Environmental Education Officer at Medina Valley Centre

In spite of large areas of unspoilt and highly attractive countryside on the Isle of Wight, difficulties of access and obtaining expertise have stifled the development of environmental education programmes for local children, especially outdoor fieldwork.
The creation of an Environmental Education Officer, dedicated to service in rural areas of the Isle of Wight, will considerably enhance local understanding of issues relating to coastal and countryside management, water resources and renewable energy.

The main beneficiaries will be schools and youth clubs. Specialist equipment will be provided in a dedicated vehicle to function as a Mobile Field Centre, thereby reducing access related problems. This service will become a marketable resource available for hire by visiting mainland schools and encourage the ethos of sustainable tourism.

Revenue derived from the hire of the Mobile Field Centre by this and other appropriate bodies would be used to offset the vehicle running costs. This may subsequently help to provide for a reduction in the overall funding required.

The Education Officer will develop and run a variety of environmental education programmes that focus on carrying out practical outdoor activities with children that will integrate with the schools’ curriculum and support youth work activities in the area.

The main project outcome will be an increased awareness of the importance of sustainable management practices in rural areas and the tangible link to the local rural economy, and that of the Island generally. The project will dovetail and link with planned initiatives and those currently in progress, related to sustainable management practices on the Isle of Wight, notably the Alterner project, promoting the use of renewable energy, The IW Ecological Footprint Project; The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); The Wight Wildlife Partnership.