Bio-Diversity Education for Students (7-15)

Voice of Safwan Foundation

Safwan Foundation has a special knack of interest toward-writing for the up coming youth. Throughout the world, literature for children is produced specifically from one channel or another to keep them intact with the world.

The need of the hour is to aware young people of their surroundings especially about Biodiversity. Our specialty is that we write about biological diversity, environment and man and “psychological reasoning of relations between man and nature” in a story-telling—interesting style for the most vital age group 7-15 years.

All this story-type compilation of Biodiversity knowledge for children is written in our National Language “Urdu” .This is time to act for the publications and distribution of this literary work throughout Pakistan to produce the perfect guardians of our natural heritage.

What is Biodiversity?

“Biological diversity or biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms: the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems they form”.

1.  Importance of Biodiversity

Extinction is although a part of nature but we human being can slow down it by taking appropriate measures. But this time, species are becoming extinct at a rate many times faster, some scientists say 10,000 times faster-than ever before. Roughly 10,000 to 25,000 species are disappearing each year, dozens per day, and unlike the five previous extinction spasms, this one isn’t being caused by environmental change, but by the actions of our own species, Homo sapiens, we humans.

2.  Global Situation of Biodiversity

The earth is estimated to have millions of species of which only 2.1 million have been described. Due to population growth and increasing rate of consumption, the natural wealth of our planet is being lost at an estimated rate of 5 % per decade. This is a tragic loss to the biological wealth of our planet for ethical, aesthetic, economic as well as for ecological reasons. The alarming loss of habitats and species, and the ecosystem processes dependent on them has stimulated conservationists around the globe to share knowledge and resources to document and monitor in an attempt to reverse the planet’s declining wealth.

3.     Importance of Biodiversity Education

Bio-Diversity Education is vital to inform the Students about the importance of natural biological resources.  Feedback is also necessary to understand what the students perceives as valuable and how biodiversity areas should be managed. Today, many governmental agencies are working to inform the students and general masses about environmental issues by incorporating biodiversity education into their programs.

4.      The Pakistan Case

i. Current situation of Bio-diversity

Pakistan has rich sources of biodiversity, which belong to a unique blend of habitat and ecosystem types. These diverse ecosystems have their very own characteristic wild resources, which provide a web of living resources inter-depending on each other to sustain their life. Most of the southern parts of the country are rich with coastal ecosystem and arid plus desert habitat types with a variety of species. These habitats also refuge for the migratory wildlife resources coming from the northern landscapes to stay here in winter or breed in Pakistan. Indigenous local human communities are also residing here for centuries with their very own traditional knowledge and lifestyles in harmony with species.

Pakistan’s mountain areas are world’s exceptional wild resources, which harbor very different, isolated as well as hardy species that have learned to live in the harshness of the environment and in harmony with other species and communities. Medicinal plants of our mountains are famous for their role in the treatment of some very acute diseases of the human and animals. Some birds of prey in our northern landscapes are of majestic vision and isolate the beauty of this part from the rest of the world. It is very well said that they are the islands and paradise for wildlife species. Their inaccessible cliffs and peaks always challenge the desire to explore more and more on the information and management of remote wild resources.

Table : Animal Biodiversity of Pakistan

Category	Total No. of Species	Endemic
*Mammals	195	5
Birds	662	0
Reptiles	174	15
Fish	525	36
Amphibians	16	2
Invertebrates	2000+	unknown

Pakistan has a number of the world’s rarest animals like Indus River dolphin, Snow leopard, Western Tragopan, Markhor, etc. There are total of five endemics, two species and three sub-species namely the Indus Dolphin, Woolly Flying Squirrel, Balochistan Black Bear, Wild Goat and Punjab Urial. All these and other species are in decline due to a combination of threats such as habitat loss and overuse of natural resources.

ii.      Biodiversity Education with respect to its past and present with special reference to Students

Pakistan has no tradition of methodical and systematic Education which targeting Environmental and Biodiversity issues of our national concern. In the past 61 years there is no significant literature has been produced on Environment & biodiversity especially for Students (which target a certain age group). Some literary persons made a few attempts to inform the Students in non-scientific manners. We can point out many examples of this type of disinformation. Even in curriculum we are totally blank and this situation is causing a colossal havoc for us all.

iii.      Why Bio-diversity Education is so vital for the Students.

