E
Environment
Getting to know your local environment and how to look out for it can be at the heart of endless days out, activities and games.
Chris Holland of Wholeland has a very wide and very wild repertoire of environmental-based activities he will run for you at your base or on camp. Includes survival skills, environmental art, aboriginal songlines, wild food, medicinal plants, animal tracking and much more. A blend of working with what is there in each season, bushcraft (making string, baskets, shelters, fires etc), landscape gardening and being inspired by forms, patterns and sounds of the natural world we are part of. Designed to supplement and enhance the national curriculum, Wholeland's in-school programme can provide crucial development in the curricula of global citizenship and education for sustainable development. In the spirit of wholeness the in-schools education programme aims to be cross-curricular and encourage cultural awareness and well as a respect for nature as a whole.
Chris can accompany you for a camping session somewhere, but why not go on a WildOnes residential course. Chris works with WildWise to provide you with first class outdoor education programmes.
Wildwise design and deliver excellent environmental education and training programmes for national and regional environmental organisations, including planning and delivery of education and training programmes, a range of courses for school children through to professional development programmes, planning and running events and project management for large environmental projects.
The Field Studies Council is a national environmental education charity with seventeen centres dramatically located throughout the UK. It runs residential and day fieldwork and activity courses for different age groups, organises over 600 residential and day courses on Natural History and the Arts, including family courses and exciting overseas tours. They also run over 200 professional development courses, plus INSET training and Safety Management courses for environmental professionals, teachers and outdoor leaders.
Groundwork is a federation of Trusts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, each working with their partners to improve the quality of the local environment, the lives of local people and the success of local businesses in areas in need of investment and support.
Second Nature provide environmental education activities at your school or a local woodland, park or nature reserve of your choice. They offer safe activity based and curriculum relevant experiences for all age ranges and abilities with the aim of sharing the joy of nature and instilling the desire to protect our wonderful wild world.
The Black Environment Network works to enable black and other minority ethnic communities to participate in their environment. Also offer training and consultancy around ethnic environmental participation.
The Council for Environmental Education is a national membership body for organisations and individuals in England committed to environmental education and education for sustainable development.
Forest School Camps draw their philosophy from progressive educators, from the Woodcraft movements, the Native Americans, from Quakers and others. Their education is about "discovering for oneself how to do something, rather than being told in the abstract. Children and staff find themselves in situations that encourage this; the outdoors demands and encourages learning. At camp we aim to teach ourselves how to live with independence and responsibility; concern and care for ourselves, other people and the environment; resourcefulness and self-confidence; tolerance and respect. FSC is determined that all people be treated equally regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, religion and disability. A Native American belief is that you will only be in touch with nature if you 'sit and sleep on the earth'. This feeling for the wholeness of life on our planet is expressed in some of our rituals and the names we give things at camp".
Kandu Arts - has a mission to research and develop innovative approaches for engaging all members of the community, including organisations and businesses, in a practical exploration of sustainable development issues.
Bristol is well equipped with some excellent environmentally friendly resources, so make the most of them:
@Bristol - a fascinating if pricey place to take a group. Wildwalk@Bristol is a world first and will change your view of the natural world forever. Over 95% of animal species are smaller than a hen’s egg, and Wildwalk lets you look at them in a totally new way, using live plants and animals, stunning images and sounds, and a walk through a rainforest.
Avon Wildlife Trust has loads of ideas for local activity, including links to Wildlife Watch, a national environmental club for young people. Call them for info on Willsbridge Mill and Folly Farm based activities and courses. Folly Farm Earth Education Programme is an innovative and imaginative environmental education programme based at a beautiful 250-acre farm and nature reserve 8 miles south of Bristol, just off the A368 Bath to Weston-super-Mare road and close to Bishop Sutton. It is open to the public all year and is a great place for a picnic.
Try the artists' database www.creativelearningagency.org.uk under Environmental Art if you want to combine arts and the environment
Bristol Zoo is good for picnics, or part of a trip to the Downs. The Zoo runs several conservation trails around the site.
The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) supports the involvement of young people in practical activities in their many and varied conservation programmes.
The Create Centre is the centre for all things sustainable in Bristol. A number of environment-related projects run from the Create warehouse in Smeaton Road.
Dorset Wildlife Trust has 35 reserves in Dorset. Most are open daily, with visitor centres providing wildlife information at Brownsea Island, Purbeck Marine Nature Reserve and Kingcombe Meadows.
Goblin Combe Environment Centre, a campsite and woodland near Cleve, Congresbury, runs environmental-based courses for older young people, with introductions to site management, semi-professional tree preservation, etc.
Charterhouse Centre has a Biodiversity Trail, which teaches groups about the food web, map reading, compass skills and team work, and allows groups to expolore the Mendip countryside at night. Pond dip, build shelters, be artistic with nature and make dream catchers and natural sculptures. Understand rivers, learn about rocks and fossils to discover secrets about their ancient past.
Rocks East Woodland at Ashwicke, nr Chippenham, consists of 100 acres of beautiful woodland only 30 minutes from Bristol, with way-marked paths, information leaflets, guided walks, a magical woodland garden with walled pond, grotto and cave, classrooms, sculpture trail, picnics and barbeques. School, youth and play groups welcome. Informal camping is available accross three fields.
Wyre Forest Discovery Centre, nr Chepstow, runs Forest Fun Days in the holidays. Call 01299 266929 for further information.
Further afield, organise a trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall or the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, Wales.
Embercombe is a stunning fifty acre site with views over Dartmoor National Park and located next to Haldon Forest near Exeter in Devon. Embercombe is the perfect outdoor classroom where they run a huge range of courses, weekend workshops, festivals and camps, all based around the wildlife habitats, organic gardens, deciduous woodlands and farmland that makes up the beautiful site.
The Woodcraft Folk are a great outdoors organization for young people, a slightly more alternative version of Brownies, Guides, etc. Contact them for their activity pack for children and young people, as well as for details on when and where their Bristol groups meet.
The Avon Wildlife Trust website is a good source of information relating to activities, events and resources that encourage and facilitate engagement with the natural world.
See also Gardening, Bird watching, Forest schools, Volunteering