Read more about the ParCA call for Caribbean nationals to apply for scholarships to study climate change related graduate programmes at the University of Waterloo (Canada) and the University of the West Indies (Jamaica).
Deadline is March 19th 2012.
Opportunities to study at the University of Reading: Biology and Conservation
An aim of the UKOTs and CDs Training and Research Programme is to develop opportunities for students from the UKOTs (including Bermuda) and CDs to study at the University of Reading. As such, it is essential to raise UKOT/CD student awareness of the biological science courses available at the University of Reading in the next academic year (2012/13). Students in the UK begin to make choices about what university courses they would like to apply for early in their last academic year at school (i.e. from now onwards), so it would be useful for UKOT/CD students to be made aware of UK courses at this time also.
It must be clarified that students wishing to study in the UK must be self-funded, as there is no scholarship funding currently available.
A document outlining the courses can be found here. Enquires should be directed to the University of Reading.
Officer's Beach Clean Up
On Saturday May 15th a group of students, staff and parents from Clearwater Middle School undertook a clean up of Officer's Beach on Cooper's Island along with several DCS staff as part of the Keep Bermuda Beautiful (KBB) annual island-wide spring clean up. The students removed bags of trash as well as lots of large plastic marine debris, rope, tires, a car bumper and half a refrigerator. Congratulations to all the students for their hard work and enthusiasm!
Photos of the clean up can be found here: http://www.conservation.bm/kbb-spring-cleanup/
Environmental Youth Conference 2010
In honour of the International Year of Biodiversity the theme of this year’s Environmental Youth Conference was “The Power of One: Preserving Our Biodiversity”. The conference was organised by the Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS), sponsored by the Ernest E. Stemple Foundation, and supported by the Ministry of the Environment and the Department of Conservation Services.
The conference was held at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) on April 14th and 15th with the closing ceremony at the Fairmont Southampton on the evening of April 16th. Fifty six students aged 10 – 16 (P6 to S4) attended from schools across the island and home schools.
Fieldtrip to Walsingham
Students undertook two field trips; one with the theme ‘how we impact our environment’ and the second with the theme ‘what are we doing to help?’ After each trip the students presented the key points they had learned on the trip to students in other groups who had gone on different fieldtrips. Students also participated in a workshop of their choice and visited 5 interactive learning stations around the BAMZ facility taught by local experts.
Congratulations to the BZS Education team, lecturers, trip leaders and all of the students for making the conference enjoyable and informative. The next Environmental Youth Conference will be held in April 2012.
Group presentation
Related BAP activities:
- C 2.9: Continue to hold a biennial Environmental Youth Conference.
- E 7.3: Document and celebrate successful youth involvement in biodiversity conservation projects through the media, public events and the Environmental Youth Conference.
Earth Day 2010
April 22nd 2010 marked the 40th anniversary of the celebration of the first Earth Day in the US in 1970. Since that time Earth Day has become a global day for discussion of pressing environmental issues, education on these issues, and positive action for the environment.
In Bermuda this year, Earth Day was marked by the second annual BASEC Earth Day celebration at Victoria Park. This celebration was largely organised and driven by young people through the Bermuda Association of Eco-Clubs (BASEC). The event offered an afternoon of entertainment by many local musicians, student groups and poets, as well as children’s activities including making recycled artwork, and a giant climate change snakes and ladders game. There were also 25 exhibitors (including many BAP partners) displaying everything from solar panels and square foot gardens to environmentally themed children’s books, bluebird boxes and electric scooters.
The Department of Conservation Services was please to be able to take part in this event to showcase the work undertaken by the department to protect and enhance Bermuda’s biodiversity and to promote awareness of biodiversity in this, the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB 2010).
Congratulations to BASEC and the Earth Day Organising Committee on an educational and entertaining event.
DCS table at Earth Day
Related BAP actions & activities:
- Action E.8: Promote community participation in biodiversity conservation through local and international action days for the environment.
- Action D.9: Use public events to raise public awareness of biodiversity conservation and to encourage direct involvement.
- Activity D 9.2: Build on existing street festivals (including Harbour Nights and Heritage Day Parade), sporting events and exhibitions (including The Annual Exhibition and the Eden Project) to incorporate biodiversity messages – including biodiversity-themed costumes, floats and vendors.