Sustainable Community Development Driven by Innovative Environmental Education in Rural Schools in National Parks---The AMAREWA Project

1. Case background

The word AMAREWA refers to"mother's hope" in Tibetan. The AMAREWA project is initiated and promoted by a non-profit organization in Beijing, Fuqun Environmental Technology Institute. The goal of the project in the Three-river Sourceregion, namely the Water Tower of China, is to“promote sustainable development through all-round education”. TheThree-river Source and its conservation directly influences the production and living conditions for 40% population of the world, as it is the most concentrated region for biodiversity and crucial water source and ecological security barrier for China. Meanwhile, the Three-river Source is extremely fragile in the whole ecosystem as it is faced with multiple threatens such as climate change, grassland degradation, wildlife habitat destruction among others. The local shortage of education resources and faculties is evident everywhere, makingtheeducation on environmentalprotectionall the more important.

The Yushu Autonomous Prefecture within the project region is the home of over 30% of adolescent out of the total population, therefore it is imperative to cultivate their environmental awareness and actions in order to continuously bring up green champions for the Three-river Source conservation. Fuqun is dedicated to promoting“natural conservation and sustainable development based on community activities”, bringing more and better education resources into the whole region during the project, andbenefiting more children in their development. In addition,integratingresources in communities and schools,conducting community-based environmental protection activities, and drivingtheinnovative education insustainable development to nurture and enhance the awareness of environmental protection for local people; restoring and conserving the ecological environment in the Three-river Source region while adapting to the impacts brought about by the global climate change; thus achieving sustainable development cross communities from the perspective of environment education.

The AMAREWA project, in response to the 2030 sustainable development agenda and its goals, is a successful example implemented in China.

2. Successful practices

The project was designed and executed on the basis of profound investigations as well as negotiations with multiple stakeholders. Main successful activities are summarized as follow:

1) Identify local demand through the participatory evaluation. In 2016, lots of field surveys were conducted for 250 students in 6 schools; and 50 major stakeholders were interviewed, all for the local demand determination.

2) Compile special textbooks with environmental and sustainable characteristics and emphasis, organize training for faculty and personnel,and create education theaters on environment conservation, so as to generalize the environment education in classrooms and recreational activities. In 2017, the textbook ofI Live in The Three-river Source Region with environment sustainable development characteristics was published in the People's Education Press. The textbook was made specially for over 20,000 students in 4 counties, with nearly 400 teachers trained for the teaching. I Live in The Three-river Source Region, as the first native education textbook on ecological environment in this region, is aimed to guide and educate children for loving and conserving the Three-river Source, the ecological water source. The textbook came from field investigations, with local proverbs, songs, and traditional Tibetan colors represented in the form of pictures and accompanying words, showcasing the unique wild species, geographical features as well as environmental elements involved in this region. Moreover, in the compilation of the textbook, local teachers, Tibetan studies experts, cultural workers and Buddhist monks were all consulted for their suggestions and advice, an embodiment of the simple and pure environmentalism. The school-wide experimental theaters on environment education have produced excellent eco-environment plays and successful theater festivals.

3) Integrated development of schools and communities, engaging communities and local residents through school education in environment protection. In 2018, sustainable education was carried out in experimental schools and involved over 2,000 herdsmen cross communities in the publicity. The professional ability in eco-environment education for school teachers and local governing authorities, as well as the awareness of students and local residents in conserving natural resources and the bio-diversity was greatly strengthened.

4) Promote the upgrading anddevelopment of education with environmental characteristics via the verification of international ecological schools. In 2019, one pilot school in the Three-river Source Region was designated as the first international ecological school, the pilot school and education center for environment and sustainable development. This successful practice was generalized to another 5 schools covering 50 eligible teachers in sustainable development education.

5) Compile guides for green school education to reinforce the sustainability and replicability of these successful environment education and practices. In 2020, the guides for green school education was compiled, and the model of environment and sustainable development (ESD) was applied in 13 schools covering 5,500 students and faculties. Two more schools were certified as ecologically eligible.   

6) Conduct project performance evaluation. The project employed the monitoring system of“input-output-impact”; quarterly and annually performance evaluations were carried out by means of questionnaires, interviews and field surveys.

3. Main achievements

The achievements of the AMAREWA project mainly include:

1) The project integrated textbooks of eco-environment education with guides on green school education, and pushed for the construction of 3 schools certified as international school of ecology, pilot schools and education centers.

2) About 40,000 residents benefited from the project which was popularized in 13 schools, 5,500 students and faculties.

3) 9 health infrastructure projects were built, benefiting 1,761 students and faculties.

4) 295 teachers were enhanced in their proficiency in sustainable environment education upon the expert training activities.

5) The general awareness of community-wide environment protection was greatly enhanced as a result of the school-community union by integration.

6) The project is sustainable per se and can be replicated.

Sustainability: Customized textbooks and detailed educators’ guides;

Sustainable development incorporated into regular education;

National and local policy supports;

Pilot ecological schools and teaching plans as references.

Replicability: Great demand for learning and adopting such practices for other natural reserves;

Project-based model and easy to be replicated;

Following the national educational standards, the environment and sustainable development textbooks and educators' guides can be applied in regular schools;

Pilot ecological schools as successful references, can provide educational training on sustainable development for other schools in need;

A general consensus was reached with the local government to promote the practice in more schools in the national park region of the Three-river Source. Other possible applications in natural reserves are under discussions.

About the author: Yu Huiling, Zheng Haixia 

Beijing Fuqun Environmental Technology Institute; The Agricultural Information Institute, CAAS)