World Oceans Day – Thursday June 8th
UNESCO says that World Oceans Day is a global day of ocean celebration and collaboration for a better future. The central coordinating platform for World Oceans Day has resources and ideas for everyone – no matter where you live – to help expand the reach and impact of World Oceans Day all year-round. [...]
Generating sparks!
Using the solar racing car challenge to teach about renewable energy “Make the fastest solar car you can!” This was the simple challenge posed to the students at Swinton School, Rotherham, on a recent renewable energy project day. Can you remember learning about electricity using a series of line diagrams [...]
The 10 Tree Charter Principles
As we noted recently, the Woodland Trust is leading a call for a Charter for Trees, Woods and People (the charter project) with more than 70 organisations taking part. The details are here. The 10 principles of the Tree Charter are here: Thriving habitats for diverse species Urban and rural landscapes [...]
Monday round up June 5th – World Environment Day
1. Read the latest from IUCN's Protecting the Planet newsletter here. Details of World Environment Day (June 5th) are here: "On 5 June, go outside and show us that you’re #WithNature. Breathe in the beauty and remember that by keeping our planet healthy, we keep ourselves healthy too." 2. Here are details [...]
Indigenous knowledge systems and climate change
On the morning when the Paris Agreement on Climate Change seems to be under severe pressure, here's a view from Australia on the issue of dealing with the problem. The Guardian has a feature by Teila Watson on how indigenous knowledge can help. This is how it begins: All over the planet, [...]
The Freshwater Habitats Trust
The Freshwater Habitats Trust says that its PondNet eDNA survey is back for another year. There's also a BDS Variable Damselfly Survey and a feature on Living Waters: a New Forest Catchment Partnership project to protect and restore freshwater wildlife in the Beaulieu catchment. Details here.
The Bristol to Bath Festival of Nature
The UKs largest celebration of the natural world is back. Featuring more than 100 organisations, over three weekends: 8 to 25 June. The organisers say: Join us on a wildlife adventure of discovery as we sail down the river from Bristol to Bath - with amazing activities, live music, theatre, walks, and films! The programme [...]
Wider learning and connected experience
Today's blog is by Sheila Gundry, Resource Future's Education Manager. Wider learning and connected experience Learning Outside the Classroom Day (18 May) is a lovely reminder of the great strides made across the country to encourage outdoor learning. For me, having worked in Field Centres for many years, nothing seemed more [...]
IUCN Newsletter latest
IUCN's recent newsletter contained the following features: The Baltic Sea - the Territory of Sustainable Development The 18th International Environmental Forum "Baltic Sea Day", which has already become a traditional event for St. Petersburg, was held on 22-23 March 2017. The main theme of the event was the relationship between [...]
Tuesday Round up May 30th
1. Here's the May bulletin from Scotland's United Nations recognised Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development. The Update from Scotland begins: John Ruskin wrote that “Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” This would be [...]
Natural England reports outdoor learning research
Here's a selection from a round up of recent evidence and reports, policy agenda developments, large scale delivery sector initiatives, resources and news items issued by the partnership of Natural England with The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom and Historic England on behalf of and for the Strategic Research Groups. The [...]
Work on the Wild Side
NotDeadFish, a social change consultancy, recently announced a new report: Work on the Wild Side. You can download it here. This, NDF says, attempts to debunk the myth that outdoor learning and residentials are not viable teaching mechanisms. It adds: "As accountability within schools increases and budgets decrease, it is easy to [...]
