1. Wildlife Watch says that getting kids outdoors and enjoying nature can be a bit tricky, but if you search the internet you’ll find plenty of ideas on ways to get your little ones outside. But what happens when jumping in muddy puddles and doing nature treasure hunts becomes too childish? Getting teens outside and enjoying nature is a completely different ball game! Fortunately, it has ideas that will be enjoyed by older kids and you never know, might even spark an interest in the outdoor world. These include photography, videography and geocaching,
2. Ordnance Survey has released a new map feature to enable people to find greenspaces in Britain. The new layer of maps lets users find different places for leisure and recreation across England, Scotland and Wales. The map will help users discover public parks, playing fields, sports facilities, play areas or allotments. This new resource is Britain’s most comprehensive catalogue of accessible places.
3. The Soil Association says:
“Changing our food and farming system is make or break for climate change, as it accounts for up to one third of global emissions. Yet agriculture is one of the weakest links in the UK’s efforts to tackle the crisis. As the UK prepares to leave the EU, we have a window of opportunity to tackle greenhouse gas emissions. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to persuade Government to take agriculture’s contribution to climate change seriously and, as they reset agricultural policy, to get farming on track for the future. Find out why this cannot wait until tomorrow.
4. Camfed says that 6 out of 10 girls become child brides in some parts of rural Africa. Being locked in a cycle of poverty and hopelessness, they face grave risks: HIV/AIDS, domestic abuse, and even death as an early teenage during pregnancy or childbirth. Without education or employment, the future will remain locked for generations of girls. But there’s hope Camfed says – it’s called school. By staying in school, a girl can avoid child marriage and pregnancy. Camfed trains GirlGuardians — young women who were once at risk of becoming child brides themselves — to support girls in schools and in their communities, unlocking opportunities to escape poverty.
5. The Arkive blog has a range of “10 epic facts” about a range of organisms, stunning pictures included. For example:
6. Here is some of the recent output from the Environmental News Network:
Bioreactors on a chip renew promises for algal biofuels
Hundreds of Species Hitched a Ride Across the Pacific Aboard 2011 Tsunami Debris
7. The National Forest Gardening Scheme was launched on October 21st. YouTube has a video that was created during the Summer to mark this event. The mission of the scheme is to get people ‘forest gardening’ up and down the country – so that as many people as possible can have access to inspiring spaces. Here’s a link in case you’re unfamiliar with these gardens. Here’s a Youtube walk through Martin Crawford´s forest garden, which showcases resilient, local food growing. There’s more detail on the Permaculture Association website.
8. Catch up here with the latest news from CJS. This website is not just about jobs but has lots of news items and information on environmental and sustainability issues, more generally. For example:
- Views sought on reward and return schemes for drinks containers – Defra
- Disposable Packaging: Coffee Cups and Plastic Bottles inquiry launched – Environmental Audit Committee, UK Parliament
- Unsustainable land use threatens European landscapes – European Environment Agency
- UK takes world stage in fight against marine plastic – Defra
9. WWT says Don’t let nature fall silent: When Big Ben fell silent there was political outcry. How could such an iconic British sound be silenced? But nature could fall silent forever. Every day in Parliament, nature’s needs are drowned out by other louder voices. Now, the future of our environment laws are at stake, so it’s #TimeToBeHeard. We are asked to email our MP to ask them to support a strong Environment Plan.
10. There’re only 4 days left to vote for nominees whose work supports the aims of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom. You can find details here. There are awards in four categories:
Inspiring Educator / Innovator / Advocate / Lifetime Achievement
Voting closes on Friday 27th October. The winners will be announced at the exclusive LOtC Awards dinner at Ingestre Hall Residential Arts Centre on Thursday 16th November 2017, following the CLOtC Conference.