Environmental Education and its Potential to Support Conservation Activities

Abstract

The extinction of species is often induced by human activity and local communities play therefore a key role in the sustainability of any conservation program. Many conservation programs consequently urge a need to include an education component alongside their conservation actions. Literature review summarizes the problematics of environmental education of biodiversity conservation programs and its evaluation. It namely focuses on link between environmental education and pro-environmental behaviour; specifics for environmental education for developing countries and conservation activities; potential of outdoor excursions within environmental education; and evaluation of environmental education programs. A series of environmental educational programs are being held in order to support conservation of critically endangered Western Derby Eland managed by Czech University of Life Sciences and Directorate of National Parks in Senegal. New programs will be performed in 2015 and evaluated in 2015 and 2016. The thesis aims to evaluate the impact of the environmental education program for school children in the surroundings of the Bandia reserve where conservation of African charismatic fauna takes place, with critically endangered Western Derby eland as conservation flagship. Using the 2-Factor Model of Environmental Values it will be investigated whether there is a positive link between increased environmental knowledge and change of attitudes. Secondly, the outdoor excursion will be compared with multimedia presentation in class settings in terms of effectivity on long term-remaining knowledge and change of attitudes towards nature conservation. The socio-cultural background (urban x rural areas) and previous experience with wildlife of respondents will be assessed for its impact on environmental knowledge and attitudes towards wildlife