Respecting nature

The Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) was established in 1996 by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The aim of the Agency is to assist the Abu Dhabi government in the conservation and management of the Emirate's natural environment, resources, wildlife and biological diversity.

This is to be done through scientific research, proactive planning and co-ordination, environmental awareness promotion, policy formation and enforcement that balances sustainable economic development with protection of the environment for this and future generations.

TADPOLEs – Teachers of Abu Dhabi Protecting Our Local Environment – is a group of caring teachers from the private English medium schools of Abu Dhabi. They have been meeting since September last year in a concerted effort to share ideas, co-ordinate activities and bring about environmental awareness among school children.

Thirty-five schools are now involved in programmes concerning the desert, bird and marine life, teaching children the importance of reducing refuse and recycling, making them aware of how to be environmentally friendly.

Theri Bailey, environmental awareness officer for the Agency since its conception in l996, has kept TADPOLEs motivated, running many field trips and other programmes for students and teachers, supporting lectures and exhibitions, hosting and coordinating meetings, producing packs and leaflets.

Presently she is helping establish a joint project with WWF-UAE that will heighten children's awareness of the environment through literacy skills. Bailey has also been involved in the production of a book, Hamad the Young Falconer, also translated into Arabic, which is only available in schools at the moment but hopefully will see a general release soon. Environmental education has a bright future.

At a recent meeting of TADPOLEs, Mary Calista Iruthayarajan, a kindergarten teacher from Sri Lanka at Our Own English High School, gave a demonstration on how to make flower displays and cards from egg boxes, newspapers, plastic water bottles, straws and polystyrene, all enemies of the environment. She was able to make poppies, roses, gardenias and chrysanthemums from these materials using her creativity and patience.

To know more about ERWDA, visit the website is www.erwda.gov.ae Also there is a Bottle Bank behind Spinneys in Khalidiya where bottles, plastic, paper and cans are recycled, courtesy Coastal Waste Management.

Gulf News is not responsible for content of external Internet websites