Sustainability

Green Impact

Green Impact is a UNESCO award-winning programme that helps embed sustainability into operations, policy and procedures, supporting English Heritage staff to take actions in teams. By breaking down the often-complex world of sustainability into practical actions, staff can take steps to improve sustainable practice at their site.

English Heritage collaborated with Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS-UK) on a bespoke version of their Green Impact awards programme and tailored the online toolkit to align with our Climate Action Plan.

2025-GI-logo-w-SOS-NUS.png

Our Programme

After a pilot cycle involving 18 site teams, the programme launched across the country in September 2023. In 2023–4, 55 sites participated, and 32 of these went on to receive awards.

In the 2025 cycle, 26 site teams were engaged with the programme. Teams chose from a wide range of environmental actions covering areas like energy, water and biodiversity. Through checking off actions, sites worked towards bronze, silver, gold and platinum awards.

 

 

A tour guide pointing out something of interest in a large garden
A guide leading a walk at Walmer Castle & Gardens

Walmer Castle & Gardens also received an Excellence Award for their project ‘Walmer Wildlife Walks’. This project started with surveying the flora and fauna in the gardens – identifying several rare invertebrate species, 165 species of fungi, 40 species of bird and three orchid species, to name a few.

The team offered 27 well-attended wildlife walks (free to visitors) and over the year, more than 900 hours were dedicated to the project and more than 225 visitors and schoolchildren were involved. They also introduced collaborations with the NHS, local groups and national charities.

A fantastic achievement for this pioneering first project!

A red-billed chough
A red-billed chough
© blickwinkel / Alamy Stock Photo

Special Awards

Awards were also given for community action, environmental improvement, innovation for engagement, English Heritage ‘sustainability hero’ and English Heritage Volunteer Leadership.

Each year SOS-UK selects five nominees from local Green Impact programmes to receive the prestigious National Green Impact Awards. Dover Castle in Kent was selected as the 2024 winner of the Community Action Award for their work with Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust on the choughs reintroduction project.

Read more about the award
A path leading towards Marble Hill
Marble Hill, Twickenham, London

Marble Hill in Twickenham, London, won the Environmental Improvement Special Award in 2025 for their project to adopt an overgrown and under-appreciated plot of land and turn it into an area dedicated to wildlife.

They created a range of habitats, using reclaimed materials, and including a small pond, varied habitats for insects and wildlife, hedging planted for privacy, woodchip paths and relocated wildflowers rescued from more managed garden areas.

A group of schoolchildren on a wildlife walk
A school group in the grounds at Walmer

Walmer Castle & Gardens, in Kent, won the Innovation for Engagement Special Award. The team were recognised for their annual Scarecrow Trail to engage schools, clubs and community groups with the biodiverse grounds at the castle and help raise awareness of the site.

They also won the Community Action Special Award, for their work reaching out to the local NHS Social Prescribing Network to see how they could help the local community. Colleagues and volunteers have helped people attending dementia cafes, Parkinson’s support groups and stroke support groups, run activities for SEN children, and delivered workshops for people experiencing mental health challenges.

View looking down into a castle moat
The moat garden at Walmer

Nina Pace (Cluster Manager at Walmer Castle & Gardens) won the Sustainability Hero Special Award. Nina was nominated for her drive and infectious enthusiasm for sustainability. She dedicates time to coaching new colleagues and volunteers, and shares sustainability wins and practical advice with other sites in the cluster and beyond. Nina’s leadership has empowered her whole team to get involved.

Carol Grant, a volunteer at Walmer Castle & Gardens, won the Volunteer Leadership Special Award. Carol has shown exceptional leadership in driving Green Impact at Walmer Castle, while also supporting sustainability work at St Augustine's Abbey, Richborough Roman Fort and Deal Castle. Her knowledge-sharing, dedication, initiative and collaborative approach have inspired other volunteers nationwide and made a lasting impact across multiple sites and teams.

Find out more

  • Protecting Hurst Castle

    In February 2021, a section of wall on the 19th-century east wing collapsed. Find out about our major project to protect and bring stability to the castle.

  • Sustainability

    The climate and ecological crises are two of the biggest challenges facing our historic sites. Find out how we are reducing our environmental impact. 

  • Climate Action Plan 2022–2025

    Find out how our plan will create meaningful and sustainable change, from reducing carbon emissions to waste management and biodiversity.