Scotland’s Future Routes Fund supports projects led by 11 to 26-year-olds who want to improve their local environment and connect more people with nature.
The Future Routes Fund in Scotland is built around a direct idea: young people should be able to lead nature projects, not only attend them. The 2026 fund supports projects run by people aged 11 to 26, with the aim of improving local environments and helping more young people connect with biodiversity.
Projects supported through a fund like this can take many forms. A youth group might create a pollinator garden, improve a neglected green space, run outdoor learning activities, monitor local wildlife or build confidence in practical conservation skills. The important point is that the projects begin with young people’s own ideas.
That matters because nature recovery is often spoken about in adult policy language. Young people inherit the landscapes being discussed, but they are not always given practical control over local action. A fund designed for them changes that relationship.
The result is both environmental and social. A restored patch of ground is useful, but so is the experience of planning, applying, organising and seeing a project happen. Those skills can stay with young people long after the first planting day or workshop.
Source: NatureScot