Research: Voices of the Future
Collaborating with children
and young people to re-imagine treescapes.
Research summary
August 2021 – July 2024
This project will develop new methods of engaging young people in designing, creating and caring for treescapes, including natural woodlands and urban parks.
Researchers will explore how treescapes – landscapes where trees play a significant role – could be expanded to meet the UK’s net-zero targets, and examine how trees and society can benefit each other.
The research will help shape environmental planning and tackle future climate change pressures.
Background
Led by Manchester Metropolitan University, the project is also in collaboration with the universities of Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cumbria, Middlesex and Sheffield.
Children and young people across Greater Manchester, Yorkshire/Northern England and Aberdeen, ranging from early years through to primary and secondary school, will be co-researchers of the project.
A particular emphasis has been made on children and young people from traditionally marginalised groups, whose access to and inclusion in treescapes is often limited.
They will work alongside a broad range of Manchester Met’s researchers, based in environmental and social science as well as climatology and the arts.
National and regional partners include the Chartered College of Teachers, Early Childhood Outdoors, Natural England, Forest Research, and Manchester City of Trees and Mersey Forest.
The project is part of a wider £14.5 million-funded Future of UK Treescapes programme, which involves thirteen universities and research institutes and aims to biologically and socially examine the UK’s treescapes.
It is also part of Manchester Met’s sustainability research for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).
Voices of the Future and COP26
Hear from Principal Investigator Professor Kate Pahl as she urges COP26 delegates to understand the importance of young people via projects, such as Voices of the Future, to deliver the conference’s ambitions.
