Into the Forest: The Evolution of a Conservation Education Program at Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Uganda

Abstract

While there are many conservation programs in east Africa, relatively little is invested in environmental education or capacity building within the community. With this in mind, the National Forest Authority of Uganda, the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports, Disney's Animal Kingdom™, and the Jane Goodall Institute—Uganda entered into a partnership to produce an environmental education curriculum for the Kalinzu Forest Reserve. This program was designed with outside educators/researchers as consultants with content driven by the local stakeholders. Here we describe how evaluation at multiple levels within the program has impacted the evolution of this program. We also include lessons that were learned and changes that were made in the content as well as the administration of the program.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Musiime Patrick Rwobusheru, Bushenyi Zone Manager for the National Forest Authority. We thank Lukumo Norman, District Education Officer in the Bushenyi District. We thank Byamakama Lawrence, Mugabe Robert, and Ssezibwa Hussein for their work in administering the program and evaluations. We thank all of the schools that have participated in the program. We thank Chie Hashimoto and Takeshi Furuichi for securing funds for the Interpretive Center. We thank two anonymous reviewers for their input and improvements on this article.