Conservation Education and Zoos

A workshop titled ‘Conservation Education and Zoos' was organized by Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park in collaboration with (Central Zoo Authority) CZA from the 6 to 9 April, 2010 in Patna .

About 30 zoo educators from 25 zoos participated in the workshop, representing the Andaman and Nicobar zoo, Kanpur zoo, Gangtok zoo, Tirupati zoo, Vizag zoo, Nanadankanan zoo and many others.

The workshop was planned to share new directives about conservation education, and how these could be implemented in their respective institutions.

Resource persons from Singapore Zoo, Wildlife Institute of India , Central Zoo Authority, Centre for Environment Education, C P Ramaswamy Environment Education Centre, and the Zoo Outreach Organization facilitated the workshop. Various interesting presentations on visitor needs and characteristics, strategies for conservation education, zoos sustaining nature and interpretive planning and execution were made by the resource persons.

Ice Breaking - Introduction of participants

Meena Nareshwar, CEE did a presentation on the CEE-CZA's Master Education Plan development for Zoos of India, its various components, and emphasized the importance of developing a Master Education Plan of every zoo. Designing and developing signages for zoos was another presentation that was done for the workshop participants.

Mr.B.S.Bonal, CZA Member Secretary, talked about the Master Education Plan developed by CEE, and reemphasized that all zoos must have a Master Education Plan and that it should be incorporated in their management plan, that was being submitted to CZA for approval.

CEE announces CEE ka Biscope 2010

Prudent use of Geo-informatics and ICT tools can enable a school to convert its computer labs into ‘learning laboratories'. This is the support that CEE ka Biscope 2010 programme brings for progressive urban Indian schools.

CEE ka Biscope is an ICT enabled educational module meant for students in the age group of 12-15 years (Class VII -IX). Since the activities are based on school syllabus and text-books, CEE ka Biscope facilitates the use of internet enabled computer labs at the schools towards meeting up learning goals in several subjects. With focus on learning for life, the activities of the module help integration of Environmental Studies, Science, Mathematics as well as Social Sciences. Designed with pedagogically sound techniques, CEE ka Biscope is being offered as a choice of two modules: Biscope Explorer (includes a series of individual sessions of about 70-80 minutes) and Biscope Investigator (comprises of a series of 15-18 sessions of 70-80 minutes each, spread over 5-6 months).

Further information is available at [email protected]
RISKLAND - Let's learn to prevent disasters!

CEE Himalaya's ‘Rebuilding Trust' project, funded by 'Welthungerhilfe', has adapted and translated an educational kit, “RISKLAND-Let's learn to prevent disasters!” in English for the Indian context especially Jammu & Kashmir . This book was originally developed by International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and UNICEF offices in Costa Rica and Panama . The kit comprises of an activity book, a board game and a CD.

Let's learn to prevent disasters!

The activity book has been developed for children in the age group of 8-12 years. Different activities help children to learn about natural hazards and how to prevent disasters. The board game is an educational tool that deals with disaster prevention. While playing the game, children learn what they can do to reduce disaster impacts by answering simple questions.

Rural women mitigating carbon emissions –
adopt biogas

As a step towards adapting the technology to mitigate climate change in a country like India , women from 40 rural households from Alwar district of Rajasthan have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 46,847 kg during last three years.

The initiative is part of the project ‘Scaling-up of Animal Husbandry and empowering Women through Credit, Self Help and Alternative Fuels/Energy Sources' implemented by IBTADA, a local NGO. The project is supported by UNDP - GEF Small Grants Programme facilitated by CEE.

Today women are satisfied with the performance of the biogas units and are using them for daily cooking

It was noted that rural women have to walk an average 16 km per day in search of fuel wood, Adding to this toil is the immense indoor pollution, carbon emissions and reduction in the forest cover due to use of fuelwood. Analysing the ability of biogas plants in minimising the carbon emissions, the NGO promoted biogas plants with credit facility to the Self Help Groups' of women, along with the necessary capacity building for their operation. Biogas plants have also saved money as women had to pay Rs 17  per kg for fuel wood. The slurry extract from the plant is also valuable as fertilizer to enhance agriculture production.

Updates from CEE Madhya Pradesh

An interactive quiz competition for 50 facilitators of ‘ Mowgli Bal Utsav 2010' held at Pench National Park, was conducted by CEE team at Seoni. Besides this, the CEE team interacted with 16 District facilitators for Mowgli Utsav.

Two-day National Green Corps Master Trainers workshop was organized by EPCO in which more than 80 teachers participated. A session on climate change was conducted by CEE and various educational activites were summarized with the help of ‘Climate Change Planners' to the participants.

About 60 teachers were trained through various activities during the programme for Shantiniketan School

Shantiniketan Montessori Senior Secondary school , Hoshangabad invited CEE to organize an Environment Education programme in the School. Outdoor program was organized by the school for experiential learning with nature. About 60 teachers were trained through various activities during the programme

Capsule Course on Environment Management

The capsule course on Environment Management for the students of Aravali Institute of Management, Jodhpur, was held at Ahmedabad, facilitated by the Waste & Resource Management group.

At the end of the course, students prepared and presented business plans on developing and sustaining green business.

The objective of the course is to sensitize the students to view earth and its components through the lens of environment. The concept of human rights, gender and policy advocacy was woven in this sensitizing course on environment management. The interactive sessions included screening of films like The Inconvenient Truth, Achieving Action in Waste Management and Save the Planet followed by discussion and reflections. The concept of ABC Triangle- Attitude, Behaviour and Context for understanding concepts of environment and the related actions were also taught and discussed. A nature visit to Polo Forest was also a part of this week long course conducted for the students. Concept of waste management, sustainable development, youth action, health, disaster management, biodiversity, clean development mechanism also formed a part of this sensitizing course.

Biodiversity Resource Room at CEE's Information Centre

CEE's Information Centre at Ahmedabad has now developed a new section "The Resource Room". This reference section and reading area for children in the IFC is to encourage students, parents, teachers and children to use CEE's resources.

The Resource Room includes material and activities on Biodiversity

Discussion on Sustainability and Climate Change Education

The first phase of Kaun Banega Bharat ka Paryavaran Ambassador (KBPA) ended with outreach to over 70,000 schools across India and Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam was selected as the Paryavaran Ambassador . The overwhelming response of the schools and the success of KBPA encouraged CEE and Arcelor Mittal to continue the programme and more towards developing a cadre of young champions.

The unique partnership between NGO, Government and corporate which was the hallmark of the KBPA Campaign, is extended to a three-year project “Sustainability and Climate Change Education”. The main objective of the project will be to encourage, guide, train and facilitate 20 million school children to become Paryavaran Mitra (Friends of Environment).

A four-day workshop was organized to plan for development of the resource material for the Climate Change Education progamme. Representatives of CEE offices across the country participated in the brainstorming and planning exercises. The organisational structure for the implementation of the project was also discussed.

CEE