20 March, 2026

If you’re looking for a nature fix this week, the next story is for you.  

Our friends at Nattergal, the nature recovery company offering rewilding and Biodiversity Net Gain sites, has just launched a three-year partnership with the Scouts to help more young people spend time outdoors. As part of the partnership, a new Scouts Nature Badge will be available from May. It will encourage Cubs, Scouts and Explorers to spot wildlife, explore green spaces close to home and learn practical ways to care for the natural world. While the badge is on its way, Scout groups can already start organising visits to Nattergal Wildlands in Essex, Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Guided walks, wildlife spotting and hands‑on conservation activities are all on offer. Scout families can also join in the fun with a 20% discount on tours using the code Scouts20. 

If the weather is refusing to cooperate this weekend or if the lure of popcorn is just too strong, the cinema offers an alternative nature moment. Pixar’s new release Hoppers is an amusing and thought-provoking story, which also allows you to be immersed in the beauty of nature. It follows Mabel, a teenager who transfers her consciousness into a robotic beaver so she can protect wildlife. The film shines a light on the important role beavers play in restoring ecosystems. It also introduces the “Pond Rules”, which reminds us that all living things are connected and share responsibility for each other’s wellbeing. Pixar even consulted a beaver expert for five years to make sure the animation captured the animals and their wetland habitats accurately. 

In different ways, both Nattergal and Hoppers show that nature is something to value and protect, and that spending time immersed in the natural world can be genuinely fun. At a time when young people spend so much energy online, these moments matter. So, this weekend, why not take your children to the pictures or, even better, get them outdoors to explore nature in the wild. 

By Charlotte Pounder