A transformative education experience by living and learning together in closeness with nature

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What is the Outdoor Environmental Education Program?

For the first time in Sri Lanka an excitingly interactive and experiential learning opportunity for children to study ecology, evolution, environmental science, sustainable development, and conservation in the field.

The program introduces children to basic ecological concepts through exploration and discovery of the natural environment. It helps promote respect for the environment, an understanding of the impact that humans can have, and the ability of individuals to make a difference.

Our purpose is to inspire in young people a deep and personal concern for nature conservation while instilling in them the need for research and community integration to ensure the success of conservation and development programs.

Immerse your children in an experience that they will never forget!

Goals and Objectives of the Program:

To increase environmental awareness by exposing students to important ecological concepts that are crucial to understanding natural processes.
To build within students a basic understanding of ecological principles and of the components of the environment and their interactions.
To promote respect of the environment as the foundation for maintaining the quality of life and health of the community.
To teach students how personal and community choices and actions can affect the environment both locally and globally, while showing them how they can apply their personal decision-making skills to enhance their own local environment.
To facilitate the development of the knowledge and skills necessary for being a productive member of society, encouraging communication and cooperation.

The OEEP incorporates a variety of different learning styles and field activities into the curriculum, including:

Active demonstrations and participation
Hands-on contact and up close observation
Immersion in the environment, using the senses of smell, touch, hearing, and sight
Role playing and discussion of important and relevant issues

“Tell me, I will forget. Show me, I may remember. Involve me, I’ll understand.”

Program Activities:

Introduction to Field Studies – How to take field notes, to maintain a field journal, and conduct direct and non-direct field observations.
Forest Ecology - Explore different forest communities and learn to identify residents of the forest. Develop awareness of stewardship of forests across the globe.
Animal behavior – Study amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and insects and how to identify them.
Study and Identification of Birds – Learn to identify birds by bird calls, color, size, shape of beak, wings, plumage, food, method of perching, and behavior. Study bird adaptations, niches and different bird habitats.
Life and Death in the Forest - Explore predator-prey relationships. Understand key concepts of habitat, interdependence, food webs of carnivores, herbivores & omnivores, and carrying capacity.
Analyzing Feces (scat, dung, & pellets) - Dissect and examine the contents of dung, scat and pellets to identify the feeding behavior of animals. Learn about predator/prey relationships, hunting, and feeding habits. Examine the role and niche of predators in natural ecosystems.
The Underworld - Understand the importance of decomposition in the ecological processes of the forest
Community Perceptions - Learn why forest co-management is essential for conservation.
Human-Wildlife Conflicts – Observe firsthand the conflicts that results due to habitat destruction, landscape changes, land use practices, and livelihoods of people.
eleID – Learn how to identify individual elephants, their family lives and social behavior.
Sustainable Resource Use - Learn to identify forest plants and their contemporary uses. Discuss issues of alternative and sustainable uses of forests and how it can contribute to conserving biodiversity
GIS, GPS, Orientation, and Mapping – Understand why geography is important for you.

Results:

A group of 13 to 17 years old students who participated in the pilot Outdoor Environmental Education Program had a 54% overall increase with some as high as 300% in their knowledge of wildlife conservation and environmental sciences after the program. Also read an article by the Nation newspaper about the pilot program.

Safety and Security

Wasgamuwa which is in the Matale District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka is one of the safest places in Sri Lanka. The program has been developed giving the highest priority to the safety of the students during all field activities. Students will always be accompanied by a fully qualified and experienced field educator and researchers. The SLWCS conducts orientations, briefings, and presentations at the schools prior to taking students to the field. This ensures that the students are thoroughly briefed about field conditions, rules and regulations.

Special programs are available for families. Facilities are also available for parents who would like to be nearby while their children participate in the program.

Location, Accommodation and Meals

The programs are conducted at the SLWCS Field Research Centers in Wasgamuwa in the Wilgamuwa Division of the Matale District in the Central Province. The site is in the eastern foothills of the Knuckles mountain range and on the southern boundary of the Wasgamuwa National Park and west of the mighty Mahaweli River. There are dorm style lodges, cabanas, and tented camps with modern bathrooms facilities. The water for drinking and bathing is supplied from a perennial spring and reservoir. Tigo mobile phones have good coverage in the area.

Rates

A five day (4-night) program with a minimum of 20 participants costs Rs. 10,000 (US$100) per person. This cost does not include transport to and from the site. A program to offer partial scholarships to groups and individuals and to subsidize rural school children is been developed by seeking sponsorship from corporations, NGOs and individual donors.

Organization and Personnel

The Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society is a national and international non-profit organization committed to the preservation of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity, culture and environment. The Society has been offering experiential learning programs to local and international participants since 2002.

The Outdoor Environmental Education Program is directed by the husband and wife team of Gamini and Therese De Silva. Gamini was the Education Officer of the National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwala where he managed the zoo’s education programs which provided programs for over 1,000 students a day. He was also the immediate supervisor of a large team of Guide Lecturers. Additionally Gamini has worked with Dr Wolfgang Dittus on the Smithsonian Institution funded Toque Macaque Study in Polonnaruwa. Gamini has done extensive research on the distribution patterns and feeding methods of indigenous snakes and tetrapod reptiles of Sri Lanka. Gamini was also in charge of the native butterfly breeding program in the Butterfly Park of the Dehiwala Zoo. Gamini is one of the six founding members and a Life Member of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka. At present he is reading for a Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences at the Open University of Sri Lanka.

Therese received her first degree in Social Sciences from the Open University of Sri Lanka. She has also read for a Masters Degree in Agroforestry at the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture of the University of Peradeniya and will be completing her viva shortly. She also has a Diploma in Personnel Management and Industrial Law and is a qualified secretary. Therese worked as a Guide Lecturer at the National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwala where she conducted education programs to groups of school children ranging from Grade 1 to Advance Level. Therese has also worked with the Lanka Mahila Samithi on the Small Enterprise Development Project in 5 villages in the Kegalle District and 2 villages each in the Matale and Moneragala Districts. She has also worked for Engineering Consultants Limited as a Programme Executive. At present she is the Field Office Manager of the Distance Education Partnership Programme [an ADB funded project component of the Distance Education Modernization Project] and the national consultant of the GTZ/IP Consult REVO Project.

All the logistical and support services will be provided by the fully experienced field staff of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society. The support staff has extensive experience working with over 100 international experiential travelers annually.

Contact Information

Fill in the inquiry form here or Email us at oeep@slwcs.org (add the word "REAL" to the email to bypass our SPAM filter) or call us on +9477-5407961 or +94777-885330.

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