Environmental Education and Interpretation

Environmental education is a broad subject, ranging from staff training to the provision of site or teacher’s packs. At Penny Anderson Associates Ltd. (PAA), we have developed expertise in ecological and environmental matters which we endeavour to disseminate more widely to aid the various nature conservation and environmental debates and to engage with both specialist environmental education and the general public. Within our highly skilled and experienced team, we have a number of ecologists and earth scientists with teaching qualifications and experience of teaching and lecturing, workshop leadership and the preparation of materials for all levels of education.

Environmental Education
We contribute to environmental and ecological education in a number of ways, including:

• In-service training, for example sessions on environmental developments have been provided for BTEC and Diploma courses;
• Seminars, lectures and training courses on the interaction between wildlife and recreation, the ecology of various habitats, SuDS, river restoration and on habitat creation and management are regularly provided e.g. for Flora Locale, and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM);
• Regular contributions to lecture courses/tutorials/workshops at different venues, including educational establishments, postgraduate and undergraduate courses and others such as academic research conferences and continuing professional development activities;
• Specialist sessions on subjects such as protected species, SUDS and the scope for habitat creation to other professions such as planners, landscape architects and architects;
• Preparation of articles and books e.g. Habitat Creation and Repair, Gilbert O & Anderson P (1997 OUP), Wildlife of Mountains and Moorlands, Anderson P (1982 Macdonald & Co);
• Involvement in developing new degree courses and supervising student theses at various institutions; and
• Providing work experience opportunities for school and university students.
  
  
  Environmental Interpretation and Guidance
  It is increasingly important that ecological and environmental projects are accessible to the general public. Many new government initiatives seek to integrate such projects into the wider picture in terms of public understanding and appreciation, public access to nature and open green spaces, and better public health and activity levels for all ages. PAA has prepared a variety of materials for environmental education and interpretation, both published and unpublished, site specific and general. It is usually beneficial to prepare an interpretive plan so that the most appropriate kind of materials and approaches can be identified, designed and integrated. We incorporate the story for a site rather than just focusing on ecology.
  
  
  
  
  Our involvement in environmental interpretation and guidance has included the following:
• Posters;
• Interpretation boards to illustrate ecological enhancement and habitat creation projects;
• Teachers’ packs, incorporating guidance notes, worksheets, computer discs and identification sheets;
• Newsletters for projects;
• Developing a ‘Friends of…’ Group for projects and providing training, information, talks and guided walks;
• Trails on various environmental themes for all age groups and abilities, varying from basic spotting games for young children (e.g. deer park bingo), to worksheets for school children, to sophisticated booklets for university students on a range of subjects that integrate all the interests of an area;
• Illustrated talks and materials for groups such as Parish Councils or local action groups;
• Guidance sheets for land managers e.g. on sustainable upland management for nature conservation, shooting and grazing;
• Site specific guides and books.

For more details on our services relating to environmental
education and interpretation, please contact us