Environmental Education

A school group visits A Rocha Lebanon's classroom

A Rocha Lebanon has run the environmental education programme at the Aammiq Wetland since 1998. Aimed at school and university students it has seen nearly 6000 young people come through the program to date. The program is tied in with the Lebanese schools national curriculum and provides an opportunity for students to learn about wetland ecosystems first hand. Supporting learning in the classroom is important but an educational visit to the marsh is so much more than that. It is our aim to provide students with "hands on" experiences for them to get a real appreciation of the beauty and complexity of this unique environment.

A typical school visit sees the students and teachers arriving at "Houch Aammiq," a set of agricultural buildings with their own special countryside feel, and smells! In the A Rocha classroom, converted from an old stable, the young people are introduced to the importance of the Aammiq Wetland and estate for both local agriculture and the plants and animals that still thrive here. Through a slide presentation they also learn of some of the environmental challenges Lebanon faces and some of the efforts to conserve the Aammiq Wetland.

Outdoor learning!

However, we don't stay in the classroom for long! After the presentation we make the short trip to the wetland where students learn about what is living in the water; by catching it! "Pond dipping" with small nets is a favorite activity as is bird watching while using a pair of binoculars or peering through a telescope at some of the amazing birds using the marshes. For both activities animals seen are also identified with the use of worksheets and expert supervision.

The best time to come is in the spring, early summer or fall as in the heat of summer there is less to see and it is too hot to be out in the open for long during the day. In the winter the wet and cold also make visits impractical.

Other local events that have been held in the past, particularly focusing on local women and children, include "Celebrating Creation," a 9-week art program which teaches principles of conservation while offering instruction in various art and craft techniques. It has been run in 5 villages with more than 70 women and teenagers participating. A similar program adapted for children has also been run in these villages with more than 130 children taking part.

Alongside "Celebrating Creation" we have run "Nature Friends," a month-long science club for local children, and "painting from nature," a course run for urban children from the town of Zahle. In their very different ways both courses help to reconnect local children with nature, helping them see it in new ways giving them a new appreciation for this beautiful corner of the west Bekaa.

If you would like to bring a school or college group to the wetland you can contact us at arocha@cyberia.net.lb

Wild Ammiq

Plan your trip to the fabulous Aammiq Wetland through the community conservation programme "Wild Ammiq." All the details you need can be found on the activities and educational brochure (application/pdf, 182.5 kB, info). (We hope you like the new Wild Ammiq logo!) Please feel free to pass on a copy of the brochure to anyone else who might be interested – it is particularly relevant to schools, colleges, youth groups, and hiking groups.

Book by filling out the booking form (application/msword, 33.3 kB, info) and contacting the A Rocha office. Phone +961 8 566578 during office hours and speak to one of the following contacts:

Ramsey Rahal (English & Arabic)
Mobile: +961 3 139614
Email: rahalramsey@gmail.com, or

Faisal Halabi (Arabic)
Mobile: +961 3 330413