Low levels of physical activity among children in Scotland

The BBC has reported that Scottish children are among the least active in the world. It says that Scotland has been placed joint last in an international study of physical activity among children.  However, the Active Healthy Kids Report Card praised Scotland’s policies on encouraging physical activity, which were ranked joint second-highest of the 38 countries.  The global study…

Inaugural Living Planet Lecture

Here’s the link to the Inaugural Living Planet Lecture that was delivered earlier this month.  The film includes David Attenborough’s introduction and then the main lecture by Professor Johan Rockstrom of the Stockholm Resilience Institute introducing the concept of the new geological epoch: the Anthropocene and the model based on planetary boundaries.  WWF says: “For those who…

CNN Conference 2017

This will take place in Vancouver from April 18 to 21 2017. CNN says: “Join us in Vancouver for inspiring keynotes, expertly-curated workshops, field trips and action labs designed to support and advance the work you do to connect children, families and communities to nature.  Get the conversation going at #CNC2017″ Day one of the Conference is…

Outdoor family latest

Here’s a link to the USA’s Outdoor Family magazine. The editor’s introduction begins: “What exactly does the tagline “Every family outdoors” mean to the parents, grandparents, educators and caregivers reading our magazine? The OFM team thinks it means this: Consciously making time every day to go outside with the children in our care. Exploring the…

Do We Know What We Are Doing?

Rolf Jucker has a new book: Do We Know What We Are Doing? Reflections on Learning, Knowledge, Economics, Community and Sustainability We were particularly taken by the title of Chapter 4: ESD is Environmental Education (EE), but EE is Not Always ESD and look forward to reading it. Here are a couple of comments about…

World Soil Day

Today, December 5th, is world soil day.  Here’s a link to the UN site, and here’s one to related Twitter feeds. UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon says  “On World Soil Day, I call for greater attention to the pressing issues affecting soils, including climate change, antimicrobial resistance, soil-borne diseases, contamination, nutrition and human health.” The Soil Association reminds us:…

Sacred Drum and Song

Salvatore Gencarelle will be presenting a one-day workshop on the healing power of the drum and indigenous ceremonial song from North America. Sal says that he drum is a sacred gift of re-connection and movement that was given to all people.  It connects people to the heartbeat of the great mother, the Earth.  During this workshop, he will…

Rooted Forest School

Rooted Forest School has finalised its training calendar for 2017.  A full range of Forest School and Outdoor Learning training is offered as well as one day courses at a range of venues across the Midlands. Rooted Forest School has been actively involved with the development and provision of Forest School across Herefordshire for a number of years.…

The UK’s 25-year environment plan

There was a meeting the other week at Defra about the UK’s 25-year environment plan.  This was not actually about the plan, or about the environment; rather, it was about that most muddled of ideas, outdoor learning. In the following, NAEE Chair of Trustees, Bill Scott (who was there), sets out a few thoughts on what he sees…

Voices of the Earth

Andrew Motion uses interviews with scientists and environmentalists to form the basis of a new series of poems that address the subject of climate change and which the BBC recently featured.  Motion writes, “What is happening to our planet and its creatures it a question that should keep us all awake at night. I’ve responded…