Lessons from Nature Project

Using insights from nature to inspire and build a brighter future

Overview

Epping Forest Field Centre is pleased to be involved in an exciting new ‘Lessons from Nature’ project. We are working with organisations from five other European countries to deliver learning to secondary pupils (aged 12-16 years).

Background

What would the world be like if the principles found in the natural world were consistently applied to the way in which products and industrial and economic systems were designed?

Surely it is better to apply the ‘waste is food’ principle from nature, use scarce resources to best effect and eliminate waste and pollution?  Wouldn’t closed loop systems work better than ‘take it – make it – dump it’ linear systems?

How good would it be if young people understood how the natural world works and could utilise this understanding to make informed decisions?

Maybe nature and ecosystems can be a mentor and a measure for designing human production systems?

Objectives

The Lessons from Nature project is an innovative learning experience, designed to enable and inspire students to:

•     use insights from nature to critically examine and re-design products and production systems

•     search for new solutions to sustainability problems that are relevant and interesting to the learners

•     embrace discovery learning and learning outside of the classroom

•     develop knowledge, understanding and a range of competencies including critical thinking

•     produce new resources that link learning about natural ecosystems with the skills for building a green economy and society

•     promote learning that will change the way we design our economies, businesses and products

•     demonstrate that addressing sustainability issues can be an exciting and attractive proposition

Project framework

The UK team are currently developing three learning modules. Each module contains activities that inspire students and encourage them to discover, understand apply and share knowledge.

Insights from nature in the trial programme include:

•      Multiple benefits

•      Diversity gives strength

•      Waste equals food (closed loop systems)

The framework illustrates how the learning might work.

Project documents

We are currently in the planning stage of the project and would welcome comments and opinions on our documents below.

• Lessons from Nature EU aims and outcomes
• Draft UK Module 1
• Draft UK Module 2
• Draft UK Module 3
• Learning Framework

If you would like to register your interest in this project or give feedback on the above documents please email lessonsfromnature@field-studies-council.org. 

More information on closed loop cycles is available on the Ellen MacArthur website: http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/.