Environmental Education (EE) Subcommittee (SC) meeting under Anzali Wetland Ecological Management, Phase-II, was held, on 6th June 2017, in Department of Environment Office (DOE), attended by DOE Gilan, Education Organization (EO), Gilan, and Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adult (Kanoon), and NGOs members of EE subcommittee including Gilan Women against Environmental Pollution Society (GWEPS), Gilan Women and Youths Environmentalist Society (GWYES), Sarzamin-e -ideal ma Environmental Institute (SEI).
At the beginning of the meeting each subcommittee members shared the current progress of Joint Pilot Activities (JPAs) in 3rdyear. Preparation of New year booklet for both primary and secondary levels, development of Anzali Wetland booklet for lower secondary levels, implementation of EE programs for students in summer holidays, and EE programs for principals and teachers by utilizing the Anzali EE center, as well as implementing the first students internet communication between Iran and Japan in order to introduce both schools and wetlands were among the implemented programs by EO. World Wetland Day Event, which had different parts including exhibition part and some other EE programs such as book reading focus on Anzali Wetland, origami crafts, storytelling, anthem, nature games, as well as implementing EE programs in rural schools, and EE programs for students members of Kanoon in Anzali EE center were implementation activities reported by Kanoon.
Also NGOs explained about some of the EE programs by utilizing the Anzali Wetland EE center, and workshop for the local people in Somesara regarding the removal activity of Water Hyacinth and waste collecting activities in JBK, and waste management workshop for local women in Pirbazar village.
Then Ms. Junko Masaki, Environmental Education Expert from JICA Expert Team informed the JPAs implementation plan in 4th year by each SC members. These programs are including preparation of new EE materials, implementation of teacher training program, implementation of EE programs in model schools by EO, implementation of EE program by DOE, EO, Kanoon, and NGOs. And finally EE programs for boat riders, public relations activities such as implementation of Events, PR by Website and Mass-media, preparation and distribution of calendars, leaflet and posters by DOE are some of the JPAs planned for 4th years. Other JPAs will be added.
In this SC meeting, members discussed about operation and management of Anzali Wetland EE center and it was decided that NGOs started the trial public open at the weekend. The center with facility such as watching tower and bird hide is usually closed for public except specific education program. There are many tourists to visit picnic, café, and restaurant and fishing site around the EE center in weekend; however they can’t access the center now. The opportunities of tourist know and feel real nature of wetland were unfortunately lost because of closing the center. EE SC needs to boost the utilization of the EE center by public open in cooperation with NGOs.
JET also planned to have 5 parts EE programs to train the instructors and experts of DOE, Kanoon, and NGOs in order to expand the EE programs by utilizing the Anzali EE center during summer 2017.
