Global Forum for
Environmental Education

Volume 8, Number 2




Opening Page       From the President      Table of Contents


The Global Forum for Environmental Education is the official publication of Caretakers of the Environment International. The International Board consists of president Arjen Wals, the Netherlands; vice-president Raymond Jowett, Scotland; secretary Joke Wals, The Netherlands; treasurer Ed Radatz, USA; 1997 conference representative: Bezalel Cohen; director/networking Fatima Matos Almeida, Portugal; director/communications Isabel Abrams, USA; director of information technology, David Lloyd, Israel; 1998 conf erence co-chairs: Andrew Cox, Ireland & Clarke Houston, Northern Ireland

Colophon
This magazine has been printed by the National Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO), The Netherlands. Duplication of this magazine is allowed, provided it is properly referenced.

Frontpage:
Andrew Cox receives the Certificates for the Irish delegation during the first international conference of Caretakers of the Environment in the Netherlands in 1986. He is one of the organisers of the 1998 conference in Ireland.

Editors in chief:
Frits Gravenberch & Arjen Wals, The Netherlands
Editorial Board:
Jan Apotheker, The Netherlands, editor.
Raymond Jowett, Scotland, editor
Chris Leibner, USA, editor
Kathryn Graves, Canada, editor
CEI Secretary: Joke Wals, The Netherlands

Subscription information:
subscriptions should be paid directly to COTEI, RABO-bank Alkmaar,
number 376496967
Individuals: Dfl 15,-
Schools: Dfl 30,- (4 copies)
Libraries/Institutions: Dfl 60,-

Participants in the annual international Caretakers of the Environment conferences automatically receive The Forum by paying their registration fee.

Published with support of:
The Dutch National Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO).

CEI headquarters:
v/d Valk Boumanweg 180y, 2352 JD Leiderdorp
The Netherlands. Phone/fax: + 31 71 5890168
e-mail: mailto:OREMA.WALS@PI.NET

Notes for contributors
First of all, we welcome contributions, whether it is an article, a poem or a report or anything else suitable for Global Forum.

Text
Text should be in WORD format for windows or else without format (DOS file or ASCII file). An article can have a maximum length of 750 words. Footnotes should be avoided. Please accompany each article by a short summary and an address for further informat ion. If you are unable to use a computer, we still welcome your contributions!

Tables, figures and illustrations
Do not include tables, figures and illustrations as part of the text. Gather them together in a separate file or on paper. In the text you can point out the approximate position of tables, figures and illustrations. We would also like to receive captions to the illustrations you send us. We always welcome pictures and photographs!


Deadlines
Global Forum appears twice a year in June and in December.
Contributions for the June issue have to be received before May the 1st.
Contributions for the December issue before October the 1st.


Please send your contributions to:
SLO
c/o Frits Gravenberch
PO Box 2041
7500 CA Enschede
The Netherlands
fax: (+)31 53 4840620
e-mail: F.Gravenberch@slo.nl


1999 CEI conference address:
Jose Miguel Molina - CEI/COSTA RICA
PO Box 1000-1000 Costa Rica
Tel.: +506-2335018/Fax.: +506-2554527
E-mail: jmolina@vida.org





From the president


When analyzing the many school projects that have been presented at CEI conferences (over the last 11 years there must have been well over 250) and described in the Global Forum a few rough catego-ries can be distinguished:
  1. projects which have a strong monitoring component which focus on a local environmental issue (usually water or air quality) which do not exchange information with other schools,
  2. as 1 but with an (international) exchange component which do not utilize electronic mail and/or the internet,
  3. as 2 but with the use of electronic mail and/or the internet,
  4. schools which do not necessarily have a monitoring program but with a strong focus on problem-solving and action taking centered on a local issue (reducing the school's waste production and energy use),
  5. as 4 but now centered on a global issue (i.e. disappearance of the tropical rain forest).

Regardless of the type of project, schools vary in the way they integrate EE in the regular school curriculum. Typically schools take a week or a few weeks at most in the year during which they focus on EE or the teacher of a particular discipline decides to infuse EE-themes or projects in his or her regular classes (usually this is a biology, geography or social science teacher, sometimes it is a teacher of physics, language arts or economics). There is variation in the level of interdisciplinarity that is realized depending on whether a particular environmental issue or a particular discipline is the point of departure. Furthermore there is variation in the number of links with outside school groups and organizations depending on whether building bridge s between school and community is an important goal or not and depending on the use of modern communication tools or not.
Finally there is variation in the degree in which the learners themselves have input in and responsibility for their own learning: sometimes the learning process, its content and goals are completely determined from
the top down (i.e. by the teacher or a national curriculum/exam), whereas in other cases the students have a lot to say about the form, content and goals of the EE that takes place. In short we have a kaleidoscope of possibilities which results in a large diversity of EE-projects to be represented at CEI-conferences, and I have not even touched upon the great diversity in cultural backgrounds that partake in the annual conferences.