Biodiversity education is extremely vital for the Students. It teaches children & Young’s the importance and the threats to biodiversity, and the actions they can take to sustain it.  . We have analyzed and observed that Students  can play a pivotal role in protecting the environment because they are in blooming age. It is a crystal-clear fact that little angels can learn more than in their adolescent period. If we are successful in arousing their potentialities, there will be revolutionary and ever-lasting impacts on the masses .We will have to move forward with the optimistic ray of hope .Our utter neglect may observe the calamities one-day that will be tormenting movements for us.“ Repentance can never compensate the loss”. We hope that one day they will be able to save the next young generation from the cruel clutches of destruction of natural beauty if they are properly informed today.

iv.      Appropriate Solution.

With this goal in mind, we identified the possible solution of Biodiversity Education for the specific age group of 7-15 years specially and for adults generally for our country. By providing Biodiversity Education we can teach children the importance of conserving our natural heritage. There is an exceptional need for such educational material that reaches the elementary, middle and secondary school students. Real life experiences along with structured educational opportunities provide a tangible context for learning Biodiversity concepts. These types of experiences also cultivate crucial social skills that will benefit these youth well into the future. This “Biodiversity Educational portal” will also help environmental organizations, government, media, academic, and educational institutions, which are working in this field. This Portal contains more than 500 short stories, slogans, and poems.

v.      Why we are targeting a Specific age group.

We have analyzed and observed that students (7-15 Years) can play a pivotal role in protecting the environment because they are in blooming age. It is a crystal-clear fact that little angels can learn more than in their adolescent period. Adulthood has its own physical and psychological limitations. The aim of our life time work is to build stronger ties between the nature and kids as “pioneer of future”. The development of trust and interdependence between the youth Biodiversity awareness will provide them a new way of addressing issues in their lives and after this they will be in position to guard our natural heritage as true rangers.

vi.      Total Number of School going Children in Pakistan.

The enrolment in primary, middle, and secondary levels are more than 36.9 million. It is huge figure of beneficiaries of this type of literary effort. It is a suitable time for us to move forward with optimistic ray of hope. We hope that one day they will be able to save the next young generation from the cruel clutches of destruction of natural beauty if they are properly informed today.

vii.      Duty of a Biodiversity Writer.

The work of biodiversity writer is multifaceted and creatively challenging. In the words of current Scientists, “Environmental educators interpret nature and its role in simple way. The writer should focus the values of sustainable living and respect for earth processes by teaching ecological principles in a way that everyone can understand and apply them to their lives especially the target age group. The writer should teach about the place in which people live, the community, and how human behaviors impact the health of that place”, in very interesting, simple, and with carrying the following 5 major skills to his mind,

a)      Empathy

b)      Critical Thinking

c)      Creativity

d)      Communication

e)      Information Gathering

The work demands in- depth knowledge of the environment, a solid understanding of the power of education and how Kids learn, creative educational design and methods.

A biodiversity writer must focus the most burning issues for example,

• Population Growth and Resource Consumption
• Global Warming
• Climate Change
• Habitat Conversion and Sprawl
• Over-hunting/Commercial Exploitation
• Environmental Degradation
• Exotic and Invasive Species

The biodiversity Literature is must in nature centers, zoos, museums, corporations, aquariums, public and private schools, TV and radio stations — wherever the need for environmental expertise entwines with education and communication.

Some Salient Features of Our Work

1. It is based on Mother Nature facts.

2. It is for the students in particular and for the masses in general.

3. It enhances the knowledge about the relationship between man, flora and fauna.

4. It tells about the natural habitat of the many Eco-Regions of the Globe.

5. It also educate about the Eco-Systems, and Ecological relationship among the living creatures.

6. It sheds light on the behavioral pattern of the Mother Nature.

7. It also paves the way for the scientists working and investigating the complex problems.

8. It briefs children on All Eco-Regions of Pakistan and Species to Species information about their habitats and ecology.

It contains substantial information on Pakistan’s biodiversity and its hot environmental issues.

The Aim

Safwan Foundation is involved in research, education and conservation to:

1. To promote real knowledge to our up-coming generations.

2. To built a solid platform for the students of rural areas of the  country about Environmental & Bio-Diversity Education.

3. Recognized that living organisms making up biological diversity which is vital to the earth’s life-sustaining systems.

4. Conservation and protection of natural habitats and ecosystems of Pakistan.

5. Education of the general public that the world’s biological diversity is vitally important in sustaining life on this planet, and that conservation and protection of biological resources are the duties of everyone.

Quote of the Day

It is that range of biodiversity that we must care for – the whole thing – rather than just one or two stars.

– David Attenborough