Raising awareness

The more people that appreciate and understand our wildlife, the better the chances are for its conservation. For amphibians and reptiles this is particularly the case as many people believe that they lack the appeal of the furry and feathered varieties. They do however offer great opportunities for close study. They are often highly dependant in the way that humans manage the habitat. Often, the difference between a populations survival or extinction can be down to simply knowing that a species is there and what to do to prevent the habitat from being destroyed.

The HCT is keen to support and encourage as many people as possible to experience and appreciate these animals, which in turn will help conserve them. This often means providing advice for those who work on the land and whose impact has the greatest effect on the habitats. This may be landowners and farmers, or even school children living next to one of our heathland nature reserves. We work hard to inform and educate, by communicating to as large an audience as possible. Whether this is through our own publicity or supporting the national initiatives that enable all conservation groups to reach the public.

We do this by:

1. Informing land owners, policy makers and those giving guidance on site management and protection by:

• running training courses for consultants, conservation organisation, local authorities, universities and land managers

• providing information and guidance on habitat management, surveying and monitoring

2. Encouraging long-term interest and develop the next generation of herpetologists / nature conservation enthusiasts by:

• pproviding information about amphibians and reptiles, their ecology and conservation needs

• pproviding and supporting educational activities within schools and on our nature reserves to local schools and youth groups.p

• working closely with the education programme within the Urban Heaths Partnership in Dorset and its predecessor the Urban Heaths LIFE Project to promote herpetofauna and their habitats

3. Offering opportunities to see amphibians and reptiles in their habitats and involving people with our nature reserves and other work by:

• embracing a wide range of volunteers to help out with practical work, surveysp

• leading walks on our reserve

• providing ‘on-site’ information

• encouraging involvement with the county based Amphibian and Reptile groups http://www.arg-uk.org.uk/

4. Improving the capacity of individuals and organisations who want to help to take a lead on herpetofauna conservation initiatives by:

• providing resources and information

• offering training

• producing guidance notes and other information

• Communicating through a wide range of media, including television, radio, newspapers, providing guided walks and talks, and by helping other people in their media work.

The Herpetological Conservation Trust is delighted to support the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto, which was launched by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on 28 November 2006.

The Manifesto is a ‘movement’ or joint undertaking that many different stakeholders have helped to create and to which anyone can sign up. We support the Manifesto because we believe it will help to ensure that all children and young people have a variety of high quality experiences outside the classroom environment, as an essential part of their learning and development.

We will therefore be working with schools, local authorities and the many other organisations committed to providing an exciting range of teaching and learning opportunities outside the classroom.

To find out more, get details of all signatories and pledges received so far, and to order or download a copy of the Manifesto, visit: www.teachernet.gov.uk/learningoutsidetheclassroom