Linking kids and conservation: some thoughts on the vacation training programme

�nature television�or during the occasional visit to a zoo ornational park. To make kids aware of na-ture and its conservation, �environmentaleducation� courses are included in thecurricula, but the way these are taughthas however been deplorable, with noconnection to the real environment.Introducing students to bio-resourcesconservation at the secondary schoollevel in a semi-structured but non-formalambience with activities that promoteobservations, interactions and learning isneeded to excite young minds towardsconservation of our natural resources.Non-destructive field-based activitiesneed to be designed and students made toobserve nature, ask questions about whatthey see, discuss with scientists, eldersand peers. Such activities also need tofocus on the environment that the stu-dents are exposed to and provide oppor-tunities for them to engage and relatewith it.