PHILIPSBURG:---- As the end of the school year approaches, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) will continue providing environmental education programs by focusing on activities outside of the classroom. This Friday, May 22nd a free, public Bird Walk will be led by local bird expert Binkie van Es in cooperation with Oyster Bay Beach Resort, was has been awarded the Blue Flag for its environmental and safety standards.
Participants will meet at the front desk of the Oyster Bay Beach Resort at 7:00 a.m. this Friday. Bird enthusiasts from beginning to advanced levels are welcome to join the group to learn about the variety of resident and migratory birds which call St. Maarten home. Bring binoculars if you have them as well as water and good walking shoes.
This event is part of EPIC's ongoing Environmental Education program. Educator Laura Bijnsdorp recently completed a very successful outreach phase which reached nearly 1,200 participants from 10 schools and 7 other groups. Activities for the general public included litter clean-ups, mangrove tree planting, and a lagoon kayak trip sponsored by Tri-Sport.
Presentations and excursions were offered on a variety of topics including Waste Management, Water Pollution, Biodiversity, Importance of Wetlands, and Environmental Challenges. In addition to presentations, games, and materials for environmental education, a cartoon was also created to promote proper wastewater disposal along with a web page with information and games about living sustainably.
In addition, a workshop was held to train teachers in using the BirdSleuth curriculum, with a classroom donated by University of St. Maarten; another workshop is planned for the fall. BirdSleuth is a science curriculum that engages students in scientific study and real data collection through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's exciting citizen science projects.
EPIC's Environmental Education program is made possible with funding from the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Fund of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, SXM DOET, Be the Change Foundation, and BirdsCaribbean. EPIC is currently seeking funding to continue all aspects of this very popular and effective environmental education program. For more information e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