It is perhaps this diversity of approaches and cultural backgrounds that has enabled CEI to continue throughout the years without any significant funding to support the international network. The excitement of the students and teachers involved and the co ntinued exposure to new ideas and approaches apparently are a sufficient driving force. It has been said before but it cannot be stressed enough: cultural and environmental sensitivity are intricately linked in our network. What better testimony to that t han the moving of the conference from Israel - with Arab and Jewish participation - to Ireland with both Catholics and Protestants working together to make the conference a success. Every year new countries express an interest in hosting the annual confer ence. Costa Rica appears ready to host the 1999 conference, while Sweden, South Africa, India and the USA are considering hosting in 2000 or 2001. I feel proud to part of such a grassroots organization and hope that the success formula of CEI can be sust ained. Your active involvement remains the key to this and I welcome your input in CEI at whatever level possible.

Arjen Wals, President of CEI


Contents

The spring project: WWF Belgium, by Jo van Cauwenberge and Luc Michils.
Leisure activities and environment: a winning combination, by Patrick Jouret.
Our Place: OZ GREEN.
My neighborhood, my environment, by Hanan Sharabati.
Main factors affecting the environment in the Palestinian territory, by dr. Ramzi M. Sansur.
Some reasons for protecting wildlife.
Environmental Briefs.
Globe scope.
News from the National branches.




THE SPRINGS PROJECT: WWF - BELGIUM
The other outlook on water
Jo van Cauwenberge and Luc Michils,
Co-ordinators Springs Project
WWF-Belgium/GREEN-Belgium



Introduction
Water is a daily touchstone in every citizen's life, sustaining health, economic development and ecosystems. If Europe continues without check to use and pollute its water resources as it is doing today, irreparable harm will be done to freshwater resourc es, leading to restrictions of water use, conflict over water supplies, increased health risks, and possible economic losses. Both the more efficient use of water by households, industry and agriculture, and new political agreements on water management be tween regions and across political boundaries are needed if severe water crises are to be avoided. Many initiatives on water are being taken in European countries, but one of the most spectacular and successful is more than likely the "Bronnenproject - Opération Sources" (Springs Project), organized by the WWF-Belgium since Autumn 1993.

A little history
Goals & Target groups
The "Springs Project" is currently addressing different sectors of the public

Its aim is to inform these different groups, make them aware and give them a sense of responsibility by inviting them to make significant commitments for the preservation and/or improvement of fresh water resources. Furthermore, another goal of this campa ign is to contribute to scientific research by monitoring the nitrate concentration of water from natural springs and wells. It hopes to attract the attention of those responsible for making decisions about and the administration of education and the en vironment. Lastly, it want to strengthen its value as an example by setting up a permanent evaluation. These general aims are set out in a charter which has been countersigned by the co-organisers, encompassing such varied partners as an insurance company , an NGO and universities

Procedure
The Springs Project is an educational campaign to make people aware about the quality of water and which offers activities suited to different groups of the public.

It invites primary school children (10 - 12 years) to measure twice a year (in October and March) the nitrate concentration of water from natural springs and wells in the neighborhood of their school. Meanwhile, they observe the surroundings in search of possible sources of pollution and they also observe the fauna and flora. So, these purely technical measurements lead to an instructive exploration of nature. As reward for their active participation, the classes get a diploma of "Spring watchman&quo t; and a personalized "Spring watchman" card for each individual pupil, which represents to them a supplementary incentive. Then, every six months, a map showing all of the results is published in the press. Since 1994, more than 100,000 pupils have been participating in observing the quality of the groundwater in Belgium. Apart from the necessary material for the field trips, all teachers receive an educational dossier to help them approach the topic of water in an interdisciplinary manner wh ilst taking the demands of the school curriculum into account.

Pupils in the upper level of secondary education (15-18 years) are invited too study a problem linked to the quality of management of the water in their region. Water analysis with the Aquamerck Compact Laboratory is one of the elements of their projects. A network of schools is set up to allow regular exchanges and sharing of experiences.




