SPREADING THE WORD
"Action" is an essential ingredient of our educational work. It's great if we can help people to understand and appreciate the natural world, but our aim must also be to take things a stage further - to encourage people to take action to conserve and improve it.
There is a role for every volunteer and member of staff in providing the necessary activities and experiences, and we need to make these available to everyone regardless of age, ability and background. Wildlife will only have a future if people as a whole value it and see that what they do in their daily lives can affect it for better or worse.
The spring issue of our junior magazine, Pawprint, includes a poster guide, based on The Wildlife Trusts' national ten-point Conservation Plan, to some of the ways in which we can all do something for wildlife. Here are just a few simple ideas for action:
1. Report wildlife sightings
2. Garden for wildlife
3. Buy environmentally friendly food
4. Don't waste water
5. Collect rubbish from a beach
6. Write to your MP
7. Attend an educational event
8. Plant a tree
9. Dig a pond
10. Find out about the Cornwall Biodiversity Initiative
Education of children is just one part of our awareness-raising work but it's crucially important. A good way of supporting our efforts is to take out Fox Club or Wildlife Watch membership for a child (any child will do!). Go along to the events (they are all family rather than junior activities), learn as much as you can about wildlife and the problems it faces, then tell others. The more people know about the issues, the more likely it is that action will be taken.
We have a bumper programme of family events for spring and summer, including activities with the Blue Reef Aquarium, Rag and Bone 2000, Seaquest and others to encourage action for the marine environment - see the diary. Come along and help us make a difference for wildlife. Mark Nicholson
 
 
 
 
 
 
page 15 boys
Youngsters from our German twin organisation, NABU, visited us for a week in
August. We chose an aquatic theme for our joint activities, reflecting our shared
dependence on this natural resource and our shared concern for the wildlife
associated with it.
Photo: Stuart Hutchings
page 15 beach col
The Blue Reef Aquarium (formerly Newquay Sea Life Aquarium) will
join us in presenting Sea Life in the City, in Victoria Gardens, Truro,
every Tuesday in August.
Photo: Blue Reef Aquarium
 
Marine life and oil pollution have been major topics for media
publicity generated by the Trust in the last year. This week-old pup
, smeared with oil, helped draw attention to the issue.
Look out for a forthcoming Trust campaign which will allow you to
join us in calling for changes in the law of the sea to make oil tankers
safer in their construction and operation.
Photo: Stephen Westcott
page 15 seal
FIND OUT MORE
If you have access to the Internet, you will find a wealth of regularly updated wildlife information on the Trust's website. Jayne Herbert, who manages our site, has received much praise from outside organisations and visitors for making it a leader in its field. Drop in on us at:
http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/cornwall
SPECIAL OFFER
Discover the living drama of the deep at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay, where you can see creatures from the Cornish coastline through to the Caribbean Sea. There are regular talks and feeding demonstrations throughout the day.
With this voucher, one person will be admitted free with one full paying adult. (Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer valid until 31st May 2001.)
The Aquarium is open daily from Easter 2001.
I would like to join Fox Club and enclose a cheque / postal order for £3 payable to Cornwall Wildlife Trust
or Please send me full details and an application form for Wildlife Watch.
 
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Wild Cornwall - Issue No.84 - Spring 2001