Habitat Hero: the next Nature Heroes family event series
Children are invited to embark on the latest Nature Heroes family adventure in the stunning late-spring landscape
- Brand new mission introduces young explorers to biodiversity and healthy habitats
- Children can earn iron-on fabric Habitat Hero badge for their Nature Heroes cape
- Daily drop-in session to make a bee hotel to take home
New sculpture trail and refreshed Tree Trunk Trek offer fun free extras for a full family day out
This May half-term, Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, invites families to take part in Habitat Hero, the next mission in the Nature Heroes event series. This family programme offers a themed quest and collectable iron-on badge each half-term and school holiday, and from 27th May, visitors can join the self-led Habitat Hero trail to understand biodiverse habitats and gain the next badge for their superhero cape.
Following the success of the first two Nature Heroes events, Habitat Hero takes families on a scenic route around the tapestry of trees and shrubs in the Asian Heath Garden, and past the serenity of Mansion Pond, as they use x-ray vision at a series of activity stations to discover the secrets behind
healthy and biodiverse environments.
Whilst on the trail, children will be encouraged to use their investigative skills to give habitats a health check, untangle a food chain and take on a recycling challenge. Visitors can also join a daily drop-in session to make and take home a bee hotel, using materials foraged from the gardens.
Lorraine Lecourtois, Head of Public Programmes, commented: “Habitat Hero reflects the core of Wakehurst’s own mission: encouraging a biodiverse world and learning how to protect our ecosystems.
“This May half-term trail is more than just a fun family activity, it’s about equipping the next generation with the practical skills and knowledge they need to care for our planet. We’re excited to welcome new visitors discovering the landscape for the first time, and to see families returning to continue their Nature Heroes adventure with us.”
Living laboratory for wildlife loss and climate change solutions
Habitat Hero has been inspired by Nature Unlocked, the landscape ecology programme transforming Wakehurst into a living laboratory. As scientists investigate nature-based solutions to biodiversity loss and climate change, visitors are encouraged to reflect on the importance of biodiversity whilst at Wakehurst.
Using the site’s microcosm of global habitats, Kew’s expert scientists are exploring carbon sequestration and hydrology across the landscape, pollination and its benefits, and the relationship between human wellbeing and the natural world.
As research continues across the 535-acre site, Wakehurst hopes that Habitat Hero will encourage visitors of all generations to take action to protect biodiversity, inspiring a passion to protect natural habitats and the wildlife that call them home.
Additional activities this May half-term
Further out in the wild landscape, an array of additional free activities promises to keep children active over the May half-term. Wild Wood, a new sculpture trail nestled in the recently reopened Pearcelands Wood, forms an interactive gallery of hand-woven installations, with charming photo
opportunities throughout to create memories to treasure.
A stone’s throw away is the newly refreshed Tree Trunk Trek, a natural log trail for energetic explorers to conquer, and messy play favourites the Children’s Walled Garden and Mud Kitchen will be reopening for the summer.
Habitat Hero paves the way for Wakehurst’s exciting summer programme Rooted, where the Tree Champion badge will be up for grabs. As the Sussex gardens celebrate one of the world’s most recognisable and loved plants, children can get up close with Wakehurst’s diverse collection of trees and become experts in species-spotting.
- Saturday 27th May – Sunday 4th June 2023
- Self-led mission with badge: £3.00
- Garden entry ticket: Children (0-16 years): Free
- Adult: £14.95, Members: Free, Young person (17-25 years): £7.50,
- Recipients of Universal or Pension Credit: £1
- Nature Heroes Cape: £13.50 (50% off for members)