A one-day meeting is organized every year, during which the young people attend workshops where they express their perception of environmental issues and in particular their concern and respect for water. They communicate about their achievements by means of self-composed songs, art, theater, etc.…..

The Springs Project is carried out in partnership with two universities, which ensure the scientific treatment of the data and carry out an assessment of the educational sides of the project. In a strong position thanks to four years of experience, the Sp rings Project encourages classes to conduct original projects, such as information or protection projects at the level of their communities and on-site meetings of different groups from different regions or countries, but also the sponsoring of local proj ects in developing countries.

Apart from setting out these general aims, the Springs Project charter clearly indicates a desire to expand the project by also addressing families in the future and by attending to its internationalization.

Communications

Scale of the project




LEISURE ACTIVITIES AND ENVIRONMENT: A WINNING COMBINATION

An awareness-raising campaign in the Walloon Region
Out: Naturopa no. 84.1997

Patrick Jouret
Atelier 50 SA
Espace, Environnement, Communication
Drève du Duc 50/6
B-1170 Brussels


The Walloon Region (Belgium) has a range of outstanding natural assets which are attracting ever-increasing numbers of outdoor leisure enthusiasts in search of unspoiled landscapes and exciting new experiences.

Scientific studies and field observation show that leisure activities have a major impact on natural habitats, even though this is not always obvious in the short term.


Vresse-sur-Semois, Belgium

The Walloon authorities have therefore decided to take a number of steps aimed at regulating these activities. For instance, a decree on forest traffic now regulates the movement of all users of the region's publicly and privately owned forests, whether i n motor vehicles, on bicycles, on horseback or on foot, who are only allowed to use certain roads and paths. These have been arranged in categories according to a grading system and provided with appropriate sign-posting. Draft regula-tions on the social use of rivers and streams have been drawn up along similar lines.

Scientific studies indicate that the impact of an activity can vary
greatly depending on the behavior of the people involved. However, people
in general tend to be wary of any interference by the public authorities
in their leisure activities, an area which they regard as the
last bastion of individual freedom. It is for this reason that, alongside
the legislative changes, Wallonia's Environment Minister, Guy Lutgen, has decided to launch an awareness-raising campaign on the theme: "Leisure activities and the environment: a winning combination!".

Aim of the campaign
Initially the aim is to combat two extreme viewpoints: the "environmental fundamentalists", who regard anyone entering the Walloon Region as a potential invader who is going to destroy everything in his or her path, and those who reject all restrictions a nd regulations, whose position is reflected in the slogan "my spare time is my freedom".
Both approaches impede not only the development of a responsible attitude to-wards the environment, but also the growth of facilities offering more environment-friendly activities.

How it will be organized
The awareness-raising cam-paign has been divided into three stages. The main events will occur over a period of 14 months from July '97 to September '98.

First stage
The first stage took place in summer 1996 and involved distributing a trilingual leaflet (in French, Dutch and German) as a first step towards building an awareness of the issues among holiday-makers. This leaflet offered the following advice as to best w ay of visiting the region: "We should behave like guests. Wallonia is there for us and for others. Let's share it!"

Second stage
The second stage involves producing some 40 fact sheets explaining, for each sporting, cultural or recreational activity, what kind of behavior is in closest harmony with nature, the heritage, the local population and other users.
These "codes of good environmental practice" are designed to promote a progressive change in thinking with the support of the most environmentally-aware groups and organizations. For instance, potholers, who perform their activities in a highly vulnerable environment, are already heavily committed to putting into practice the recommendations they issue to the members of their groups.
The fact sheets will be distributed in holiday resorts throughout the 1997 tourist season by sports federations and the Ministry of Physical Education and Sport.

Third stage
The third stage of the campaign will be aims at professionals. A handbook describing previous experiences in this field and offering practical advice will be prepared on the basis of contacts with professionals such as operators of tourist and leisure fac ilities, tourist federations and offices, managers of sports facilities, etc.
The aim here is to get across the message that the recent growth in the area of outdoor holidays and the increasing demand from the public, in particu-
cularly Scandinavian visitors, should ultimately lead to new products and bring about changes in existing ones. Behind this growing environmental awareness, which is now an established fact, there is also an economic side to the problem since the tourist industry represents 4 % of Belgium's GDP. The handbook will also provide practical advice on topics such as the environmentally-aware consumer, waste management, energy consump-tion, etc.

