Join with us to celebrate Wales’ greatest playing and learning space – our natural environment!  Natural Resources Wales and the Wales Council for Outdoor Learning invite you to join in during #WalesOutdoorLearningWeek, a great opportunity to showcase how we can all benefit from learning in, learning about and learning for our natural environment.  Focusing on a different Curriculum for Wales core purpose theme for the next 4 years, the theme for 2023 is ‘Active learning in the outdoors - encouraging healthy confident individuals’. 

Who can take part?  Anyone can take part, all you need to do is plan to get outside and enjoy spending time exploring nature during Wales Outdoor Learning Week. 

Why should I get involved?  Research from across the globe tells us that being out in the natural environment, connecting with nature is good for us. 

What should I do?  It doesn’t need to be complicated or costly.  Engage your senses or learn something new – why not check out our resources webpage for inspiration. 

Where should I go?  It’s simple, you can take part in #WalesOutdoorLearningWeek in your garden, local park, woodland, beach, playing field, outdoor classroom, nature reserve, common, peatland, field or nature spot. Not sure where to go? Check out our Days Out webpage for ideas. 

How can I share my adventure and join the celebrations?  No matter how big or small you go, we would love it if you shared your outdoor learning adventures!  Use the hashtag #WalesOutdoorLearningWeek to spread the joy! 

Contact us to receive a social media pack to help raise awareness of the week and why you are taking part.

Associated with new beginnings and growth, stepping into spring on the 20th March provided a renewed sense of hope and optimism for many.  As we looked forward to longer, lighter and milder days and enjoying more time outside Steven Meaden, our Lead Specialist Health Advisor, explains why the arrival of spring is good for our health and well-being.

!! £165 bursary available towards supply costs per attendee !!

Coming up in South Wales

From crime scene to courtroom. Who’s committed the enviro crime and can you ensure they do time?  Cardiff, Thursday 15^th June 2023.  With an environmental crime having been committed, educators take on the role of trainee NRW Environment Officers and take part in a day of cross-curricular outdoor learning, hands on activities and challenges.  Book here.

“Bonjour Dunraven Bay” – using the Curriculum for Wales as a tool to showcase the South Wales coastline: Southerndown, Vale of Glamorgan,  Wednesday 21^st June 2023.  Participants will spend the day taking part in a range of hands-on, cross-curricular activities in the natural environment, learning about the coastline through the lens of the 6 Areas of Learning and Experience.  Book here.

Coming up in North Wales

To protect or develop a rural ‘cynefin'?  That is the question!  Halkyn, Monday 24^th April 2023.  With the Curriculum for Wales as a guide, educators will consider the merits and drawbacks of a planning application through the lens of the 6 Areas of Learning and Experience.  Book here.

“Bonjour Talacre” - Using the Curriculum for Wales as a tool to showcase the North Wales coastline: Talacre, Tuesday 23^rd May 2023.  This session will give participants 101 ideas to get their learners learning in, about and for Wales’ coastline. Book here.

CoastSnap is a global citizen science project to capture our changing coastlines.  Relying on repeat photos of the same location, CoastSnap tracks how the coast is changing over time due to processes such as storms, rising sea levels, human activities and other factors. Using a specialised technique known as photogrammetry, CoastSnap can turn your photos into valuable coastal data that is used by coastal scientists to understand and forecast how coastlines might change in the coming decades.

Working together, the Welsh Coastal Monitoring Centre (WCMC), NRW’s Wales Marine Advice and Wales Coast Path teams are working to install 16 mobile phone cradles at certain points along the Wales Coast Path.  With one in place for each marine local authority, all you and your learners need to do is download the free CoastSnap Citizen Science App onto your device or share your photo via email or social media.  The more photos received of a particular site, the better scientists can understand how the Welsh coastline is changing and what might happen in the future. The WCMC will use the images submitted to create visual timelapse sequences to show the effects of coastal erosion over time.

Tune into the natural environment’s potential to promote health and learning with our online CPD webinars this spring.  

*NEW* Naturally Happy and Healthy using nature-based experiences to promote positive physical health and mental well-being for learners of all ages.  Tuesday 25.04.23 (Welsh), Thursday 27.04.23 (English) at 4.15 pm – 5.45 pm

Wales Coast Path – Your route to coastal learning Wednesday 26.04.23 (English), Thursday 27.04.23 (Welsh) at 4.15 pm – 5.45 pm

Sand dunes Wednesday 10.5.23 (English), Thursday 11.05.23 (Welsh) at 4.15 pm – 5.45 pm

DataMapWales, Welsh Government’s digital mapping platform allows learners to search and visualise geographic information about Wales on a choice of digital maps.  Data can be displayed on top of a base-map, and features of interest can be examined, measured and analysed.  Geographic information includes everything that can be shown on a map, for example:

• Schools
• Public toilets
• Flood zones
• Noise pollution
• Areas of deprivation

Why not give your learners a dilemma and get them using DataMapWales as a tool to help them come to a conclusion?  Theoretically, should a valued local area of natural environment be developed into a retail shopping centre?  Or should it be preserved for future generations to enjoy and wildlife to thrive? This desk-based activity sets the scene for learners to become nature champions, investigating and researching the history and significance of a local natural area using DataMapWales before presenting their findings using persuasive language.  Check out our Activity plan – Nature champions.

From apprenticeships and volunteering to work experience and other placements, we have a range of opportunities to enable those that are interested in learning about the sustainable management, benefits and value of natural resources and ecosystems.  Do you know someone that might be interested?  All participants receive an induction, training, and ongoing support, and a placement manager is assigned to oversee their work programme and health and safety.  

The Welsh Centre for International Affairs, Academi Heddwch Cymru, Size of Wales and CWVYS are working with the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod to celebrate children and young people who have contributed to sustainability and peace at their school, youth group, local community or in the wider world.  Do you know of children or young people aged between 5 – 25 who have made a positive environmental difference in your setting or community or who have inspired others to make changes for the good of the planet?  The closing date for applications this year is 12th June, 2023 – get your nominations in for the Young Global Citizen of the Year!

Applications for the 23-24 Spring bulbs for schools project are open.  Why not work with your learners to help Professor Plant investigate how the changing seasons are affecting spring flowers.  In partnership with the Edina Trust who support and fund the project, the National Museum Wales runs the ‘Spring bulbs for schools’ project, enabling budding scientists from across Wales to keep weather records and monitor growth, contributing to investigations on the effects of temperature on spring bulbs.  One of the largest studies to date on gardens and gardening, funded by Innovate UK and National Institute for Health Research, found that people who spent time in the garden report better physical and mental health levels than those who do not.  So why not get outdoors and hands on with your learners.  Their gardening efforts will generate data which can be manipulating and investigated and will contribute to science! 

As the world is facing a nature and climate change emergency, Black Mountains College is introducing a new course in September 2023: NVQ Level 2 Diploma in nature recovery.  Do you know of a learner, aged 16 plus that might be interested in this one academic year, full-time course which will be delivered at Troed-yr-Harn Farm and other locations within the Brecon Beacons National Park?  Students will learn keys skills for a career promoting environmental recovery and resilience through practical outdoor learning backed up with classroom theory including plant and soil science, habitat conservation, countryside access and ecological surveying. 

Would you like regular outdoor learning updates and news?  Why not follow the Outdoor Learning Wales Twitter account or join the closed Facebook Group which both offer a platform to keep up to date, spread the word of ongoing projects and facilitate discussions with anyone with an interest in outdoor learning and environmental education in Wales.

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