Planning education to care for the earth - IUCN Knowledge Network

Environmental education in a Brazilian natural areaThe main goal was the conservation of the park itself. The objectives were tofoster appreciation of the park and its rich biodiversity among thesurrounding communities. A specially designed school programmeintroduced students to the park and provided them with the means to increasetheir knowledge of ecological concepts and shift their attitudes towardsnature. Students, as bearers of information, served as vehicles for theinvolvement of their families and other members of the community.The accelerated destruction of the local natural environment gave greatimportance to active public participation in conservation, with theinvolvement of the local communities. By the time students becamedecision-makers there might be little left to fight for, so several out-reachprogrammes, targeting all sectors of the community, from the localauthorities and businessmen to labourers, were sponsored.Institutional support was included in the planning of the programme.Thepark’s staff were encouraged to cooperate. Activities, including theinstallation of trail signs, were planned and carried out in the park at littlecost. The Forestry Institute of Sao Paulo, which administers the park, wasvery supportive. In order to by-pass bureaucratic constraints, however,proposals were sent to several institutions interested in the conservation ofthe park. This strategy provided external sources of income which helpedthe implementation of the education programme.ProcessThe content of the Black Lion Tamarin Environmental EducationProgramme was based on information gathered at the planning stage.Pre-visit strategies included the elaboration of educational materials for localteachers who complained of lack of information on the park, its naturalresources, and history. In addition, teachers and students watched a slidepresentation before visiting the park.For on-site activities, three nature trails were prepared for student visits,each focusing on a different aspect (tropical forest biodiversity, ecologicalconcepts, local history and geography). These same concepts werestressed through activities especially designed and carried out at a visitorcenter which was built for this purpose. “Hands-on” activities werestrongly encouraged. These included games and contact with liveanimals.Class contests were organized and hand-outs provided with games andinformation after visits to the park. Instructional methods were usually basedon other programmes or on formal education literature. Each activity waspilot-tested and constantly evaluated, and the programme was improved inthe course of implementation.Community-oriented activities included art exhibits, art and sportscompetitions, and workshops. The local media played an important part incommunity involvement. Radio is a popular means of communication in53