Poo power and planet-saving science: New Bioeconomy Trail launches at Flamingo Land
Families visiting Flamingo Land this autumn can discover how animals, plants and clever science are helping to tackle climate change, with the launch of a brand-new Bioeconomy Trail around the park’s zoo.
The trail opened on Saturday, October 24 to coincide with International Day of Climate Action. Led by the York and North Yorkshire Bioeconomy Cluster, it takes young explorers on a ten-stop journey through the zoo, linking the animals they meet to real bioeconomy innovations happening right here in Yorkshire.
The bioeconomy is an approach that uses living things, such as plants, microbes, food waste and even animal poo, to make the things we need instead of relying on oil, coal and gas. Each stop pairs an animal with a surprising fact and a trail question, showing how the natural world is inspiring more sustainable ways of living.
Along the way, visitors will learn how waste, plants and tiny living things such as microbes, algae and insects are being turned into clean energy, natural fertiliser, plant-based plastics and everyday ingredients. They will find out how Yorkshire research is helping to protect rainforests, oceans and wildlife, and how plants are being bred to fight disease and even used to build supercars and aeroplane interiors.
The trail also highlights Flamingo Land’s own conservation work, from its hatchery for endangered native crayfish to its support for the return of beavers to the British countryside, and reveals the surprising reason flamingos are pink. The final stop looks to the future, introducing the careers of tomorrow in conservation, science, engineering and technology.
The trail is a project of the York and North Yorkshire Bioeconomy Cluster, launched in November 2025 to cement the region’s place as a UK leader in the bioeconomy. Building on the BioYorkshire Partnership, it brings together businesses, academics and policymakers to turn biological resources like crop byproducts, food waste and microbes into new products, energy, chemicals and ingredients. The Cluster is backed by the University of York through BioYorkshire, supported by David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, and funded by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The region is home to more than 7,000 bioeconomy businesses and over 10% of the UK’s bioeconomy workforce, with employment in the sector more than twice the national average. By bringing the science out of the lab and into the zoo, the trail gives young people a first taste of the careers this growth area could offer.
Professor Ian Graham, Academic Director of BioYorkshire and Director of the Cluster, said: “Children are naturally curious about animals, which makes the zoo a brilliant place to introduce the science of the bioeconomy.
"From waste being turned into clean energy to plants helping to fight disease, so much of this innovation is happening right here in Yorkshire. If the trail gets families chatting about how we can look after the planet, and sparks a few ideas about future careers in science, conservation or engineering, we’ll be absolutely delighted.”
Kieran Holliday, Conservation and Education Manager at Flamingo Land, said: “We’re really pleased to be hosting the Bioeconomy Trail. Our animals are a wonderful way to bring big ideas like sustainability to life, and the trail sits naturally alongside the conservation work we do here every day. We hope families enjoy exploring it together over half term, learn something new along the way, and have a go at the competition for the chance to come back and see us again.”
Visit https://www.bioyorkshire.co.uk/bioeconomy-cluster/flamingoland for more information.