The ocean and its coral reefs are amongst the most invaluable resources Mauritius holds today. As the sugar industry is declining, the tourism and fishing industries hold an ever-more important place today, both for local communities and the economy at large. Unfortunately, our marine resources are threatened by human activities such as anchor damage, and uncontrolled recreational and tourist activities, which degrade the corals. This alters the habitat of many different marine species, threatening their reproduction and survival. Land-based activities such as untreated sewage, fertilisers and pesticides, coastal land reclamation and the burning of sugar cane causes environmental impacts that are poorly understood among youth and the general public.
Increasing environmental awareness is a key factor to ensure that care for the environment becomes inherent to Mauritian culture. The Mauritian Government supports this initiative as it is in accordance with the wish to make Mauritius a sustainable island. In the context of the Mauritian educational system, environmental education holds many human dimensions which cannot be overlooked. Learning about the environment offers many avenues for practical activities both inside and outside of the classroom, and can contribute to the personal development of children. The integration of environmental education activities in other subjects provides a holistic approach to the development of the person as an individual, as the child learns to connect to his/her own environment. This CD ROM “Discover the Wonders of the Ocean” is in line with contemporary pedagogical approaches that are geared towards hands-on learning and are an alternative to exam-oriented learning goals. It has been developed by NGO Reef Conservation which has been working with the Ministry of Education for the last decade to include marine environmental lessons in the school curriculum through support from many funders, a major one being the GEF Small Grants Programme implemented by UNDP.
The public beaches and lagoons of Mauritius are increasingly used nationwide during the weekends and public holidays. Despite this, knowledge and understanding of the marine environment remains poor, and the use of beaches and coastal zone development continues to affect lagoon habitats. Sensitising youngsters and the general public about the need to protect our lagoons has become imperative. The “Discover the Wonders of the Ocean” CD ROM is aimed at raising awareness and understanding of the coastal and marine environment of Mauritius among youngsters and the general public. It is divided into two main parts:
- An introductory part on the basic concepts of the marine environment, and
- A more in-depth discovery part on the main coastal and marine habitats found around Mauritius.
It is hoped that this CD ROM will greatly contribute to biodiversity conservation, as a larger number of Mauritians will grow more and more aware of the impacts of their activities on the lagoon. Environmental education promotes attitudes and value systems that will enable people to participate as active and informed citizens in the development of an ecologically sustainable and socially just society. In Mauritius, environmental education is fundamental to the achievement of the goal of sustainable development.
This interactive CD ROM forms part of the Marine Environmental Education Project started in 2008 and targeting 85 schools all over the island. The main funder was the GEF SGP of the UNDP. Other funders include Barclays Bank, Veranda Resorts Mauritius and Anahita Centre of Excellence.
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