An ant as emblem
The emblem chosen for the campaign - a happy, smiling ant - provides a very good illustration of how the model visitor should behave: leaving no traces of his presence behind him. This is the precondition for sustainable development of leisure activities , a process which should combine the following elements:
  • respect for and enhancement of the natural environments which provide the setting for these activities;
  • efforts to influence the behavior of visitors through regulation and education;
  • a trend in leisure provision towards activities which incorporate environmental protection.




Oz GREEN and the Murray-Darling Basin Commission present:



OZ GREEN
PO Box 1378
DEE WHY NSW AUSTRALIA 2099
Phone: (61 2)9971 4098
email: ozgreen@peg.apc.org
Fax: (61 2)99814856
Internet:http://www.peg.apc.org/~ozgreen


OZ GREEN - The Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (Australia) Inc., through the GREEN network of 25,000 groups in 136 countries invites you to participate in this innovative global learning experience. Our Place is an exciting opportunity to te ll the world about your local environment and find out more about what's happening in the rest of the world.

What is Our Place?
The Our Place project began in 1997. The project provides groups form diverse parts of the world the opportunity to share stories and learn what other groups are doing to address the global water crisis. Initially Our Place involved 10 groups from the Mur ray-Darling River in Australia and linked them to 10 groups from other countries including Poland, England, Costa Rica, Venezuela, USA, India, Nepal and the Netherlands. In 1998 Our Place is expanding to include all groups that have an interest and commit ment to their waterways and who would like to join a global network of people with similar interests.
Get Connected and start taking Action.

By connecting up to the Our Place World Wide Web sit, or participating by mail, you can obtain first hand accounts from:
  • Groups in India working to develop innovative strategies to deal with sewage pollution of the sacred Ganges River
  • Groups in Papua New Guinea in grips of a devastating drought and facing problems from mining operations and logging on their waterways,
  • Groups along the Murray-Darling River in Australia taking action to improve the river environ-ment.
  • Groups in Europe who have experienced two devastating floods in the last 18 months.

What will you do?
Undertake investigations of your local environment, culture and lifestyles.
Share this information with other groups via the internet (or mail and fax for those not on the Internet).
Learn about the environment, culture and lifestyle of these groups.
Communicate with groups from around the world via a forum on the internet (or mail and fax).


Share ideas about how to manage environmental problems

By participating in Our Place you can get:

  • a web page for your group or school on an innovative interactive website that features discussion forums and updates form groups around the world,

  • membership to Oz GREEN, part of an international network of community groups dedicated to monitoring and taking action to care for their local waterways and environment.

  • A resource kit which includes a video, innovative strategies on how to use the internet as an education tool,

  • an Our Place booklet featuring case studies from the pilot program and examples form around the world of problems facing local communities and how they are dealing with them.



MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY ENVIRONMENT
By: Ms. Hanan Sharabati
Alsida Sara School - Hebron

What's in the neighborhood? Litter-free Plants or Trees Garbage Cans Lots of Traffic Other Comments
Work Places          
           
           
Living spaces          
           
Recreation spaces          
           
           
Wildlife spaces          
           
exemplary schedule


Discuss the following questions together:
  1. What things make some living spaces more attractive?
  2. How could living spaces in the neighborhood be improved?
  3. How do work spaces improve the neighborhood?
  4. What negative effects do they have?
  5. How work space in the neighborhood be improved?
  6. Are there enough spaces for wildlife?
  7. How can we help wild animals survive in the neighborhood?
  8. Are there enough recreation spaces in the neighborhood?
  9. If not, what can we do to create more?
  10. What can we do to improve the neighborhood environment?




MAIN FACTORS AFFECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORY


By: Dr. Ramzi M. Sansur
Bir-Zeit University - Palestine


Occupation and related practices
Lack of a sovereign authority has prevented Palestinians from legislating and establishing rules and regulations for the protection for the environment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Local environmental protection has been lax, and at best has reflec ted the environmental concerns of the country ruling or administering the Palestinian territory. Only recently a department for the environment was established by the Israeli authorities. Unfortunately this continues to suffer from administrative, technic al and financial weaknesses, which prevent them from taking meaning-full and effective steps vis-a-vis the environment.

It has been estimated that over 60 per cent of land in the West Bank and Gaza Strip had been confiscated for a variety of reasons, to be used for the building of settlements and/or for security and military purposes. This left little land for the Palestin ians to use for their won needs. In addition, Israel has exercised full control over water resources, even if privately owned.

