2024 UK OurEcho Challenge

The OurEcho Challenge is a STEM contest that empowers young changemakers to take a closer look at biodiversity in their communities. Young leaders will first identify threats to local ecosystems and then propose solutions to help preserve, protect, or restore those natural resources.

During the 2023-24 school term, the OurEcho Challenge will open to youth in the UK, ages 13-16. Explore our webpages and resources to learn more about how to submit your plan to change the world!

MEET THE 2024 UK WINNING TEAMS

Grants Awarded:

Step-By-Step

The OurEcho Challenge empowers young leaders (ages 13-16), in teams of 1-3, to become principal investigators of their own biodiversity research. Submit a successful entry by following these easy steps:

EXPLORE natural resources in your community and region. IDENTIFY threats to local ecosystems and biodiversity. Then formulate an Action Plan to protect biodiversity.
TEACHER TIP: Dive into the Biodiversity Basics Lesson Plan with your pupils. This lesson is broken down into four 15-30 minute activities that allow your pupils to learn the basics of biodiversity.
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BRAINSTORM & PROPOSE a solution to restore biodiversity in your community. The Project Planning Worksheet will help guide you.
Looking for inspiration? Meet the previous OurEcho Challenge winning teams to learn about their projects to preserve biodiversity in their own backyards.
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SUBMIT a narrative entry online in the form of a process or prototype. To prepare your proposal:
+ Complete the team application packet ahead of time.
+ Review the Checklist & Winning Tips.  
+ Have each team member complete a guardian consent form.
+ Feel free to upload any supporting visual documents to support your team proposal.
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UK OURECHO CHALLENGE: Meet the Teams




Why Biodiversity?

  • Half of the world’s biodiversity has been destroyed since 1970, yet we depend on it for food, water, a stable climate and economic growth. Climate change plays an important role in the decline of biodiversity. Along with pollution, these issues form the planetary crisis that our world currently faces. The OurEcho Challenge helps learners explore and understand threats and solutions relating to biodiversity in their localities.
  • According to Woodland Trust, 31% of 16-24-year-olds are ‘very worried’ about climate change, yet only 9% feel like young people have a great deal of influence making decisions about it. The OurEcho Challenge aims to empower young people to make positive change.
  • The Department for Education (DfE) outlines its vision for the UK to be the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030 in its Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. The OurEcho Challenge supports this vision by educating young changemakers and enabling them to tackle the decline in biodiversity head-on.
  • Through the OurEcho Challenge, learners aged 13-16 will cover national curriculum objectives in science and geography, as they learn about ecosystems, species, habitats and the importance of biodiversity, and how human’s interact with and rely on the environment and its natural systems.