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 A vision of nature and people thriving together should not be difficult to imagine. It is the stuff of children’s picture books where pages are adorned with patchwork hills and towering trees, buzzing meadows abundant with wildlife, and sparkling seas and rivers. But delivering our vision for Wales in 2030 as a land where nature and people thrive together is challenging, because right now, nature and people are not thriving together. Far from it.
From devastating floods, wildfires, and droughts to the disappearance of species like the curlew and declining habitats, the stark impact of the climate and nature crises on our communities is clear to see. Join our urgent call to action to halt nature’s decline and mitigate and adapt to climate change. Provide your learners with opportunities to learn in, learn about and learn for nature during 2024. This monthly newsletter will provide you with the latest outdoor learning and climate education news, and ideas and resources to support you, so keep and eye on your inbox!
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You and your learners are invited to celebrate your connection to nature and the great outdoors as a week-long series of events returns. Wales Outdoor Learning Week 2024, will take place between 22nd and 28th April and aims to encourage and inspire educators, teachers, learning groups and families in Wales to embed nature into school and family life and reap the many benefits it brings. The theme this year is 'Ethical and Informed Citizens'. What will you and your learners be doing?
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Our training courses offer hands-on activities, ideas, and access to learning resources. They will help you build confidence and provide opportunities to network with others.
We know training budgets are tight, so working in close partnership with colleagues from Techniquest and STEM Learning UK we deliver free, high-quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) themed training sessions, with a £165 bursary supplied by STEM Learning towards supply costs.
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On 25 January we celebrate the day of Saint Dwynwen, our patron saint of love and friendship.
Llanddwyn Island, Anglesey is home to the ruins of an ancient church dedicated to Dwynwen, the patron saint of lovers in Wales. In Welsh, Llanddwyn means ‘the church of Saint Dwynwen’ and the story of Saint Dwynwen, patron saint of lovers in Wales, is associated with the island. Dwynwen was the daughter of a 5th century king. She is said to have retreated to Llanddwyn after falling in love and she set up a religious enclosure there. Over the years this beautiful island became a popular place of pilgrimage and today people celebrate Saint Dwynwen's Day on 25 January.
Sending a card not your learners’ ‘couple’ of tea? Encourage them to find heart in nature instead!
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 Our cross curricular CPD webinars cover a range of topics and are brimming with activity ideas to support you to get your class or group learning in, about and for the natural environment. Usually lasting about an hour, all attendees receive a follow up document with web links to all the resources mentioned along with a recording of the webinar.
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Have you ever wished a tree a happy birthday?
Trees feature in the tales and stories of religions across the world. The Jewish faith commemorates the New Year for Trees on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. Known as Tu BiShvat, the birthday of trees begins at sundown on the 24th January and ends at sundown on 25th January 2024.
In ancient times, Tu BiShvat was a date on the calendar that helped farmers establish when they should bring their fourth-year produce of fruit from recently planted trees to the Temple as first-fruit offerings. These days, Tu BiShvat is an environmental holiday which reminds Jews of their duty to care for the natural world with many taking part in tree-planting ceremonies. Why not investigate this further? Or why not have a go at planting a tree with your learners? Our activity plan explains everything you need to know - when and where to plant and how to protect and look after your new trees.
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Take part at home
Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, the world’s largest garden wildlife survey, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring. Participants are invited to choose an hour between 26th and 28th January and record the birds that land in their garden. Recording the highest number of each bird species they see at any one time, participants can submit their results online or by post.
Take part as a school
Find out which birds visit your school grounds. Sign up and the RSPB will send you a bilingual pack with everything that you and your class need to take part in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch. Get counting in your school grounds and submit results online by the 19th of February 2024.
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One of the most sustainable ways to embed outdoor learning, climate and nature education is to encourage staff to gain qualifications which give them the confidence to practice and improve their skills. The Outdoor Learning Training Network Wales (OLTNW) is an all-Wales network ensuring high quality and standards in the development and delivery of accredited outdoor learning courses. In partnership with Agored Cymru, OLTNW members have developed a series of Level 1 to 4 qualifications in Outdoor Learning Pedagogy, Outdoor Learning and Play, Forest School, Coastal School and Well-being in Nature, .
It is recommended that you use members of the Outdoor Learning Training Network Wales (OLTNW) to provide your training.
All the trainers listed satisfy the requirements set out by OLTNW and are delivering up to date training set in a Welsh context, which is quality reviewed on a regular basis.
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Nominations for the NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording 2024 are open.
The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas Wales holds over 12 million species occurrence records for Wales. The atlas collates biodiversity data from multiple sources and makes it available and usable online. Organisations and volunteers across the UK work tirelessly to record information on wildlife, helping to transform data into conservation.
The NBN want to recognise as many individuals and groups as possible for the work they do in providing the evidence to protect and restore biodiversity. Help celebrate the dedication and achievements of the many unsung heroes of the recording world by nominating someone you know who is contributing to our knowledge and understanding of biodiversity through the work they do or the records they make.
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The Freshwater Habitats Trust invites you and your learners to help protect the nation’s much-loved amphibians by spotting frog and toad spawn. Whether your setting has its own pond or you ‘spawn’ a chance encounter, anyone can take part in the survey by recording their finds and uploading their results to the PondNet Spawn Survey on the Freshwater Habitats Trust website.
The data generated helps to build a picture of how and where amphibians are living in the UK. The Freshwater Habitats Trust has traditionally opened the survey in January, but the 2024 PondNet Spawn Survey launched on the 1st December because of sightings coming in earlier each year. You and your learners can share your spawn finds by posting photographs and videos on social media, using the hashtag #SpawnSurvey.
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Our Education, learning and play YouTube playlist offers a range of a short how-to videos to provide inspiration for some outdoor adventures.
Would you like regular outdoor learning updates and news? Why not follow the Outdoor Learning Wales X account or join the closed Facebook Group which both offer a platform to keep up to date, spread the word of ongoing projects and facilitate discussions with anyone with an interest in outdoor learning, climate and nature education in Wales.
You are receiving this newsletter because you have previously attended a training course run by NRW or have requested to join the NRW Education or Outdoor Learning Wales Network Group mailing lists. We hope you found it useful but if you wish to be removed, please respond using the ‘Unsubscribe’ option below.
Alternatively, if you’ve been forwarded this newsletter and would like to subscribe so you never miss an issue, sign up here.
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