Workshop graduates ready to advance ecological awareness

The 24 participants who passed the final exam of the Nature Education Teacher Training Workshop organized by Beijing Forestry University from Nov 17 to 19 made the grade when it comes to advancing ecological awareness.

They include university lecturers, college students, vocational teachers, primary and secondary school educators and landscape designers from Hebei, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Shandong and Qinghai provinces.

The courses were delivered by qualified instructors with theoretical knowledge and extensive practical experience in observing and explaining nature.

The material covered such topics as pedagogy, nature-education base planning, handicrafts, insect identification and bird-watching.

Classes, usually held in forests and parks, often included daytime and nighttime hikes through forests and parks to not only encounter wildlife and their traces but also to cultivate a sense of stewardship. They sometimes also made artworks from objects found in the wild.

Likewise, last year, the Shanghai Forestry Society and the Jiangxi Forestry Society co-hosted a national nature education teacher training workshop in Shanghai.

All 25 participants received the Nature Education Teacher certificate from the Chinese Society of Forestry, becoming the first group certified in the city, the Shanghai Morning Post reported.

Founder of a nature education school in Shanghai, Qian Difei, who was among the first batch of graduates, was quoted as saying: "Many years ago, we referred to our activities as children's botanical education. Back then, the concept of nature education wasn't commonplace in China. The training enabled me to delve deeper into the theoretical framework, curriculum design and practical aspects of nature education."

Shanghai Nature Education Main School president Qian Bojin told the post about the city's commitment to enriching the pool of relevant professionals. The municipality had licensed 31 nature education schools.

The goal is to create renowned event brands that cater to all age groups, offering a balance of knowledge, science, fun and practical experience, Qian Bojin was quoted as saying.

Chenshan Botanical Garden official Wang Ximin told the Post that nature education should not be confined to botanical gardens or parks. He envisioned a future in which activities run every weekend in various locations across Shanghai.