The building of Israeli settlements in the occupies territory continued unabated until 1992. Settlements are established in areas that have traditionally been considered wilderness zones. Some of these areas include the eastern slopes of the West Bank co mmonly referred to as the Jerusalem desert and wilderness areas north west of the Ramallah region in the central part of the West Bank. The eastern slopes house a variety of wildlife including leopards and some rare mammalian species and birds. The only area to escape the creeping destruction of wilderness are the natural wild reserves in the Ein el-Fashkha spring and the End Gidi preserve, both situated along the Dead Sea. Even there, fires keep breaking out, mainly because of careless picnickers, resul ting in the destruction of hundreds of dunums of natural vegetation.

The degradation of the desert area adjacent to the Dead Sea, owing to the intensive building of military and civilian settlements, is a particular concern for Palestinians. This area has traditionally, been a winter grazing area for sheep and goats from t hroughout the West Bank and a recreation spot for the local population. In addition, it has a number of archaeological and religious sites that are neglected. The area is unique in the Middle East because it is the lowest point on earth, 400 meters below sea level, and has the saltiest take on earth, the Dead Sea.

A large part of the Jordan Valley has been confiscated from Palestinians farmers for building agricultural settlements. Until recently, the Palestinians used to cultivate about 40,000 dunums and the Israelis about half that. The expansion of Israeli settl ements there and the rapid pace of their expanding agriculture has engulfed the Palestinian agricultural areas making them tiny enclaves in the midst of Israeli settlements. In addition, the upper Jordan Valley on the bottom of the eastern slopes of the Central Highlands Zone, just south of Jiftlic all the way to the settlement of Maale Ephraim, has been confiscated. This area posseses one of the richest and deepest soils because of the erosion from the mountains above it. Israeli authorities are tapping a number of water wells for their settlement activities in that zone.

These intensive settlement activities have not been matched with proper environmental practices. For example, none of the settlements has developed a sewage treatment plant. Sewage is usually allowed to run to the nearest wadi or valley, even if a Palesti nian village is nearby. Sewage from the Israeli settlements on the eastern hills and slopes north of Jerusalem has contaminated Wadi Al Qilt and its water spring, west of Jericho. The spring used to supply fresh drinking and irrigation water for the Pales tinian arrears up to Jericho, including the refugee camp at Aqbat Jaber at the outskirts of the city. It is now risky to use the water from this spring for other than irrigation purposes. This has created a serious problem for United Nations Relief and Wo rks Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near-East (UNRWA) that manages the camp to the point where they had to look for alternative sources of water and had to treat the spring water extensively.

Exploitation of mineral resources is not governed by environmental and/or health laws. Israelis as well as Palestinians extract mineral resources without any consideration of the environmental effect. No environmental impact studies or future site-redempt ion plans have been undertaken. A notable example of Israeli exploitation of mineral resources without regarde for the environment and/or the surrounding residential areas was the Dheishe refugee camp and the village of Ortas. The Israeli company managing the quarry did not heed a court order to cease the operation and move another unpopulated area. The operation was shut down only about two years ago for financial reasons. The site has since been sold to Palestinians but is no longer used as a quarry. Further details of this issue will be discussed later.

Archaeological sites are scattered throughout the Palestinian territory, especially in the West Bank. No help has been extended to develop some of the existing sites, especially those that lie beyond the roads used by tourists. Many of these sites belong to Muslims or Christians. In addition, certain archaeological sites that have been discovered in the process of building roads or construction have been covered up. Artifacts found in Byzantine and Armenian Christian settlements lying outside the Jerusale m walls were covered and roads build over them.

Another practice that has scarred the landscape is the unregulated and indiscriminate extraction of large surface rocks for use as retainers for mountain sides or as wavebreakers and wharfs along the seashores. Although the rocks are used mainly in Israel , the extraction is done by Palestinians with the approval of the Israeli authorities and without due consideration for the environment. The experience of Bir-Zeit University in this regard serves as an example of such a practice. Heavy earth-moving equip ment was used on land owned by the University in 1991 and 1992, loosening and removing rocks and boulders under the protection of the Israeli military, but without permission from the University. It took a major effort and many months of a legal struggle to stop the operation. Such clandestine activity is currently under way in the same district but in areas owned by other villages. This practice has caused soil erosion, as the removal of the large surface rocks has exposed the rich virgin soil to weather away under the force of rain and wind.

