For Arts Council England and Julie’s Bicycle’s Annual Report 2024-25, we feature over 70 practical examples of cultural organisations taking climate action including in depth case studies like this one. Check out the full interactive report.
The Creative Climate Accelerator (CCA) is a training programme by JB and Arts Council England, designed to empower emerging climate leaders from diverse backgrounds within the cultural sector. Participants develop action plans for creative climate projects, focusing on themes like climate justice and biodiversity.
Andrea Ku is an artist and landscape architect who developed the Nature Library during her CCA project in collaboration with Rule of Threes. The idea emerged organically through her work at Sefton libraries, where she introduced nature-based activities using products from her own apiaries – including beeswax lip balms, candles, and soaps.
A guided walk along the Leeds–Liverpool Canal, just outside the library, led to the discovery of a rare French chafer beetle, never previously recorded in the north of England. This discovery helped shape the Nature Library’s approach: bringing the rare and unexpected into the library, and making it familiar and accessible. Andrea developed a toolkit for libraries to connect with local landscapes, document nature, and engage communities through activities like beekeeping and canoeing. She presented the project at the Green Libraries conference in 2024 and continues to advocate for Nature Libraries as a core service.
I gained an incredible amount of knowledge, connections and opportunities to connect in with others doing creative climate work in other areas of the UK. I learnt a lot about other issues others had and how they were overcome.
Next steps for Nature Library
Initial funding to start activities off until they can become ‘off the shelf’ packages where possible – this is how it can also roll out to other library services. Also some marketing and awareness raising about Nature Library and how it should be a part of all library services – the library not just being a stand alone space that houses books, equipment etc but itself is housed in a landscape that the library is a part of and vice versa.
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