Naturalist Steve Backshall and Lost Gardens of Heligan co-founder Sir Tim Smit have called for more “greenlightenment” to put nature education at the heart of school curriculums.

It comes as the government has been consulting on a new natural history GCSE, which Sir Tim said was a “seismic moment for British education”, adding “a deep understanding of the natural world is fundamental to humanity’s future”.

Backshall, who hosted the Wild Heligan experience to excite young people about wildlife, said: “I see every day how nature revitalises, restores and fills people with joy.”