WAZA Nature Connect Past Recipients
Round 1 WAZA Nature Connect Projects are now complete.

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 |

The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, zoos and aquariums, dedicated to the care and conservation of animals and their habitats around the world.