John Muir Award Scheme

The John Muir Award is an environmental Award scheme focusing on wild places. It encourages the discovery and conservation of these places in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration.

For those interested there is an excellent promotional video about the award available free of charge from John Muir Trust.

You are warmly invited to become involved in the John Muir Award.

The John Muir Award aims to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to discover, enjoy and conserve the planet's wild places, through a structured yet adaptable scheme. It was launched in 1997 by the John Muir Trust, which was formed in 1983 to safeguard and conserve wild places in the United Kingdom, and to increase awareness and understanding of the value of such places. The John Muir Award is the main educational initiative of the Trust.

Aims of the John Muir Award

• Increase and enhance awareness of wild places
• Encourage people to take responsibility for wild places
• Encourage individuals and society to value wild places
• Promote educational, social and personal development of young people and the wider community
• Encourage an environmental agenda within youth organisations, and a youthwork agenda within environmental organisations
• Ensure that social circumstances don't exclude people from opportunities to experience wild places
• Raise awareness of John Muir and the John Muir Trust

The pages in this section (About the Award) and the Taking Part section will guide you through your participation in the John Muir Award. Information in these pages can also be found in the Information Handbook, available from the John Muir Downloads section or John Muir Award staff.

The John Muir Award is delivered through partnerships with youth organisations, schools, clubs, Councils, outdoor centres etc. With advice and assistance from Award staff, these 'Award Providers' integrate the Award structure with their own environmental and outdoor programmes and activities. This enables their participants, students and members to gain John Muir Awards.

Benefits of Involvement

Involvement in the John Muir Award scheme will do 3 things:

• acknowledge what organisations and individuals already do, in terms of outdoor and environmental activity
• encourage more activity and responsibility for wild places, and promote a holistic approach
• celebrate what is achieved

The Award is looking to leaders to use the scheme to motivate and inspire people to enjoy and take responsibility for their own environment. Individuals, families and small groups of any age and background are encouraged to take part in the John Muir Award through our Self-Guided scheme. The Award is run by the John Muir Trust, and supported by funding from a range of sources including the Rank Foundation, the National Lotteries Charities Board, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Leadership Trust.

Further Information

For more details visit the John Muir Award website.