Generation Green 2: A landmark success connecting over a thousand young people with nature in the New Forest
PUBLISHED ON: 11 JULY 2025A generation of young people has rediscovered the power of the outdoors thanks to the 12-month Generation Green 2 project.
As part of Generation Green 2, the New Forest National Park Authority worked with the Countryside Education Trust (CET) in Beaulieu, to provide funded visits for over 1,000 eligible young people living in areas of social disadvantage to connect with the National Park.
The visits encouraged nature connection through coast and river experiences, opportunities to explore the special qualities of the New Forest and an evening under the stars with the NPA education and youth and ranger teams, as well as farm and woodland discovery with CET.
Nationally, the initiative has enabled 27,000 young people from some of the most socially disadvantaged areas to explore National Parks, National Landscapes, and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, often for the first time.
Funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the landmark £4.5 million programme has transformed access to nature for thousands across England at a time when young people need it the most.
According to the newly released Generation Green 2 Celebration Report, the impact has been profound. Eight in 10 participants said they would not have had the chance to experience the outdoors without the programme’s support. For over a third of participants, it marked their first-ever visit to the countryside.
The report comes amid mounting evidence that outdoor and nature-based learning is being squeezed out of children’s lives.
Research from The Sutton Trust recently revealed that 53 per cent of senior school leaders have been forced to divert Pupil Premium funding away from outdoor learning to cover shortfalls in core budgets.
Originally launched in 2021, Generation Green has played a vital role in helping young people rebuild connections with nature. During the COVID-19 pandemic, one million children missed out on school residentials. Many of these outdoor learning opportunities have yet to return, with some activity centres closing permanently.
In the immediate aftermath of Covid, the first Generation Green programme – lasting 18 months – provided essential access to green space at a time when children’s mental health and connection to the environment were under increasing strain.
Subsequent funding for Generation Green was granted by Defra in March last year for a further 12-month programme. Generation Green 2 focused on nights under the stars, a key recommendation in the Government’s Landscapes Review, which argued that every child should have the opportunity to experience a night in nature if they are to become future custodians of our green spaces.
Generation Green 2 was delivered by the Access Unlimited coalition, which includes YHA (England & Wales), The Outward Bound Trust, Field Studies Council, Girlguiding, Scouts, nine National Park Authorities and eight National Landscapes in England, the programme provided life-changing outdoor experiences – from day trips to residentials – designed to improve wellbeing, confidence, and environmental awareness.
In the New Forest, young people from eligible schools and groups discovered the importance of the National Park’s wetlands and coastal areas, saw more of the night sky than possible in an urban environment, and got hands on in a working farm.
New Forest National Park Authority Chair, David Bence said: ‘The New Forest is surrounded by urban areas, including big cities and towns such as Southampton, Salisbury and Bournemouth and yet some young people growing up in these areas are unable to access, or have never accessed, the National Park.
‘Generation Green 2 and the work of our education and youth team, in collaboration with the Countryside Education Trust, means hundreds of young people have experienced the special qualities of the National Park, connecting with the landscape and experiencing the benefits of being out in nature first hand and hopefully becoming nature and landscape protectors in the future.’
Countryside Education Trust Chief Executive, Jane Cooper said: ‘We were delighted to participate in this scheme. Equality of access is central to our mission of connecting people to the countryside and it was a great start to 2025, our 50th anniversary year, to be able to offer this many young visitors the opportunity to visit our wonderful sites here in the New Forest. For many it was their first opportunity to visit a farm, or spend time in the woods, and everyone had enormous amounts of fun!’
Chair of Access Unlimited and YHA (England & Wales) Chief Executive, James Blake said: ‘This isn’t just about fun and fresh air, it’s about equity, opportunity, and giving every young person the chance to thrive in and care for the world around them. However, further funding is needed if we are to keep the momentum going.
‘We know that time in nature can be life changing. We want to do more, and we’re ready to do more. But we need long-term support and policy commitment to ensure no child is left behind.’
National Parks England Executive Director, Jayne Butler said: ‘Our National Parks and other protected landscapes are where we go to experience and engage with nature, to rest and recreate, and to learn about our landscapes. Every child should have the opportunity to experience this vital part of our national fabric, but sadly not everyone does.
‘Generation Green 2 takes us a step closer to a society where everyone feels engaged with the outdoors, the countryside and nature. That should be everyone’s right, but it’s also what we need if we want to foster a culture that can respond to the climate and biodiversity crisis in the future.’
Read the Generation Green 2 Celebration Report here.
ENDS
Generation Green 2 was a 12-month project (2024-25) that built on the success of the first phase of Generation Green, delivered in 2021-22.
It was delivered by the Access Unlimited coalition. YHA (England & Wales) hosted the project on behalf of the partners – The Outward Bound Trust, Scouts, Girlguiding, Field Studies Council, National Landscapes, and nine of the English National Parks via National Parks England. Generation Green capitalised on the combined reach of the coalition partners of more than two million young people.
Generation Green 2 connected young people who live in areas of social disadvantage in England with nature in a protected landscape and was funded by Defra
The first phase of Generation Green connected young people to nature, created and saved jobs, and helped build an aspirant workforce for a green recovery post Covid pandemic. It funded day visits and overnight experiences for 25,167 young people in National Parks and National Landscapes, providing 41,521 days and nights under the stars.
Through residentials and day visits in protected landscapes, the project has provided opportunities to connect young people to nature – many for the first time – and to cultivate a sense of care for the natural environment.
Discover more at www.yha.org.uk/GenerationGreen
Why We Need Generation Green 3
Generation Green offers a proven blueprint for change, bringing nature into the lives of young people who need it most.
- 1 in 5 children aged 10 – 15 has a probable mental health disorder (NHS England, 2023).
- 18% of children in the most deprived areas never visit any kind of natural space.
- Half of the country’s most deprived areas are more than 15 miles from a protected landscape.
- People from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities make up 14% of the population but just 1% of visitors to National Parks.
- Almost 30% of children in England live in poverty, affecting their access to safe outdoor experiences.
About Access Unlimited
Access Unlimited is a unique coalition of not-for-profit youth organisations, school residential outdoor providers and organisations managing protected landscapes, formed in 2019.
The coalition includes YHA (England & Wales), The Outward Bound Trust, Scouts, Girlguiding, Field Studies Council, eight National Landscapes and the nine National Parks in England. It is led and managed by YHA (England & Wales).
National Landscapes joined the Access Unlimited coalition in 2023.
Its aim is to ensure that there are opportunities for every child and young person to access high quality learning and residential experiences in our protected landscapes.
