Awareness

Field trips for schools
Education

Field trips raise awareness

Raising awareness of Lanzarote’s wildlife amongst children is important to our organisation. It is surprising that even on such a small island as Lanzarote, many children know very little about local species, how these species interconnect and how humans’ actions impact on nature and the sustainability of our island. Our aim is to organise exciting and memorable school trips to the desert so that young people become our greatest supporters.

Our day usually starts with a short lecture supported by a photographic show during which we explain how the orography and the volcanic action shaped Lanzarote in the area of El Jable, that is so unique also for the way life has colonised it. After that we take the groups out on field trips. As it is impossible to hold the attention of 30 children/teenagers at the same time, we divide classes into 3 smaller groups for 3 specific activities circuit, so…

Every child gets to do all
the activities during
their time with us.

One group will go on a birdwatching jeep safari. We talk about bird behaviour, their habitat requirements and the strategies they adopt to survive and flourish in such a harsh environment to encourage children’s interest and empathy.

Another group will visit the work of an organic farmer producing crops in the desert without water the way their forefathers have done for centuries. It is a system of agriculture that is at risk of being forgotten.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations is interested as the traditional agriculture in the desert is one of the world´s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems candidates.

The children will learn how sweet potatoes, watermelons, squash, tomatoes and other crops grow in sand…without a single drop of water. The children will have an opportunity to try planting crops themselves. They will be shown how organic manual farming is compatible with wildlife conservation.

A third group will pick up litter. It is incredible how many beer cans and bottles are thrown away onto this delicate protected space. This activity can be surprisingly interesting as occasionally little animals that have been trapped in bottles and tin cans, so the children may find and rescue a live lizard or gecko from a can, an experience they will never forget.

To prepare this format of activities we have put a lot of time, resources and everything we have learnt through our experience, is an opportunity and we want to make the most of it and we have found that the field trips are very successful in conveying our message.

Global Community action programme

Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots

We are very proud to be one of the Roots & Shoots groups of the Jane Goodall Institute! Our methodology and ethics match their program so why not to learn from the best! We are now one of the 7100 groups in 50 countries all over the world. The group is a source of inspiration providing material for our work with children. It is very exciting to be able to communicate with children from different countries and to share their experiences.
Children can also participate in different contests and competitions including story telling, nature photography or artwork.
Roots & Shoots is a global community action programme founded by Dr. Jane Goodall in 1991. The programme aims to inspire, empower and encourage young people all over the world.
It shows them how to follow their passions, take actions together and become the change our world needs. That way, we can all ensure a better future for people, animals and the environment.
Roots & Shoots encourages youths to implement practical positive change by providing teachers and team leaders with free resources and a place to share their success stories with the world.

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