EEDNZ: Environmental Education Directory of New Zealand
This NZ National Directory of Environmental Education Resources is an outcome of a major interest in sustainable management of our environment. The Government's Environment 2010 Strategy (September 1995) identified environmental education as an important means of encouraging responsible behaviour and enabling people to participate effectively in protecting and managing New Zealand's natural and physical resources. This led to the production of the 1998 National Strategy for Environmental Education - Learning to Care for Our Environment.
The New Zealand National Strategy identified as one of its priority actions "to support the preparation of a stocktake of environmental education resources". The development of the Sustainable Management environment Directory has been formed for the use of those individuals or groups who want to learn more and stay informed .
Numerous organisations and individuals have produced materials about, in or for the environment. Many materials merely inform people about the environment without attempting to influence values, attitudes and behaviour. However, much of this background information will be important to environmental educators as they gather material for the development of programmes. The range of materaials included in this directory is extensive and includes a variety of approaches for education about the environment (information about environmental phenomena), education in the environment (field studies and other outdoor activities) and education for or with the environment (activities directed at influencing environmental concerns).
All materials have been designed to meet at least one of the objectives of environmental education as stated in the National Strategy,
namely:
- Awareness - to help people understand the impacts of our activities on the environment and our responsibilities.
- Participation - to provide people with the capacity to be actively involved at all levels in helping to resolve environmental problems.
- Attitudes and values - to help people acquire values of concern and responsibility for the environment and be motivated to care for the environment.
- Knowledge and understanding - to help people gain experience in and a basic understanding of the environment and human interaction within it.
- Skills - to help people acquire the skills to participate effectively in decision making that affects the environment and to play a part in identifying and solving environmental problems.
Enjoy your journey through the directory!