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Environmental Education
and Interpretation

T

here's a lot of stuff about education and interpretation on the web - especially in the US - and here are some links to it, including some of our all-time favourites and some ideas of our own too.

Naturenet's page of games and activities you might find handy.
How to lead guided walks.
National What Week? When is International Bog Day, and so on and so on.... check it all here. We've rounded up all the days, weeks and so on we can think of. If yours is missing, do let us know.
Press releases and other media matters: Naturenet's down-to-earth guide to all you need to know.
Impacts Of Tourism On The Environment: apparently, by the number of times Naturenet gets asked this one, this is a very popular essay question. So here's a link to some resources to help you find the answer, and stop asking us about it.
New Ideas in Environmental Education: an article especially written for Naturenet by Phil Eckett, about using Native American stories in education, accompanied by some stories you can use yourself.
Education for Sustainable Development Scotland: involved in environmental education in Scotland? This one's for you.
Association for Heritage Interpretation: used to be SIBH. Look up the articles from the journal, there are loads of good ones in their archive.
The Institute for Earth Education (U.K.): no material to download but some good info on some great courses you can attend, including stuff by the famous Steve Van Matre.
Coastal Explorer: a project from Kent with an online book, ideal for teachers and students needing coastal Geography resources at Key Stage 2.
Young People's Trust for the Environment and Nature Conservation: a very good site with a range of environmental resources suitable for teachers and for students. A great many well written and sensible fact sheets on all sorts of animals, and environmental issues. They also do free school talks if you're within 100 miles of Guildford. I guess it's a sort of consolation prize.
Scottish Interpretation Network: based in Scotland, but welcomes ideas and contacts from elsewhere.

Wildkids describes itself as Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust's interactive adventure into the wonderful world of wildlife for children aged 5-16. Naturenet can't disagree, it is wonderful!
GoWild is Wakefield's local education resource and includes some good examples of nature based projects, especially (but not only) for KS1; including printable worksheets etc. However, look out for the included 'British Vertebrates' site which, though it means well, has some errors (can you spot them?) and some slightly odd images.
SchoolNet: ecology for schools
Council for Environmental Education: a national membership body for organisations and individuals in England committed to environmental education and education for sustainable development.
Learning through Landscapes: resources for developing school grounds for conservation and environmental teaching.
Life Processes and Living Things: QCA website with activities and links for years 1-6.
GeoResources: a splendid geography-oriented site with some very good case studies, see especially Virtual Fieldwork.
National Grid Environmental Education Centres: the National Grid runs a set of well-known and very well resourced education centres around the country. This list will show you the nearest to you. See also Kent NGfL.
The Countryside Code: one of the first, and best known, attempts to painlessly integrate visitors into the countryside.
Action for Biology in Education.
Butterfly 'Sight': this site collates data collected by schools from seven European countries about 12 butterflies. There are "stroll and spot" instructions and a recording sheet, as well as assessment guides and curriculum links. You need to register to get in.
Forest Education Initiative
Sir Robert Hitcham's Primary School, Suffolk: an outrageously good school website with loads of genuinely useful information about wildlife (and all sorts of other stuff), mostly assembled by the children. See especially their habitat guide and the wonderful Living World Keying pages.
Environmental Education Network.
River Ocean Research and Education.
Sebastian Swan: previously Infant Explorer.
Eco-Schools: an environmental award scheme for schools. Like many things with the part-word 'eco' in them, this is not much to do with ecology, and quite a lot to do with sustainable use of resources.
Outdoor Action: US site with some wonderful stuff on wilderness trekking, animal tracking, nature observation and stalking. See especially the Outdoor Action Guide to Building an Outdoor Program with acres of stuff (much relevant to the UK too) about safety, outdoor procedures, and so on.
HEEG-  Hants Environmental  Education Group , Forum for outdoor educators in Hampshire. To join send a blank email to heeguk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com  or visit  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/heeguk
Sussed -  E Ed and Sustainability education group. UK national network for outdoor educators. To join send a blank email to Sussed-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sussed