Entrant's Guide - Colleges
Downloadable resources
You can find a downloadable version of this guide for entrants below.
You'll also need your submission form to begin filling out your evidence for the three awards categories.
Who are we?
Kent Wildlife Trust is the leading conservation charity in the South East and one of 46 national Wildlife Trusts. For over 60 years we have been saving and improving habitats to ensure that Kent’s wildlife can thrive and people can enjoy the natural world around them. With your help, we can continue to do this for generations to come.
Our vision
To ensure that 30% of Kent's land and sea displays increased climate resilience and contains abundant wildlife.
Wilder Kent Awards
The natural world isn’t just something for us to enjoy; it sustains us. The decline in nature puts our very survival and prosperity under threat. It doesn’t have to be like this, together we can create a Wilder Kent.
We are delighted that you are considering entering the Wilder Kent Awards and joining the other wonderful colleges that are doing their part to make a Wilder Kent. We can’t wait to hear about all of the ways you are helping to restore nature by taking positive action to promote a Wilder Kent.
Entering the awards
All of the award criteria are outlined in this guide and there are multiple award tiers (commendation, bronze, silver and gold) that can be achieved. The more criteria you meet, the higher your award will be.
By entering, you will be showing your ambition to connect people with nature and protect wildlife for the future. Any achievement is a helping hand for wildlife and the scheme allows you to increase your award level year on year so you can help wildlife for as long as possible.
No matter how many criteria you can meet we would like to thank and congratulate you for your efforts in helping to create a Wilder Kent.
Why enter the Wilder Kent Awards?
There are many benefits to entering:
- Help tackle 'Nature deficit disorder'
- Improve your health and wellbeing, physically and mentally
- Personal satisfaction that you have made a real difference
- Safeguard nature and wildlife for future generations
- Enjoy new experiences and learn new life and craft skills
- Spend time in fresh air and appreciate nature
Below are a few ideas for simple things you can do to achieve a Wilder Kent in each awards category:
1. Protect wildlife
Protect wildlife in your community by creating and developing new habitats that provide food, shelter and water to support nature. Work together to advocate for our natural environment.
You could...
2. Sustainability and carbon reduction
The day to day choices we make have a direct impact on our environment. Improve the environmental sustainability of your organisation to reduce your carbon footprint.
You could...
Save paper
3. Engage with nature
Learn about the wildlife in Kent and how we can support it. Deliver activities that engage and inspire others to get involved with their natural environment and support nature.
You could...
Create a manifesto for wildlife
© Tim Horton
Don't stop there!
These pages have given some good ideas for how you can help Kent’s wildlife and educate the next generation of nature-loving enthusiasts. Check out our Actions page for more ideas on how you can help wildlife.
But it doesn’t end there! Come up with your own ideas and involve as many people as you can. Once your college is achieving gains for wildlife, why not involve other nearby colleges and begin to create a network of Wilder Colleges across your local area?
The facts behind our three categories
1. Protect wildlife
- Around 3 / 4 of crops require pollination by insects.1
- • 41% of insects face extinction.2
- 30 to 50% of all species could be extinct by mid-century.3
2. Sustainability and carbon reduction
- The average hamburger takes 2,400 litres of water to produce.4
- Lighting accounts for 15% of global electricity use. Switching to LEDs will use 90% less energy and last longer than standard lights.5
- Decomposing matter in landfills produces methane gas, which contributes 34x more to climate change than CO2.6
- Recycling one ton of paper saves 2,548 litres of oil, 26,498 litres of water and 2.5 cubic metres of landfill space.7
- Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees.8
3. Engage with nature
- 95% of participants with low levels of mental wellbeing reported an improvement in their mental health in six weeks after starting a Wildlife Trust programme.9
- Of 87 schools, 92% reported outdoor learning improved pupil health and wellbeing and engaged pupils with learning.10
- Of 448 pupils, 90% reported they felt happier and healthier.11
References 1. The Wildlife Trusts 2. wildlifetrusts.org/take-action-insects 3. dosomething.org/us/ 4. sumas.ch/sustainability-statistics 5, 6, 7, 8. sumas.ch/sustainability-facts/ 9. A Natural Health Service Report 2019 10, 11. Natural Connections Project, LOtC
Submitting your application
Our awards acknowledge the work of colleges that are helping adults and children reconnect with nature. Their action benefits us locally and helps tackle the global environmental threats we all face.
Throughout your journey, please fill in your submission form to keep track of how you are meeting each of our awards’ criteria. All the while, ensure you are collecting supporting evidence. Your evidence may include photos and videos, reports, data, other certificates or press coverage.
Once you have filled out your submission form and gathered your evidence, you are ready to upload your evidence and submit!
To be considered for the 2024 award ceremony, all submission forms and supporting evidence must be submitted to us by Friday 31st May 2024
You can contact us for help or alternative methods at [email protected]
Download your submission form
You'll need your submission form to begin filling out your evidence for the three awards categories.
You can also find a downloadable version of this guide for entrants below.