1. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a feature on how birds manage to fly at high altitudes where the oxygen levels are low: “Flying on Fumes”. Over five years, Cornell PhD student Sahas Barve (and others) studied the evolutionary solutions birds had come up with, publishing findings in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Barve’s study focused on moderate elevations (up to 10,500 feet), meaning his findings are applicable to mountain species around the world—especially as it warms.
2. The latest Forest of Avon Trust news round up is here. This includes:
- Delivering woodland activities for secondary school pupils with special or behavioural needs as part of our Ernest Cook Trust funded project: Living Woodlands. At an activity in Leigh Woods, young people made woodland percussion instruments, autumn crowns and woodland flags.
Engaging 19 primary schools in Avon and Swindon (for the Great Western Community Forest), in the Trees for Learning project with 3,769 trees due to be planted in autumn/ winter 2017;- Negotiating the next phase of the successful Schools Orchard project, securing further sponsorship from Western Power Distribution. An average of 10 school orchards/ year have been planted in Avon since 2010;
3. There are only 10 days to go until Wildscreen Manchester: Symbiotic Stories. This brings together visual storytellers and conservationists to explore deep seas of creativity and discover how to join forces for maximum impact. Here’s the programme. It’s taking place at Victoria Warehouse on Thursday 19 October and is a day-long event for those who have stories that need to be told, and those who recognise their lens as the most powerful tools to tell them.
Through both keynote sessions and masterclasses, the day will explore creative examples and practical techniques in the crafting of natural world stories that reach diverse audiences and generate real change. Curated for conservationists, photographers and filmmakers the programme will unearth how to make the most of available resources and how joining forces can drive impact and maximise reach. There will be ample opportunities for networking and cross-pollination between sessions and at the evening reception.
4. A report by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency says that total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continued to increase in 2016, by about 0.5%, reaching 49.3 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent. More details here.
5. There was a recent NAAEE Zoom Meeting about teaching environmental education online. In this, people from across the USA shared teaching techniques and strategies for online learning.
For example, discussing helping online students connect to their local place, assignments that meet their local needs, varying response styles and content (like using videos, music, Zoom meetings, etc.), and encouraging responses that reach an even larger audience (like posting in a blog that was available to the public). You can listen to the meeting by clicking on this link and then on “I agree”
6. Here is the latest news from LfS Scotland. It includes this:
It feels as though we have been busy at Learning for Sustainability Scotland this month. September marked the second anniversary of global commitment to the UN SDGs .The Steering Group met and discussed action, particularly in relation to the SDGs. We participated in the European UN RCEs conference in Germany in early September. Attended by 19 RCEs the discussions focussed on partnerships for action on the SDGs and the Global Action Programme on ESD– a full report is in preparation. Our two new and active RCE Youth Coordinators, Rebecca Petford and Laura Curtis-Moss organised a well attended Scotland Climate Week event in partnership with the 2050 Climate Group; watch out for more activities organised by them coming up soon!
7. This is the final list of speakers for the Bristol Communicate event on 1 & 2 November 2017, from 0900 to 1700 at the Clifton Pavilion in Bristol Zoo Gardens. There are still a few tickets available for some of the individual sessions. The organisers say:
In a time of unprecedented social, economic and political change we urgently need proactive tools for successfully communicating environmental issues. Communicate goes straight to the interface and asks some difficult questions about current approaches as we explore a shifting landscape of echo-chambers, divisive opinions and fake news. Discuss, debate, and build a vital communications toolkit for the coming year through two days of inspiring content, cutting edge research, practical workshops and engaging discussion.
8. The 2017 Council for Learning Outside the Classroom conference takes place on 16th November at Ingestre Hall Residential Arts Centre. The speakers reflect the range of LOtC experiences, and there’s a varied workshop programme to cater for different needs. You can book your place here.
The conference will be followed by a dinner where the winners of the Awards for Outstanding Contribution to LOtC 2017 will be announced. Click here to find out about this year’s nominees for the awards and place your vote.
9. Here’s the Science Geek blog on the 60th anniversary of Sputnik, and the revolution it caused. This begins:
Exactly sixty years ago today, on 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit around the Earth. This is considered to be the beginning of the space age. Before this date there were no man made satellites in space but since then there have been artificial satellites in orbit around the Earth every single day. Today there are over 1000 active satellites in orbit (Union of Concerned Scientists 2017) and many times that number of defunct ones
10. Finally, and as you know, Thursday October 12th is Outdoor Classroom Day. This is a global campaign to celebrate and inspire learning and play outside the classroom. The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom says:
The practice of outdoor learning is not a new one and there is evidence from around the world that shows the powerful impact it has on students and teachers. If you’re new to outdoor learning, why not use the day to give it a go? Or if it’s part of your normal week, why not use the day to celebrate what you’re doing already and encourage other schools in your area to join in? Whatever you decide to do, get started on your Outdoor Classroom Day adventure on 12th October and be prepared to be amazed. Join the movement today by signing up your class — or whole school — here.