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Conserve Audits

Conserve Audits demonstrate the value and impact of John Muir Award participation by showing how participants put something back and make a positive contribution to our natural environment. 

A Conserve Audit is a monitoring exercise that identifies the amount of activity carried out to meet the Conserve Challenge of the John Muir Award. It’s a great way to capture the diverse range of actions people undertake as part of their Awards, and the benefits for both people and nature.

Since 2009, we’ve undertaken audits periodically on national, regional and local partnership levels to help demonstrate impact. We’re planning to undertake our next UK-wide Conserve Audit during 2020. Recent Conserve Audit summaries can be found below:

Young People in Scotland Conserve Audit 2018 - During Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018, the John Muir Trust carried out a Conserve Audit to capture the varied ways in which young people took action for nature through their John Muir Awards. Read the impact report to see how they made a difference during the year.

Telford & Wrekin Conserve Audit - This summary highlights how John Muir Award participants are helping to care for wild places in Telford & Wrekin Council and beyond, including through partnerships with Arthog Wales Outdoor Education Centre and Shropshire Wildlife Trust.

Conserve Audit 2015

In 2015, we took a look at what people across the UK put back through taking part in the John Muir Award. 

Download a four-page summary of our UK-wide 2015 Conserve Audit, or see the range of regional and themed Conserve Audits that show how Award activity adds up to make a significant impact on the environment - not just for the John Muir Trust, but for partners, funders and everyone involved. Click on links for detailed information on Scotland, England, Wales; Schools (England, Scotland); National Parks (UK, Scotland, Lake District); Youth Social Action.

What people put back through taking part in the John Muir Award throughout 2015: 

  • 36,200 days of ‘Conserve’ activity
  • carried out by 33,488 John Muir Award participants
  • valued at £1,291,710, based on Heritage Lottery Fund figures
  • over 7.5 hours of ‘Conserve’ activity per participant

John Muir Award Conserve Audit 2015 illustration low res

Activity took place over an extensive range of geographical locations and across a rich diversity of habitats, from mountain landscapes and coastal plains to woodlands and school playgrounds. And data was captured to measure everything from invasive species control to surveying earthworms, and tree planting to litter picking.

A huge THANK YOU all of the John Muir Award Provider organisations and individuals that have participated in our Conserve Audits to date. We hope you are proud of your contribution – and what it all amounts to! Finally, we would love to hear of any ways in which you might make use of this information, and if it is helpful to you. You can share Conserve challenge quotes and photos via #JohnMuirAward.