How can we help people understand the value of a rainforest thousands of miles away?

Fiona Ball explains how Sky's new Discovery Trails are helping to engage people on the importance of protecting the Amazon rainforest.

Through our Sky Rainforest Rescue initiative - our partnership with WWF - we work to inspire people about the awe and wonder of the Amazon rainforest. As the Amazon is over 5,000 miles from the UK we need to think of innovative ways to bring it to life to people at home.

Being a media and communications company with over 11 million customers, we can use our platforms and channels to help people understand the value of the rainforest in interactive ways.

We do this through commissioning great environmental programming on Sky1 HD. But we also want to let people experience and interact with nature to understand how amazing it is so we provide ways for people to experience the rainforest and make it relevant to them. 

We know from research that people are more likely to engage with environmental messages if they enjoy being with nature so based on this we’ve created a series of Discovery Trails. The Discovery Trails were created in partnership with the Forestry Commission at their sites across England to inspire people to get out into their local forest and learn why nature and the Amazon rainforest are so special.

Each Discovery Trail has five stations which enable visitors to interact with the sights, sounds and products of the Amazon, comparing them with that of their local forest. Visitors can upload photos of their experience to Facebook encouraging people to go online after their visit to find out more about the campaign and how they can get involved.

Please let us know what you think

We would like you to let us know what you think of the Discovery Trails. Do you think they’re a good way to help people understand the rainforest? Have you been to visit a trail and have ideas for how we could improve them? Or do you know of any similar initiatives which help people get involved with sustainability? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

The trails can be found at:

Alice Holt Foresty, Bucks Horn Oak, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4LS

Beechenhurst Forest of Dean, Forest of Dean District Council, High Street, Coleford, GL16 8HG

Cannock Chase Forest, Birches Valley Forest Centre, Lady Hill, Birches Valley, Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS152UQ

Sherwood Pines, Sherwood Pines Forest Park Edwinstowe Mansfield Nottinghamshire, NG21 9JL

Dalby Forest, Dalby Forest Drive and Visitor Centre , Low Dalby, North Yorkshire, YO18 7LT

Hamsterley Forest, Redford Hamsterley Bishop Auckland County Durham, DL13 3NL

To find out more about how you can get involved visit sky.com/rainforestrescue, Like us on facebook or follow us on Twitter.