Inspiring today’s youth to become tomorrow’s conservation heroes
View(s):In a bid to inspire, engage and educate school children all across the island on the importance of protecting the rich fauna and flora of the country, the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka (WNPS) set up its youth wing in 2007.
Visakha Vidyalaya Field Trip to Wilpattu_
The WNPS is the third oldest Non- Governmental Organisation and has played an integral role since its inception in 1894 in the success of conservation policy and governance in Sri Lanka.
In the past, the organisation was responsible for the establishment of Sri Lanka’s first National Parks (Yala and Wilpattu) and the formation of the Department of Wildlife (DWC). Today, 124 years after its inception the organization is expanding its vision in conservation to include the youth of the country, the organisation said in a release.
The Youth Wing of the WNPS was established in November 2017 with a goal to educate school children all across the island on the importance of conservation.
The WNPS Youth Wing has run a series of interactive programmes with schools since the beginning of 2018 with the core objective of the school programme being to communicate and raise awareness amongst the children on environmental and conservation issues and engage them in programs organised by WNPS, giving them a voice and the chance to make a change.
The WNPS invites prominent figures in the environment and conservation movement in Sri Lanka to visit schools as a guest speaker. Engaging presentations on topics such as the importance of conservation followed by a stimulating discussion on the threats brought on by deforestation, pollution, human elephant conflict and other national issues pertaining to wildlife and nature.
The WNPS Youth Wing builds a rapport with the children who show an interest in wanting to join the platform and collaborate to lead a program within their respective school. We organise and give an opportunity to these children to connect and experience Sri Lanka’s wildlife first-hand by visits to the national parks, the elephant transit home and walks in the wetlands in the suburbs of Colombo. Quiz and poster competitions have been also planned to encourage further engagement with the subject via creative means, the release said.
For 2018, the WNPS has successfully initiated the programme in 9 Schools in Colombo and 2 schools each in Lunugamverhera, Udawalawe, Wilpattu and Galgamuwa.
Working with schools located outside the national parks is a crucial aspect of the agenda. Many of these children despite living at the fringes of these national parks have never had the opportunity to visit and experience the beauty and diversity of Sri Lanka’s national parks. Thus, giving these children an opportunity to experience wildlife in their domain can be a way to inculcate a sense of wonder for the natural world and inspire them to be passionate custodians for the fauna and flora that surrounds them.
Visit to the Elephant Transit Home, Udawalawe
While the results of such efforts as a nation may take years if not decades, before they reach fruition, planting the seed in making a difference is what the WNPS hope to achieve through this project, the release said.
This vision is supported by NDB Bank’s generous sponsorship of the programme to instil a passion amongst Sri Lankan youth, inspiring them to become the conservation heroes of tomorrow.