The uprooting of trees is another practice that Israeli authorities have resorted to in the Palestinian territory. Most of the uprooted trees are fruit producing, such as olive and citrus trees. The uprooting takes place under the pretext of security meas ures. Hundreds of thousands of trees have so far been uprooted, thus adversely affecting livelihoods. This practice also leaves the soil exposed to the forces of nature, including erosion.

The dumping of waste in the Palestinian territory has been another of the exploitive environmental practices resorted to by some Israeli municipalities, such as Jerusalem, as well as by Israeli military authorities.

The relocation of certain polluting industries is yet another practice harmful to the environment, such as the removal of an agrochemicals plant from Israel to Tulkarem. This plant produces agrochemicals through and environmentally unacceptable process, thus endangering surrounding lands and villages.




SOME REASONS FOR PROTECTING WILDLIFE

from: NKO-magazine of the wildlife clubs of Ghana


  • Wildlife supports life. Use it wisely to sustain life.
  • Wildlife resources of a nation portray her culture. Protect all plants and animals to preserve our rich Ghanaian culture.
  • The future of most wildlife species is very uncertain. Protect the existing species now.
  • Forests contain diverse plants from which new crops and medicines are developed. Protect wildlife for better life.
  • The air we breath and the food we eat are products of living organisms. Protect all plants and animals to sustain life.
  • It takes all kinds of life to make the environments a worthwhile place to live. Help conserve all other living things.



Environmental Briefs


BIODIVERSITY
The variety of life
from: Seen (Scottish Environmental Education News, December 1997, no. 23


"Biodiversity, the planet's most valuable resource, is on loan to us from our children".
"..the variety of life forms, the ecological roles they perform, and the genetic diversity they contain".
Just tow quotes from an information sheet Biodiversity in a Nutshell that looks at biodiversity as a big new idea, explains shy it is important, and suggests what we, as individuals, can do to help. Together with a report Biodiversity in Scotland and a se t of graphics and a strap line devised by the Public Awareness, Involvement and Education sub group of the Scottish Biodiversity Group, it makes up an Information pack and Identity Information pack. Send for both packs for use in newsletters, notepaper, f liers etc. and to ensure that you are putting across a simple and understandable message.
Details from The Scottish Biodiversity Group, The Scottish Office, Rural Affairs and Natural Heritage, 47 Robb's Loan, Edingburgh EH14 1TY


SHOE RECYCLING CAMPAING
from: Seen (Scottish Environmental Education News, December 1997, no. 23


Recycle old shoes by taking them to Mister Minit repair shops of Gullivers shoe shops. Last year they collected 850.000 pairs and raised œ 100,000 for the Red Cross by selling them on to textile recycling companies. They are sorted and graded and sent to countries in Africa or Eastern Europe, where they are sold at local markets at very low prices. For your first donated pair of shoes you will receive a half price shoe repair discount at Mr. Mi nit.


CONFERENCES



SECOND ANNUAL MEETING OF "GREEN EUROPE"

October 23-26 1998, Brussels Belgium


With among other things a workshops about river monitoring and networking.
For information please contact : GREEN Belgium V.z.w.
Vanderstappenstraat 36
1030 Brussels
Tel.: 056 370535 Fax: 056 353338
Email: green_belgium@unicall.be


GREEN CAMP AT THE RIVER ELBE

September 11-15


Part of the project "Lebendige Elbe" and AQUA (Tempus)
For information please contact:
Stefan Prigge by Email s.prigge@umwelt.ecolink.org



BRITISH COUNCIL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SEMINAR
March 14-20 1999

For further information contact:
Justin Dillon by Email: justin.dillon@kcl.ac.uk.



"LEARNING IN PROTECTED AREAS - HOW TO ASSESS QUALITY"
September 25-28 1998

A conference organized by The European Committee for Environmental Education ECEE of the European Network of the IUCN, Commission on Education and Communication at National Park Neusiedlersee-Seewinkel Fertö Hansag, Austria and Hugary. . For further informa-tion contact Monica Lieschke, ARGE Umwelt-erziehung, Alserstrasse 21, A-1080 Vienna, Austria.
Fax: (+43)-1-4024705,
Email: ARGE.uwbild@bmuvie.gv.at.



Globe Scope


Univeristy of Reading,
London Road, Reading RG1 5 AQ
Tel.: 0118 9756061
Fax: 0118 975 6264
Email: info@cee.i-way.co.uk

Based on research into nearly 200 centers and other organizations in
England which provide educational experiences related to biodiversity.
Educating for Life represents and authoritative view of what constitutes good
practice in biodiversity education.

