The John Muir Award is a national environmental award scheme. It encourages people to connect with, enjoy and care for wild places.

The North York Moors National Park has set up a family award which you can undertake at home or within the North York Moors National Park. Families of any shape or size can get involved, including extended family, careers, guardians and foster families. It is perfect for families with children aged 4 and upwards. The award isn't competitive but should challenge each participant. Through the award you will work together to explore and understand the natural world whilst helping to look after it.

What's involved?

To achieve the Family John Muir Award with the North york Moors National Park everyone taking part needs to complete four challenges:

• Discover a wild place
• Explore its wildness
• Conserve – take personal responsibility
• Share experiences

The wild places can be your own back yard or garden, local parks, beaches, woods or rivers and don't have to be in the National Park. You will have to commit to a minimum of 30 hours over 4 days spent in your wild place. Upon successful completion your family will be awarded a family certificate.

How to achieve your Family John Muir Award with the North York Moors National Park

If you are interested in working to achieve our Family John Muir award then please get in contact via email. We will then send you all of the information you need to get started. We have set up a Family John Muir Award Facebook page and we will post regular ideas to get you discovering, exploring and conserving.  It's also a perfect way to start sharing your finds and experiences.

A great way of understanding what the John Muir Award is all about is by watching this short film.

Useful Links

All links open in a new window:

• John Muir Award Record Book (pdf)
• Mission:Explore National Parks, available from our Information Centres or online here
• Mission:Explore John Muir
• Discover John Muir website - to find out more about the man himself.