Adult Groups

John Muir Award activity can embrace not only conservation tasks, but also considerations of our impact on wild places and wider environmental issues. Its framework encourages this activity to be delivered as an integral part of a programme, not just an ‘add-on’.

You can view a selection of John Muir Award and Adult Group Case Studies here.

Responsibility and action
‘The need to have people take personal actions that contribute to the solution of environmental problems has been widely recognised.’ M. McLaren

People like to ‘get their hands dirty’ and put something back – and enjoy this even more if they understand why they’re doing it and the benefits it generates.

Impact
‘There is a tendency for modern man to use the natural environment entirely for his own ends, and to be heedless of the consequences.’ Colin Mortlock

Considering our impact in our actions outdoors (and minimising this), and our impact at home, at school and at work can all contribute to John Muir Award activity.

Issues
John Muir Award experiences can be used to introduce concepts such as sustainability, biodiversity and outdoor access, rather than address them in isolation.

If a key aim is to develop environmental literacy, ‘the first challenge…is to reconnect ourselves to the planet, to understand where things come from, where they go, and how much energy and material is used along the way.’ M. McLaren