Education and Outreach

Education activities were carried out for the Botswana Bird Club by Ann Kerton for several years up to the mid-1990s. She worked closely with Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) education officers and sent out seven instalments of bird materials to Wildlife Clubs.

Ann worked hard on mounting displays (with contests and prizes to be won) at the Trade Fairs and World Environment Day celebrations. These were popular and she continued doing them and assisting at teacher/DWNP officer environmental education workshops with presentations on birds.

Doreen McColaugh then assumed the role of Education Officer. Doreen represents BirdLife Botswana on the National Environmental Education Committee (NEEC), the Ministry of Education's Curriculum Development Division environmental education panel, Kalahari Conservation Society Education Sub-committee and Mokolodi Education Centre advisory committee as well as being heavily involved in the Teacher Training & Development and other environmental education training workshops.

Those representation spots on the committees insure BirdLife Botswana a role of a stakeholder in environmental education in Botswana, and with that a role in education about and for birds.
A six-page insert about bird activities for schools and information about BirdLife Botswana has been prepared as a supplement for the School Environmental Policy. Birding Big Day has a write-up for the Environmental Calendar and Birding Big Day noted as a day to celebrate birds as a beautiful part of our environment.

Environmental education teacher training workshops given in different parts of the country often (when the BirdLife Botswana Education Officer is available) have presentations and practice on bird watching and bird activities appropriate for schools.

As environmental education evolves in Botswana, BirdLife Botswana considers that for education efforts to be lasting, we must work through the educational system and with classroom teachers, and through them, the children.

Beyond schools, BirdLife Botswana assists with training of professional guides.

In future, BirdLife Botswana aims to undertake the following:

• Offer advanced ornithological training to selected candidates.
• Encourage those that do not have bird lists to make them, and those that do to keep them updated.
• Offer to do bird walks with children (and adults) at schools or in communities.
• Prepare talks to be given to schools.
• Encourage starting Junior BirdLife Clubs in schools.
• Continue bird activity presentations at environmental education teacher workshops.
• Continue preparing bird teaching materials.

Beginners Guide to Birds of Botswana

BLB produced this book to encourage children of Botswana to take an interest in birds.   These books are available to wildlife clubs at schools in Botswana on request.   Schools are encouraged to join the Society free of charge.

Old Calendars Appeal

Do you have any old BirdLife Botswana calendars? Please bring them along to any BLB meeting and we will pass them on to the education officer who is providing schools and wildlife clubs with the bird pictures from them.

For more information contact BirdLife Botswana or email blb@birdlifebotswana.org.bw