Environmental education is not only for children; our projects work with people of all ages
Providing environmental education Young people around the world are raising their voices for the environment more than ever before. However at the same time, increasing urbanisation and a growing detachment from the natural world remains a major existential threat to wildlife across Africa. It is vital that an appreciation of the intrinsic value of nature is cultivated in young people in order to bring forth the next generation of passionate conservationists. Tusk supports projects that help children and young people explore and experience nature, helping them understand the value of the natural world around them and allowing them to influence others in their lives.
Main image Dugong and golden trevally Top C3’s Junior Ecoguards celebrate Dugong Day Credit: C3 Madagascar 19
Tusk Talk | 2022 Magazine
Planting seeds of change C3 Madagascar, Madagascar Embedding responsibility for biodiversity conservation within children’s value systems is a proven means of promoting positive behaviour change towards environmental stewardship in young people. The Junior Ecoguard club network has been providing classroom and outdoor coastal biodiversity activities for over 12 years, and is now present in 100 schools, with 1,500 active members, influencing a wider school population of 35,000 youth, in addition to their wider network of families and friends. In 2021, through C3’s targeted outreach activities and pre and postevaluation of knowledge levels, a dramatic improvement in young people’s awareness levels (by 80%) and their intention to become changemakers in remote and urban communities across Madagascar was witnessed. A knock-on benefit is the great enthusiasm and motivation created by youth within their wider communities for reforestation of coastal vegetation and mangroves, driven by greater understanding of their value in food production and storm protection. Women's associations and schools now invite C3 to come and participate in their own home-grown reforestation efforts. This year, with Covid-19 restrictions finally lifted, C3 will support 4,500 youth in experiencing outdoors conservation classes in endangered species monitoring and protection, reforestation, fisheries management and marine habitat surveys. They are looking forward to training a further 50 education staff and adding a further 20 schools to their Junior Ecoguard network, translating to a further 500 members. Having planted the seeds of knowledge and empowerment, thousands of people are now mobilising community action against climate change and biodiversity loss, which is immensely encouraging to witness, especially in such challenging times!
