WAZA Nature Connect Past Recipients

Round 1 WAZA Nature Connect Projects are now complete.

On this page you can find links to their final project reports and any videos and presentations they made to illustrate their work. We are immensely proud of what these WAZA members have achieved and we hope that you will find their reports inspirational. Please note that the emphasis of the WAZA Nature Connect Grant program has evolved since its first inception and therefore you may find project here that would no longer be a perfect fit for the latest grant criteria.
WAZA MEMBER COUNTRY PROJECT DESCRIPTION LINKS
Africam Safari Mexico Asili Tribe: a family connection with nature
Family focused nature club. Families involved in activities exploring different ecosystems, camping, understanding the local environment and connecting both with nature, with other family members and other families. Highly impactful both socially and in increasing awareness and instilling positive attitudes towards the environment.
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

Cali Zoo Colombia Healing the mountain - citizen expeditions
Family focused nature club. Families involved in a project to "heal the mountain" a habitat including a river basin at the edge of the city that has been severley degraded. A fantastic example of a multigenerational approach. Succeeded in connecting families with the local environment, with other family members and other families. Highly impactful both socially and in increasing awareness and instilling positive attitudes towards the environment. Many families have stayed involved in the next phase of "healing the mountain"
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

Cango Wildlife Park South Africa Conserve. Care, Connect.
Recycling focus. Local schools and communities involved in collecting rubbish and protecting their environments. Families taken to see ocean for the first time and on nature walks to get to know indigenous fauna and flora
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

Ocean Park Hong Kong First Touch of Nature at Ocean Park
Kindergarten focus - city families involved in a multisensory exploration of local parks. Breaking down barriers to experiencing nature (overcoming fear of getting dirty, increasing awareness of parents as to natural world around them and potential for meaningful play with their children, fostering creativity), also working with local park wardens to allow visitors to touch and interact with nature (not just look at it).
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

Paris Zoo France Apprenti naturaliste
Zoo based project - families involved in creating exhibits / instalations about the nature in the city of paris and what members of the public can do to support it. Families involved in citizen science projects. Also had a big impact on the zoo bringing staff together from different areas and highlighting that working on native species and native enviroments is should be key area of work. (this is their first native species project).
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

SAAMBR

South African Association for Marine Biological Research

South Africa Me to the Sea.
Community focus - A pilot project for families to show them the variety of local coastal ecosystems around where they live and how they interact / how we impact them. Families were previously unaware of many of these places and how enjoyable it was to spend time here with the family. They also took part in actions to help the environment and there is already evidence that they are taking these messages home - particularly that not all snakes are dangerous and need to be killed on sight.
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

UWEC

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre

Uganda Harnessing faith based and cultural groupings in promotion of conservation education in Uganda
Community focus - bringing together religious leaders of all denominations to discuss environmental issues and how they would integrate care for the environment into their community leadership. Families from these communities involved in bird watching, seeing shoe-bill storks, learning about indigenous plants etc. Petting zoo a major part of this project. Opportunity for participants to hold and care for the animals had major impact on their interest and willingness to engage with nature.
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

Wroclaw Zoo Poland Back to Nature - breaking barriers between city dwellers and wildlife
Zoo based, Schools focused nature club - series of activities put on exploring the natural world locally. Families involved in weekly nature based homework activities (bird watching, bug hotels, etc).
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

Zoo Liberec Czech Republic Banyak anak, banyak karang – Many kids, many corals
Recyling focus. Local schools and communities involved in collecting rubbish to make ecobricks. This highlights issue of rubbish in the sea and current use of coral rubble as a building material. Kids involved propagating coral and restoring local coral reefs. Also introduction of kids books with an environmental focus.
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

Zoos Victoria Australia When Balloons Fly - Citizen Science Project
recycling focus. Local community groups (socially disadvantaged, new immigrants etc) involved in cleaning up their local environment and coastline. Emphasis placed on understanding our impact on the earth and how we as individuals can take responsibility. Marked improvement seen in kids behaviour, also their desire to play outside and care for their local area.
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

ZSL - London Zoo UK Nature Connection – Outdoor Learning Hub, Nature Connection Trail and Family Nature Days
Zoo based project - families involved in nature trail creation in the zoo highlighting local wildlife and actions visitors can take at home to help. Trail is multisensory and involves a number of activities where family members need to work together. Also trial of a 6 day family nature club for socially disadvantaged families that would normally visit the zoo. This proved successful in reducing participants fear of bugs, of getting dirty and increasing their awareness of the wild world in central london.
Final Report

Videos / Presentations

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