1. Developing knowledge
on the natural world
Science engagement through
large multi-stakeholder
programmes
Bob Bloomfield OBE
Inspiring
sustained
engagement
with the natural world

2. USING CONVENING POWER
Science/Policy
[ Ecosystem service approach]
Potential of
Sci Comm
Community?
Science and Society Science knowledge transfer:
Community engagement Biodiversity &
Citizen dialogue Climate Change/Sustainable Dev

3. Darwin200 2009- IYB 2010

4. Multi-partner approach
Partnership of shared interest [around the ideas and core
messaging]
Shared identity – Darwin200 / UN-CBD IYB marks
Partnership of self-interest [reputation/audience/marketing/funding
etc]
Clear objectives – core aims – but flexibility to tailor to local needs
Core secretariat – hand-holding; forum for networking; media reach;
information sharing
Web hub & Media Plan
No contract, no core finds, mutual interest

5. Multi-partner approach
Collective reach
• Launch-VIP events
• regional and sector listings [event data base central]
• Partner advantage to their known audiences
• Access to policy makers
• Advantage of unusual suspects
Legacy outcomes… including
• Products for engagement
• Stakeholder positioning & reputational gains
• Maintained network – UN Decade on biodiversity
• Policy influence

6. Position statement
Leadership & Positioning – safe place to do dangerous things Inc.
Position statement – on evidence and call for response
Evolution
The study of the diversity of life on earth is at the very heart of modern science. Darwin200 is
committed to the principles embodied in the scientific method, which tests ideas with empirical
evidence. We consider the theory of evolution as the best current explanation for how the diversity of
life around us came to be. Through the late nineteenth and entire twentieth centuries the theory of
evolution by natural selection has been thoroughly challenged and tested across a range of scientific
disciplines and it remains the only compelling, scientifically rigorous account of how life evolves on
our planet for which a great deal of empirical evidence has been accumulated.
Darwin200 aims to present the theory of evolution as the best explanation, which is supported by
rigorous scientific examination, of the on-going generation of the diversity of life on earth.
We strongly endorse the teaching of the theory of evolution in UK schools as a core part of the
science curriculum. We believe that views such as creationism and intelligent design should not be
taught as ‘science’, as the Department for Schools Children and Families has recently stated.
While we assert that the theory of evolution frames how we understand the world, we do recognise
that there are faith-based views on the development of life. Darwin200 encourages discussion and
exchange of perspectives on such views.

7. Core messages
• Celebrate a greatest Britain
• One of most powerful ideas
in modern thought
• Huge and diverse impacts
and social consequence
• Evidence of evolutionary
biology in contemporary
science
• Relevance to understanding
past and future

8. Anova Books:ArtsAdmin and DVDance:Arts Catalyst:Arts Council England:Association of Science
Education:Association of Science Discovery Centres:Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour:The
British Science Association:Baltic Mill:BBC:Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution:Bent
Architect:British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria:Bolton Museum and Archive
Service:Bournemouth Natural History Society:Bristol Cultural Development Partnership:Bristol Natural
History Consortium:Bristol Zoo:British Council:British Humanist Association:British Library:Cambridge
Music Festival:Cambridge Science Festival:Cambridge University:Campaign for Museums:Cardiff
University:Centre for Life:Centre for the Spoken Word:Charles Darwin Centre:Charles Darwin
Trust:Charles Darwin University:Chelsea Physic Garden:Cheltenham Science Festival:Chester
Zoo:Christ’s College, Cambridge:Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service:Colchester Zoo:Corpus
Acrobatic Theatre:Countryside Council for Wales:CREATION – The Movie:Culture24:The Darwin Centre
for Biology and Medicine:The Deep:DEFRA:DSCF:Desperate Men:Devon Humanists:Dudley Zoological
Gardens:Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust:Edinburgh College of Art:Edward Jenner Museum:English
Heritage:Evolving Words:Falmouth Art Gallery:Field Studies Research Council:The Fitzwilliam
Museum:Full Beam Visual Theatre:Galapagos Conservation Trust:The Genetics Society:Geological
SocietyGlasgow Science Centre:Glasgow University:Grant Museum:Horniman Museum:The HMS Beagle
Project:Hull Museum:Hunterian Museum Royal College of Surgeons:Ignite!:Imperial College:Institute of
Archaeology:Institute of Biology:Institute of Education:Institute of Historical Research:Irish Science
Centres Awareness Network:Keele University:Kent’s Cavern:The Linnean Society of London:World
Museums Liverpool:London Borough of Bromley:London International Youth Science Forum:London
School of Economics:Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 2009:Lyme Regis Museum:The Manchester
Museum:The Mount Trust:The Natural History Museum:National Library of Scotland:National Maritime
Museum:National Museum of Scotland:National Portrait Gallery:Nature Magazine:Newquay Zoo:The
Open University:Oxford University Museum of Natural History:Oxford University Press;Paignton
Zoo:Peninsula Arts:Penlee House Gallery and Museum:Penguin Group Publishers:Plymouth City
Museum and Art Gallery:Plymouth Visual Arts Consortium:Polka Theatre:Potteries Museum and Art
Gallery:Public Art Laboratory:Rambert Dance Company:Research Councils UK:Royal Botanic Garden
Edinburgh:Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew:Royal Institution:Royal Mail:Royal Mint:The Royal Society of
London:Royal Zoological Society of Scotland:Science Learning Centres:Science Oxford:Severn
Project:Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council:Shrewsbury folk Festival:Shropshire
Tourism:Snowdonia National Park:Society for Experimental Biology:Somerset House
Trust:Sonarboria:Stroud knitting group:Tall Stories:Teacher Scientist Network:Techniquest:Universities
Federation for Animal Welfare:University of Birmingham:University of Bristol:University of
Edinburgh:University of Huddersfield:University of Kent:University of Plymouth:University of
Sheffield:University of St Andrews:VisitBritain:Wellcome Trust:The West London Floating
Classroom:Westminster Libraries:Wildscreen and ARKive:Woodland Trust:Wolverhampton Art
Gallery:Zoological Society of London

9. •450 partners
•1300 programmes and events
•452 published media pieces
•420 Million daily view figures
•The largest response worldwide to IYB
•Significant positioning for NHM
•Policy recommendations to DEFRA
CBD Executive Secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf
NHM/IYB-UK launch 2009

10. More partners but narrower reach – more of the usual suspects…
… and particular emergent sectors
Media not motivated by contrived years of, and very unengaged with UN
issues (hence the importance of trying to engage)
No central ‘personality’
Dealing with difficult changes in perspective – many usual suspects stuck on
conventional environment and conservation – less understanding in society
of mainstream and of emergent valuing nature (ecosystem economics;
landscape approach etc.)
High level branding; better independent monitoring – good idea of
quantitative indicators; less on qualitative impact.
Influenced the new England White Paper on Environment and Biodiversity
2020