Mount Cook Adventure Centre (Mount Cook), located near Matlock in Derbyshire, is an independently run outdoor activity provider with a focus on education through outdoor learning. It was established in February 2014 and welcomed its first customers in 2016. It currently employs 50 members of staff.
Mount Cook’s mission statement is ‘to provide access to the outdoors for all, especially young people and those who might not otherwise have the opportunity’ . They engage with around 11,000 people per year. Young people make up 60% of their engagement, spanning primary school and secondary school age students. In addition, they also welcome charity groups and groups from industry and service sectors, including medical groups, commercial groups and apprentices.
Mount Cook provides residential experiences enabling groups to engage in outdoor activities including rock climbing, archery, abseiling and orienteering. Their activities are based around outdoor learning practices, such as their accredited Bushcraft lessons, which include outdoor shelter building, campfire craft, and foraging. All of their activity aims to connect people with outdoor spaces and nature.
Nature-Based Solutions and Outdoor Activity
Mount Cook consider NBS to be a part of their outdoor engagement ethos. Their approach considers engaging with NBS as ‘nature-based activities’ rather that particularly applying nature to ‘solve’ problems.
From its inception, Mount Cook has built in NBS as part of their infrastructure. For example, their purpose-built premises, constructed approximately 10 years ago, includes solar panels which generate electricity and hot water.
‘Green Ethos’ enthuses Mount Cook’s culture which is dedicated to reducing their carbon footprint. The ‘Green Ethos’ includes the use of solar energy for onsite electricity and warm water, heating provided by air source heat pumps and a waste recycling strategy. Mount Cook seek to encourage guests to embrace this ethos too, with hydration stations for reusable water bottles and electric car charging points. Their aim is to help develop a sense of empathy and respect for the natural environment amongst employees and visitors.
Mount Cook have recently collaborated with the Heartwood Community Forest planting scheme, run by Derbyshire County Council, to plant 9000 trees at their Drakes Wood site near Denby, Derbyshire. They also purchased land near Wirksworth, Derbyshire, planting a further 2000 trees. This meant 11,000 trees have been planted in Derbyshire by Mount Cook during the 2025 planting season, with the aim of providing outdoor spaces where people can engage with nature and the outdoors.
Nature-based solutions projects
Examples of NBS project at Mount Cook include:
- Setting up a satellite site some miles from the original Mount Cook site. As a first phase of our investment we planted 9,000 trees.
- Ongoing planting and nurturing trees at the Heartwood Community Forest.
- Offering off-setting solutions through biodiversity enrichment and tree planting.
NBS Approach
Providing access to nature was the original core remit of Mount Cook when it was established. Both of Mount Cook’s founders – who are both currently directors of the organisation – have always been involved in the outdoors. During this time, both engaged with multiple outdoor activities including long distance coastal and mountain walks. This fostered in both co-directors a desire to get more people engaging with the outdoors.
The Mount Cook approach was forged by taking part in organised outdoor physical activity and by engaging in the geology of the planet to better look after it for future generations.
The NBS approach adopted by Mount Cook has the following elements:
2. ‘Bigger picture’ thinking
“It is important to acknowledge, I think, that all of the activity that's happening does have that bigger picture in mind and does have that the forward thinking what is going to happen. It's important to state that is some of what has prompted this activity.”
3. Outdoor learning
“When you're outdoors and when you're in a different environment with your peer group, you learn and retain information at a level that transcends every other school-type setting.”
4. Broader environmental impact minimisation activities
“Having partnerships with organisations such as Natural England or the Wildlife trusts, it's good for us. It's something we really need to develop, I would argue, and probably promote a little bit more. But it's good. It puts us in a positive light.”
NBS Barriers
According to Mount Cook, the barriers to NBS implementation include:
Health and Safety risks linked to outdoor activities
The health and safety risks are mitigated by a robust Health and Safety programme which considers both Mount Cook employees and customers. There were not considered to be any organisational risks or challenges to implementing NBS other than those naturally associated with running outdoor activities with groups of adults and children.
Lack of infrastructure for early adopters
Mount Cook were early adopters of electric vehicles. Initially, the range was only 82 miles on their electric minibus. Due to a lack of changing infrastructure at that time, they used the minibus for local journeys only until “the infrastructure caught up.”
NBS enablers
Enablers to NBS implementation at Mount Cook are:
Green ethos and passion for better natural environment
The passion of Mount Cook’s co-founders to create better natural environments, which ultimately creates a better planet, has been the driver for all that Mount Cook has achieved and hopes to implement in the future.
Identifying and acting on opportunities
This forward-thinking ethos was considered important when selecting which NBS Mount Cook chose to engage in: “someone needs to be able to spot a trend or a mood or which direction the world's going to go in. When something makes sense and you can justify it, then just do it.”
Early adopter mentality
Much of what drives Mount Cook to be early adopters of NBS is the conviction it is the right thing to do for the global community. and the realisation that there is business reason to do it. However, being an early adopter requires bravery, as it is difficult to predict how things would develop. Being prepared to try new things, whilst understanding the organisation can survive if it doesn’t work, is noted as a key skill for NBS implementation.
Considering NBS in a business context
It is important to look at all NBS in a business context, particularly when balancing finances. Being organised and considering all outcomes is key to selecting the right NBS to adopt.
Networking and collaboration
The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust have helped connect Mount Cook with organisations that have provided funding and practical support, enabling them to implement projects such as the tree planting in Derbyshire. Networking with key regional players such as the Forestry Commission, and Derbyshire County Council allowed to Mount Cook’s involvement with the Heartwood Community Forest planting scheme.
Learning points about NBS implementation
- Brand alignment is important when partnering for NBS strategically. The collaboration with an outdoor clothing brand in Alfreton grew out of a mutual benefit agreement. Mount Cook employees can benefit from discounts on outdoor clothing for work, creating an informal marketing opportunity for the band, and Mount Cook can provide their staff with outdoor experiences for team building, morale and wellbeing. The volunteering undertaken by the brand’s employees is part of staff volunteering programme.
- Multi-stakeholder collaboration is key for supporting businesses in implementing NBS. It is also important for building communities who want to contribute to environmentally responsible practices, as collectively organisations can achieve more when they collaborate compared to working in isolation.
“Well, you can't do anything on your own. Mount Cook might have all the trees being planted and all of the stuff ready. But you can't do it without people that help us deliver: the local community group who's helping with the autistic children, the various bushcraft and forest schools people that we rent the fields out to. We want these people to succeed... So it's that engagement in the community that is essential for us.”
NBS implementation tips
- Talk to other organisations who have experience of implementing NBS already, like Mount Cook. Go and visit and, where possible, volunteer there so you can see first hand what they do.
- Approach a bridging organisation/ an intermediary like the DWT who can connect you with someone who can provide project guidance and funding support.
- When looking to use nature-based solutions, you must start from your own personal context. Once you identify your own set of values, you have a framework in which to approach NBS. Everybody can’t do everything.
“The key thing is to identify what we can do, identify the thing we are passionate about, and do that.”
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