Please note: Nature Friendly Grounds is initially running as a smaller pilot from autumn 2025, and we’ve now closed expressions of interest for pilot universities and colleges. We are still looking for expressions of interest from pilot schools – if you are an interested school you can express your interest here.
From summer 2026, SOS UK will be launching Nature Friendly Grounds nationally and will be inviting all institutions to become part of a growing movement transforming educational grounds across the UK. Email celine.clark@sos-uk.org to be added to a mailing list and be the first to hear about the launch next year!
What is Nature Friendly Grounds?
Launching in the 2025/26 academic year, Nature Friendly Grounds is a bold new programme from SOS UK. It’s designed to help schools, colleges, and universities transform their grounds by embedding nature-positive actions into everyday operations to restore habitats and support wildlife across educational grounds.
The programme focuses on restoring habitats, supporting species recovery, and helping your institution be part of a nationwide movement leading the UK’s ecological comeback — creating vibrant, biodiverse spaces where students and staff can connect with nature.
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Why your grounds matter for nature recovery
The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries globally, facing urgent ecological challenges. Educational campuses cover tens of thousands of hectares, representing huge untapped potential for habitat restoration and biodiversity increase.
By restoring habitats like grasslands, hedgerows, ponds, and woodlands, and embedding sustainable grounds management, your institution can make a real, measurable difference in reversing biodiversity loss and supporting local wildlife.
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What you’ll gain by participating
- Revitalize and reconnect vital habitats on your grounds, creating thriving ecosystems that support diverse wildlife.
- Empower students and staff through meaningful, hands-on projects, student-led biodiversity audits, and expert-led training that build skills and inspire action.
- Cut harmful chemical use and lower your carbon footprint by adopting sustainable grounds management practices.
- Tap into specialist advice and a supportive network of conservation experts and like-minded educational institutions committed to nature recovery.
- Achieve national recognition with Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards that celebrate your leadership and real impact in restoring nature.
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