Conservation education is the process of influencing people’s attitudes, emotions, knowledge, and behaviors about wildlife and wild places. This is done through the efforts of skilled educators and interpreters, who use a variety of techniques, methods, and assessments to reconnect people with the natural world. The Conservation Education section of this website provides the tools to start, expand, or refresh any conservation education program.
Effective Education
by Markus Gusset and Rachel Lowry, WAZA Executive Office, IUCN Conservation Center, WAZA magazine Vol 15/2014
Zoos and aquariums reportedly attract over 700 million visits worldwide every year. So, can these visits serve a wider public engagement purpose by promoting awareness of biodiversity and sustainable behaviour?
by P. Wesley Schultz California State University, Department of Psychology, from Conservation Biology, Volume 25, No. 6, 2011
Conservation biologists can play a central role in promoting
changes in human behavior.
Conservation and Education: Inextricably Intertwined
by James Danoff-Burg, Director, Conservation Education Division
San Diego Zoo Global, from the San Diego Zoo Global, Conservation Update, Winter, 2011
What makes a successful conservation project? How does human economic well-being relate to conservation success? These are questions San Diego Zoo Global considers with all of their conservation projects.
National Wildlife Federation’s Back to School, Back Outside!
How Outdoor Education and Outdoor School Time Creates High Performance Students
by Kevin J. Coyle
National Wildlife Federation summarized a collection of studies on how time spent outside improves children’s lifelong learning skills, prospects for career success and school test scores.
Fledglings: Creating Knowledgeable and Responsible Future Avian Caretakers
by Nicholas Bishop and Shane Hancock
The Parrot Society of Australia has developed a child-focused magazine, Fledglings. This magazine aims to share these stunning and charismatic animals while also educating and engaging children in the career of avian keeping.
Developing a Conservation Education Program
by Kathy Lehnhardt
Curator of Education, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
A tool for new or experienced educators who wish to refresh their program development process.
Trends in (AZA) Conservation Education A Primer
By Jackie Ogden, PHD, Chris Gentile, and Barbara Revard
AZA Communique, August 2005
This article is from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Communique. It discusses current and long-term conservation education trends in the U.S.