School treasures from Entlebuch

With the Biosphere School2 project, the Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve is continuing the work begun in the Biosphere School for awareness-building for sustainable development among children and young people. Whereas the first project was targeted primarily at schools outside the Biosphere Reserve, the focus of Biosphere School2 is to involve the schools in Entlebuch itself in shaping the Biosphere Reserve.
Biosphere Reserves are meant to serve as models for sustainable development. This sustainability is a task for several generations. That makes it all the more important to involve children and young people in shaping the future. The aims of the Biosphere School:
o Achieve awareness-building for sustainable development among children and young people
o Demonstrate the scope for action in everyday life
o Strengthen the mountain farms and the destination Entlebuch
o It offers experience and information on the Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve including:
o excursions relating to the natural environment and sustainability
o school on the farm
o accommodation on the farm / in dormitories
o the Entlebuch Active Card for use of the tourist infrastructure

Entlebuch © Bruno Käufeler
© Bruno Käufeler
Entlebuch - Wandern © Bruno Käufeler

Aims:

It is the hope of the Education Forum that, by the time they finish school, all Entlebuch pupils will feel and act as ambassadors of their UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and thus of sustainable regional development.
This vision is now to be implemented on a participatory basis with over 250 teachers and 2500 pupils. In detail this involves the following:
o awareness-building among teachers and pupils in the Entlebuch region for the challenging and exciting subject of sustainable development as in the case of the Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve,
o deepening and institutionalising collaboration between the Biosphere Reserve and the schools and also among the schools (building and running networks).
o encouraging teachers and pupils to identify with the Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve.

Realization:

o Declaration of intent on the part of the heads of the regional schools to communicate and implement the idea of the Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve in their schools
o Kick-off event in the framework of an obligatory staff training session for all teachers in the district in order to initiate broad-based co-operation
o Existing information platforms (e.g. Biosphere School, excursions in the fields of nature/culture/business, themed paths and trails, school on the farm, etc.) and teaching materials need to be prepared, co-ordinated, made available (including for interested parties outside of the Biosphere Reserve), and also extended as required.
o The Biosphere Reserve must be anchored in the curricula at the regional schools.
o One-day and one-week projects in the regional schools
o Knowledge sharing in networks (e.g. Dynalp)

Location:

Entlebuch

Involved:

Management of the Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve, the Education Forum, local primary schools (in Doppleschwand, Entlebuch, Escholzmatt, Flühli, Hasle, Marbach, Romoos and Schüpfheim), Schüpfheim Cantonal High School, Department of Forestry at the Agriculture and Forestry Office of Canton Lucerne, Schüpfheim Agricultural Education and Counselling Centre, Schüpfheim Educational Media Centre

Projectterm:

Jan 2007 - June 2009

Financing:

Subsidy from DYNALP² (in euros): 10,000
Own funds, funds from financial backers (in euros): 49,500
Financial backing: Biosphere Reserve management, Education Forum € 20,000; ACCENTUS Foundation € 16,500; schools € 6,500; foundations € 6,500

Contact person:

UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch
Biosphärenmanagement
Annette Schmid Hofer
Chlosterbühl 28
6010 Kriens
CH
Telefon: +41 41 485 88 50
Fax +41 41 485 88 01
E-mail: a.schmid@biosphaere.ch
Website http://www.biosphaere.ch

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