National Parks are working with Explorer HQ to launch National Parks Elements. A campaign designed to inspire more young people to visit, enjoy and care for some of the most beautiful, wild places in the country – and also to improve their well-being by connecting with nature closer to home.
National Parks UK is teaming up with Explorer HQ – a growing international community of young people who are taking on challenges to reconnect with nature and each other, and save the planet, one mission at a time! Explorer HQ creates and curates Expeditions that enable young explorers far and wide to tackle some of the world’s most pressing problems, from climate change to species extinction, by making simple changes in their day-to-day lives.
Explorers are encouraged to get out and investigate the world around them, to get to grips with environmental issues, and, above all, to make a difference. They do this by completing Missions on the Explorer HQ app – activities that explore an issue through real-world action. The app then measures the actions of users to show how their individual efforts have a big collective impact, and positively contribute to protecting our planet on a global scale.
The partnership is seeking funding to create, run and promote National Parks Elements – a brand new campaign that will raise awareness of the simple, practical things young people can do to protect and connect with nature in the parks and closer to home, and to learn more about the amazing, diverse landscapes that make up our 15 National Parks.
A series of 60 themed Missions (like the one below) will take young Explorers on an enlightening journey from their home turf out into the wilderness – and help to create a whole new generation of guardians of this country’s most treasured natural spaces. Through the Explorer HQ app, National Park Explorers will also see exactly how their individual behaviours contribute to an uplifting collective effort.
While the increase in visitors over the past two years has been hugely positive, it has also put extra demand on resources. We are therefore looking to crowdfund this partnership campaign that has the duel aim of educating and encouraging new visitors, and raising vital extra income for tree planting projects across the Parks.
Part of the funding will contribute towards enhancing and expanding the capability of the Explorer HQ app, which is currently a functional beta on both Apple and Android platforms, in order to maximise the potential and impact of the National Parks Elements campaign. Proposed extra features will include the capability for schools, local communities, or even specific National Parks to group their efforts together in ‘Pools’, and for individual users to encourage and influence other users to take on missions by sending out ‘Ripples’. Backing for promotional and social media campaigns will also help maximise the project’s positive impact.
Crucially, every donation made will contribute directly towards tree planting in the UK National Parks, a vital way to support biodiversity and to increase tree-cover to fight the climate crisis.
We want to raise £15,000 in order to bring Elements to life. Every donation will be divided like so:
40% will fund the creation and completion of the National Parks campaign: mission design, writing, illustrating, adding extra functionality to the Explorer HQ app, and the campaign’s initial launch.
30% will cover the cost of hosting and running the campaign on the app for 12 months.
20% will go directly towards tree planting projects across the UK's National Parks.
8% will run the National Parks Elements promotional campaign.
2% will be used to produce a physical book of all the missions in the National Parks Elements campaign. This will be made with carbon neutral, eco-friendly paper and is available as a reward for £15
These percentages are after the Crowdfunder platform fees have been deducted.
In addition to hosting the full Elements campaign on the Explorer HQ app (free to download) we will also be putting the whole campaign into a handy pocket-sized book. The book will be printed on carbon-neutral, FSC approved, recycled paper and will contain all 60 missions (final design may vary from image shown here). It's available in two of our rewards, £15 for the book, or £25 for the book and a brand new tree planted in a National Park.
As well as helping to protect and support the UK's National Parks, your donation could also give you access to some other amazing rewards, which have been generously donated by some of our sponsors. These include:
Secret Compass has donated a place on an upcoming exciting adventure weekend in a National Park as a reward for one lucky funder.
The weekend is designed to provide a memorable adventure in the Brecon Beacons, one of the UK’s best-loved National Parks and wild spaces. Participants get a taste of life on a real expedition: everything from the kit and the food, to the wild camping style and physical challenges. Over the course of the weekend the group will trek to the summit of Pen y Fan, the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons National Park, and packraft the picturesque waterways en route – plus one or two extra surprises!
The expedition is achievable by anyone with a healthy lifestyle and a good level of general fitness. Individuals must be 18+ to go on the expedition. For minimum fitness requirements and all other information, please visit their site.
Columbia sports wear have donated eight Unisex Convey 25 Liter Rolltop Daypacks in black. An ideal pack for daily commutes or distant travels with an externally accessible padded sleeve that fits up to a 15" laptop. We also have seven Columbia Watch Cap II beanies in black. Designed in a classic sailor-cap style, this watch cap keeps your head and ears toasty warm, whether out on the water or around the campfire.
Collins have donated 24 copies of South Downs Park Rangers Favourite Walks : 20 of the best routes chosen and written by National park rangers and 50 copies of Yorkshire Dales Park Rangers Favourite Walks : 20 of the best routes chosen and written by National park rangers. Walking guides in which each walk varies in length from 2 to 10 km and can be completed in less than 4 hours.
Play Shifu have given us one of their Orboot Earth globes. Explore countries, cultures, wildlife & more with this interactive globe that comes alive with the magic of AR.
Adventure Pins have given us 15 UK National Parks pins and one National Park Pins Bundle with pins from all the parks. Enamel pins celebrating the UK National Parks. Pin dimensions: 23mm x 23mm. Presented on beautiful letter pressed backing card, made from recycled greyboard.
Our last reward is the National Parks 2022 Calendar. The photography in the National Parks A4 Calendar for 2022 showcases just what there is to love about the 'green lungs of the nation'.
Ready to get out and explore? We have already added the first badge with three missions to each of the expeditions in the Explorer HQ app so you can get a head start. Go to the Apple App Store, or the Google Play store to download the app and get out into the wild.
Come and visit us at Explorer HQ and sign up for our mailing list so we can keep you updated.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Please feel free to ask us any questions you might have in the comments section.