EEGM
Environmental Education in Gulf of Mannar:
Gulf of Mannar is the first Marine area in India to be declared as a World Biosphere Reserve. Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GOMBRT), a body formed by the Government of Tamil Nadu with support from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), has been supporting an initiative of CEE TN titled Environmental Education in Gulf of Mannar.
The programme strives to inform the public through schoolchildren about the importance of the Gulf and its rich natural resources, to make them aware of the various environmental issues in the region and the need to conserve the biosphere reserve. As part of this programme, two education packages were developed:
A Teachers Manual seeks to help teachers understand the importance and wealth of the biosphere and issues concerning it. The manual discusses the general features and the importance of the oceans; presents the features, history and culture of the biosphere; discusses the different types of ecosystems; details the biodiversity of the region; emphasizes various issues and concerns; and showcases initiatives at the regional, national and international level to conserve the biosphere reserve. Each activity stands by itself and includes a step-by-step explanation of how to carry it out. All these activities were field-tested.
During field trips over the last couple of years, both CEE and the teachers realised that there was a need for a field guide. A small booklet that would help students and adults to recognise and identify the biological wealth of the region was required. This was developed in the review period. Contact:
CEE South
Kamala Mansion
143, Infantry Road
Bangalore - 560 001
Karnataka
Tel: 080 - 22869094/22869907
Fax: 080 - 22868209
E-mail: [email protected]
Established as a Centre of Excellence of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India.
