Environmental Education in Rural Schools

  The Environmental Education of Schoolchildren in villages inside of the Lake Arpi National Park is important for two reasons. 
  Firstly, children should know not only agricultural value of the land where they live, but also the value of its wildlife heritage. They should be aware that this little piece of undisturbed land is one of the last refuges for number of plant and animal species. 
  Secondly, with the undertaken course of ecotourism development in the National Park, nature tourist guides will be demanded, and the children, who become familiar with the motherland nature with help of specialists and who will continue his/her education in this direction will have good chances to take appropriate position in staff of the National Park.

Schoolchildren visited for the environmental classes, Mets Sepasar village

That is why we designed the Environmental Education Classes in two major ways.

Cycle of classes, which are aimed at providing information on the rare species of animals and plants of the National Park that includes description of the species, its unique characteristics, its habitats and of course the current and potential threats. In frames of these classes children have been suggesting their vision of how to protect those rare species.

Environmental Education Class
Questionnaire about Flora and Fauna of the National Park

Cycle of classes, which are aimed at getting children familiar with the popular objects (bird and butterfly species) of ecotourism. Each class was including training in species identification, which was held in a game manner.

Bird Identification Quiz
The quiz winner receives prize
In frames of these classes children were taken to excursions, where they have been testing and improving obtained skills in bird and butterfly identification.

Field excursion as part of classes
Finding birds
Testing skills in bird identification
Butterfly identification lesson