Connect with nature this autumn through Acorn Antics
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is asking education and learning groups from across Wales to get outside this autumn and collect acorns.
Each year NRW runs the Acorn Antics campaign to highlight the importance of collecting and growing more trees from locally sourced seeds.
The acorns that are collected helps NRW grow native trees from the seed of healthy local tree stock whilst encouraging learners big and small to get outside in the fresh autumnal air and connect with the Welsh natural environment.
Aled Hopkin, NRW Specialist Advisor: Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, said:
“The Acorn Antics campaign returns again this autumn and offers the perfect opportunity to get outside and learn about our natural environment, while helping to protect it at the same time.
“The first Acorn Antics was held in 2017 and the campaign has gone from strength-to-strength as interest and awareness has grown, with groups from schools and nurseries to Brownies and Young Farmers getting involved.”
The last Acorn Antics resulted in an acorn collection weighing over a tonne gathered by 44 education groups across Wales - roughly enough to plant 812.6 football pitches of oak trees.
Increasing the tree canopy across Wales is a crucial part of the effort to tackle the climate and nature emergencies and to help achieve the nation’s net zero ambitions.
Through its delivery of programmes like Acorn Antics, Natural Resources Wales is playing a key role in achieving this ambition.
This year registered groups will not only be paid for their acorns; they’ll also be able to compete for two awards. The Golden Acorn will be awarded to the setting that has collected the best quality acorns. The second Digital Acorn award will be presented to the group that shares the best eviro-vlog documenting their Acorn Antics adventure.
The acorns will need to be dropped off by the individual or group’s chosen NRW office by 28 October 2022.
Aled continued:
“We hope that groups from across Wales will get outside, raise some money, aim for the awards that are up for grabs and help ensure there will be plenty of Welsh oaks for our future generations to be able to enjoy.”
To learn more about Acorn Antics and how to take part, join one of the webinars held from 20 September – 23 November.