Educating for Life
  • highlights the findings of research carried out by the CEE Biodiversity Education Working Group into biodiversity education at a range of sites throughout England
  • uses case study examples to illustrate issues related to the provision of biodiversity education
  • identifies nine hallmarks of successful bio-diversity education
  • makes recommendations for biodiversity educa-tion providers and policy makers.

Who is it for?
  • aimes at all who have opportunities to increase people's awareness of the importance of biodiversity and encourage their commitment to safequard it. In particular it is aimed at those who work in organizations which offer biodiversity experiences to t he public, whether they are museums or aquaria, botanical or zoological gardens, nature reserves or field centres, country parks or urban farms.
  • provides guidance for those who are already running programs who may want to review their current practice and offers a set of principles to those who may be considering running such programs, but who may be unsure where to start.
  • also has something important to say to Local Agenda 21 coordinators, travel operators, curriculum planners, farmers and landowners, and to supermarket managers who are literally surrounded by the products of biodiversity (and therefore opportunities f or raising awareness) every day.
Price £ 9.00 each
Discount for bulk orders: 2-4 copies £ 8.00 each; 5-9 copies £ 7.00 each; 10 or more copies £ 6.00 each; for larger orders further discount available on request. Prices include postage and packing within the UK.
Overseas orders add £ 1.00 per copy towards postage and packing.
        


WORLD CONSERVATION BOOKSTORE

PUBLICATIONS CATALOGUE


In 1998, IUCN - the World Conservation Union is celebrating its 50th anniversary. April will see the publication of the World Conservation Bookstore publications catalogue - a celebration of 50 years of environmental publishing.

The World Conservation Bookstore is a compilation of titles available from: CITES - Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, IUCN - the World Conservation Union, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, TRAFFIC - the join t wildlife trade monitoring program of IUCN and WWF, and WCMC - World Conservation Monitoring Centre.
Subjects include: biodiversity, the economics of biodiversity, ecosystems, environmental law, forest conservation, international conventions, marine and coastal areas, natural heritage, species conservation, sustainable development, wetlands, and wildlife trade monitoring.

Use the Internet World Wide Web to order publications!
IUCN Publications Services Unit and the IUCN Library have collaborated to make all IUCN publications available. The service covers in-print and out-of-print titles from 1948 to present as well as those from CITES, Ramsar, TRAFFIC and WCMC.
http://iucn.org/bookstore/index.html.
For a free copy of the 1998 World Conservation Bookstore publications catalogue, please contact:

Elaine Slaghnessy, Head, IUCN Publications Services Unit, 29919c Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 ODL, UK.
Tel: ++44 1223 377894; Fax: ++44 1223 277175
E-mail: elaine.slaughnessy@wcme.org.uk
http://iucn.org


ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING IN EUROPE

A NEW EFC PUBLICATION


Christo Velkov, Marketing Coordinator
European Foundation Centre
51, rue de la Concorde
1050 Brussels, Belgium
Tel.: 32-2-5128938/Fax: 32-2-5123265
E-mail: efc@efc.be (or firstname@efc.be)

This directory was published expressly to address your funding information needs in the environmental sector. For the first time, a wide range of environmental funding information is combined in one easy-to-use volume. This directory contains 190 detai led profiles of foundations and corporate funders active in this field, representing over 294 million ECU (330 million US$) in total environmental support awarded each year.
Sustainable development, pollution prevention, renewable energy, eco-tourism, recycling, and natural habitats - wherever you work in the environment, this book addresses your needs. The coverage of the environment funding is comprehensive - from alter native energy through to water pollution.
This research tool provides you with a host of important funding information.
In Environmental Funding in Europe you will find: funders active in 31 European countries and worldwide
  • 190 fact-filled profiles - including 36 corporate funders
  • advice for successful fundraising campaigns
  • 6 quick access indexes
  • a bibliography, a glossary, list of governmental contacts, and more.

The facts you need - profiles include funder contact information, reviews of program interests, purpose and funding limitation statements, application guidelines, financial details, names of key officers, and much more. Wherever you work - in Western Euro pe, Central/Eastern Europe, or elsewhere in the world - you will be able to locate funders active in your region. Foundations rage from the Umwelt Stiftung and the Luso-American Development Foundation to the International Renaissance Foundation and Milieu kontakt Oost-Europa. Corporate funders include, amongst others, Apple, the Body Shop, British Airways, IBM, Hitachi, Patagonia and Unilever.
Thanks to support from the funding community, the directory costs only 45 ECU (50 US$). If you want to receive a copy of this directory you can contact the address above.


INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT
THE INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLITY STUDIES
KIBBUTZ GEZER, ISRAEL
The Institute for Sustainability Studies (ISS),
Kibbutz Gezer, Israel

The Institute for Sustainability Studies (ISS) has several environmental internship opportunities available at its facilities at Kibbutz Gezer. The ISS is a newly-established, independent think tank and off-campus center for instruction in social and appl ied ecology. Its focus is similar to the Human Dimensions of Global Change Project with an emphasis on the human aspects of environmental change. Current Earth Internship opportunities include work in the areas of:
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Translation (Hebrew, Arabic, English)
  • Marketing and Publicity
  • Automated data base/spreadsheets Applied
Ecology Projects (Earth Building, Bioorganic,
Agriculture, Sustainability Planning Projects, etc.)
Earth Internships are available year-round and the length of time of the internship is flexible, ranging from two months to one year. ISS staff are available to mentor Interns who wish to obtain academic or advanced professional credit in directed reading s/ directed research from their home university or institution. Subsidies offered by Kibbuts Gezer enable the ISS to offer room and board at the discounted rate of $ 300 per month. A limited number of scholarships is available.

Candidates should send a letter of application to:
Deb Dvir, ISS Earth Internship Committee, Kibbutz Gezer, D.N. Shimshon, Israel 99786,
by fax to: 972-8-9270-736 Attn: Deb Dvir or by e-mail to: tlw@gezernet.co.ol




News from the National branches



CEI/COSTA RICA


Mr. Jose Miguel Molina
PO Box 1000-1000
Costa Rica
Tel.: +506-2335018
Fax: +506-2554527
E-mail: jmolina@vida.org

CEI Costa Rica has now been officially established. A delegation will be attending the 12th conference in order to propose to host the 13th CEI conference and to experience a CEI conference first hand. Below you find some provisional and sketchy ideas abo ut a potential conference which still has to be approved by the CEI-board. The conference would be organised by Caretakers of the Environment Costa Rica and Instituto para la Promoción de la Sostenibilidad. CEI/Costa Rica is actively seeking sponsors for the conference.

DATE: From June 27th to the 4th of July 1999
PLACE: EARTH (Escuela de Agricultura de la Región Tropical Húmeda)
MAIN TOPIC: The paper of the Youth and the education in the construction of the new Project Sustainable Society of the 21st. Century
PROPOSED SUBTOPICS
FOR DISCUSSION:		 Caretakers Project in Latin America
Eco-tourism and Education
New technologies (internet and Multimedias) in Environmental Education
National Park systems and biodiversity in Costa Rica, natural human heritage
What happened with the Agenda 21 and the Earth's Charter?

For more information about CEI/Costa Rica and its plans to host CEI-1999 contact José Miguel Molina (email: jmolina@sol.racsa.co.cr)






CEI/PAKISTAN

c/o M. Majid Bashir
H 48-16. M.A. Road
Dohatta Colony
Ichhra, Lahore, Pakistan
phone: + 042-7579605
fax: + 042-5753268

CEI/Pakistan has constituted a special board to select the students who can represent their school and country at the 12th CEI conference in Ireland. The Pakistani delegation will consist of 10 members representing four schools, provided they will get the necessary visas from both Ireland and the UK. Thanks to M/s Majid & Company and the work of past CEI/Pakistan representatives 300 T-shirts were made available to the CEI umbrella organization to help CEI in its fundraising efforts.
Several projects were carried out in the last year along with other NGO's and environmental clubs including; sustainable timber cutting, developing drainage systems, shopper bags and local waste reduction.


CEI / THE NETHERLANDS

c/o Joke Wals
Waterbieskreek 36
2353 JH Leiderdorp
The Netherlands

Cei the Netherlands has organised an environmental project competition for secondary schools in the Netherlands. Three schools won a prize:
  • Jan Arentszcollege in Alkmaar, with a seawaterproject.
  • KSG Etten-Leur with the project: "Design a poststamp about: Care for the environment 1998" and
  • the Kay-Munkcollege in Hoofddorp with the project "an environment-friendly scene".
The three schools got a subsidy to visit the conference in Ireland.