Students from UHI North, West and Hebrides among first to complete newly-redesigned John Muir Award

Students from UHI North, West and Hebrides were among the first in the UK to complete the newly redesigned John Muir Award earlier this year. The milestone was marked with a celebration event at the Fort William campus, where stakeholders and partners gathered to hear from the students and celebrate their success.

The John Muir Award is a renowned environmental award scheme that encourages people to connect with, enjoy and care for wild places. The redesigned Award was launched in March this year, with a renewed focus on delivering benefits for the UK’s wild places and people.

Students Jack Soe-Paing, Claire Allan, Mira Dickinson, El Blackford, Stephen Livingstone, Natalie Rees, Kyle McLennan and Heidi Smith along with their course leader Ellie Moore, gathered at the Fort William campus to share and reflect on each stage of their Award to an audience of staff, Award partners and John Muir Trust representatives.

The pilot group completed the Award as part of their Countryside Skills with Ranger Training course, delivered in collaboration with the Nevis Landscape Partnership. Their work showcased the four challenges of the Award – Discover, Explore, Conserve, and Share and highlighted the depth of their engagement with their local environment.

Throughout the course, the students carried out a wide range of practical conservation work across Lochaber. This included clearing 7,150m² of non-native invasive species, maintaining 2,190m² of mountain footpaths, planting 100 native saplings, and establishing exclosures to protect young trees and vegetation from grazing animals. Collectively, the group contributed 2,240 hours of hands-on environmental work, with each student dedicating 245 hours to the project.

Individual reflections included scrapbooks, illustration books, and even a podcast, each capturing the personal impact of their experiences. The students also paid tribute to public figures who inspired them on their journey, from fisherwoman Amy Cordalis to Native American author and activist Luther Standing Bear.

The event concluded with a certificate presentation by course leader Ellie Moore and John Muir Award Officer Steph McKenna, who praised the group’s dedication and passion. Steph said:
“We’re delighted to celebrate the first group of participants to complete the redesigned John Muir Award. Their enthusiasm and commitment to discovering and caring for wild places truly captured the spirit of the Award. We look forward to welcoming many more groups and individuals to take part in the weeks and months ahead.”

The college is delighted to be offering the John Muir Award as part of a new Countryside Skills with Ranger Training course to be delivered at a new location in Abriachan beginning this September. Find out more and apply for this September.