://www.froglife.org/froglife-ecological-services/
- Froglife are a national wildlife conservation charity with a team of experienced staff delivering conservation and education projects across the UK. They offer ecological services.
Find landscape architects, garden designers, arboricultural and ecology professionals
- https://www.bali.org.uk/
- BALI represents, supports and accredits the landscaping industry. They provide a database of accredited landscape contractors, garden designers and suppliers.
- https://my.landscapeinstitute.org/directory
- The Landscape Institute is a directory of registered practices and individuals who are chartered landscape architects. This includes designers, those who manage landscapes and landscape scientists (including ecologists).
- https://www.sgd.org.uk/
- The Society of Garden Designers can be used to find an accredited designer in your region.
- https://cieem.net/i-need/
- CIEEM has a directory of registered practices and individual professional ecologists across the country who are experienced in creating, restoring and managing natural habitats.
- https://www.trees.org.uk/Find-a-professional
- Find A Tree Care Professional
Finding local expertise and networks of growers
- https://www.checkatrade.com/
- Checkatrade provides limited guarantees for the tradespeople on their database, which includes gardeners and other trades needed for interventions, such as joiners for raised beds.
- https://www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/community-gardening/find-a-group
- Connect with your local community gardening groups by searching the map for Britain in Bloom, It's Your Neighbourhood groups, and Affiliated Societies local to you.
- https://www.thegardenersguild.co.uk/
- The Gardeners Guild is a national trade network for professionally qualified gardeners. Their members are self-employed gardeners who offer garden and grounds maintenance as part of their services. Go to the Find a Gardener or Find a Consultant section where you can filter for wildlife gardeners.
- Peat-Free Nurseries (Why is Peat-free better?) https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/peat/peat-free-nurseries
- Buying plants at garden centres https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-design/buying-garden-plants
- Buying mail order plants https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-design/buying-mail-order-plants
- Buying shrubs and trees https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees/buying-trees-and-shrubs
- nsalg.org.uk
- Find a local group, that may be able to give support and advice, on the school site or at a nearby allotment, to gain skills and knowledge. A great way to connect with your wider community network of growers.
- https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/
- Find local community gardens and farms to build your local network and knowledge.