Voices for Nature: Local leadership in climate resilience 

Communities around the River Esk and nearby coastline are set to play a key role in shaping response to climate change, thanks to a new initiative led by the North York Moors National Park Authority in partnership with York St John University. 

Voices for Nature combines hands-on environmental activities with meaningful policy engagement, ensuring that local knowledge and experience is heard in the national conversation on climate action.  

Through a series of walking events and go-along workshops, members of the public will be invited to share their invaluable insights directly with researchers and policy partners, translating local knowledge into practical outcomes. By combining academic research with hands-on environmental engagement, the initiative will empower local people to drive meaningful, nature-based responses to the climate crisis, from tree planting and habitat restoration to sustainable land management practices. 

Led by Dr Jen Hall, Associate Professor in Cultural Geographies at York St John University and an expert in participatory consultation and social research, the project will pilot new models of engagement that connect lived experience with environmental governance.

This approach will demonstrate how the public themselves can become drivers of innovation in climate resilience and nature recovery. 

Dr Hall said: “This project is about giving people a voice, not just in local conservation efforts, but in shaping the wider environmental policies that affect their lives.  

“When people reconnect with nature and see their ideas turned into action, it creates a stronger, healthier, and more sustainable future for everyone.” 

Dr Briony Fox, Director of Conservation and Climate Change, North York Moors National Park Authority, said:  

“We hope this project will not only give a voice to those people often left out of climate conversations but also show that meaningful change starts with local knowledge and action.  

“By reconnecting people with their natural environment, we aim to create resilient, inclusive spaces where both nature and communities thrive.” 

Building on the REConnect project, which runs until 2029, Voices for Nature focuses on the Esk & Coastal Streams catchment, an area where many communities experience isolation, limited access to resources and economic challenges. 

Importantly, Voices for Nature prioritises inclusion, engaging under-represented and marginalised groups across the Esk & Coastal Streams Catchment. By addressing barriers to participation (such as transport challenges and financial constraints) and creating accessible spaces for dialogue, the project ensures that everyone, regardless of background, can play a role in building a resilient future. 

Voices for Nature is funded through the Communities Innovating Yorkshire (CIY) Fund, part of the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) and supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The collaboration brings together universities, local authorities and community organisations from across Yorkshire and the Humber to explore new approaches to local leadership in sustainability. 

Expected outcomes include a replicable model for community-led environmental stewardship, stronger integration of local knowledge into policy, and the creation of grassroots initiatives that promote both climate resilience and nature recovery. 

Running from summer 2025 to September 2026, the project highlights the role of National Parks as places where people and nature work together for a resilient future, protecting landscapes while empowering the communities who live within them.