Topic: International Cooperation on Nature Conservation

Target group

High school / technical school student

Core curriculum

General requirements

V. Reasoning and applying the acquired knowledge to solving biological problems. Student:

1) interpret information and explain causal relationships between processes and phenomena, formulate conclusions.

Specific requirements

XVIII. Biodiversity, its threats and protection. Student:

7. justifies the necessity of using various forms of nature protection, including Natura 2000;

8. justifies the need for international cooperation (CITES, Convention on Biological Diversity, Agenda 21) for the protection of biodiversity.

General aim of education

Students present activities carried out as part of international cooperation for nature conservation.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• justify the necessity of international cooperation to prevent threats to nature;

• exchange examples of international conventions and agreements created to preserve biodiversity and describe their main goals;

• give examples of international forms of nature protection occurring in Poland;

• describe the importance of the Natura 2000 network for preserving Europe's biodiversity.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

• Students get acquainted with the content of the abstract. They prepare to work on the lesson in such a way to be able to summarize the material read in their own words and solve the tasks themselves.

Introduction

• The teacher gives the topic, the goals of the lesson in a language understandable for the student, and the criteria of success.

• The teacher reminds the participants of the classes what subject area the lesson will concern.

Realization

• The teacher uses the text of the abstract for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

• The teacher asks pupils to search the internet for the search engine for species protected by CITES (Checklist of CITES Species), and then divides the class into groups. Each team, using a search engine, generates a list of mammals subject to CITES protection on a selected continent. Groups choose one species from this list and create a short description based on available sources (such as the Internet or animal encyclopedia).

• The teacher randomly divides the class into five person groups. The task of each of them is to make the crossword attached to the abstract. After the expiration of time, members of each team count to five and remember the number assigned to them. Then they draw cards with task numbers for the next group. The teacher invites students to the game. Selected pupils from subsequent groups respond to the questions assigned to them. Correctness of the answer is assessed by the group asking the instructions, and any doubts are resolved by the teacher.

• Each group discusses the selected species, placing particular emphasis on the reasons for which it has been protected. The class jointly analyzes the threats to these species resulting from environmental conditions or human activities.

• The teacher informs the students that in Poland some animals protected by CITES can be purchased from legal farms. These animals should then be registered in the appropriate office. The teacher explains that exotic animals should not be purchased by people without appropriate knowledge and experience, and that sellers should not be uncritically believed that they are ideal species for housing. He cites confirmed cases of escape of unprotected exotic animals or their abandonment, and then recommends the charges to search the Internet resources on the Internet resources. „Abandoned reptiles. More and more exotic animals in a Lublin hostel „.

• The students jointly consider the negative consequences of exiting the exotic animal (the possibility of attacking people, health consequences for the attacked person, the costs of the search action, death of the animal due to lack of food or inadequate conditions in winter, etc.).

• Students perform exercises and commands. The teacher checks and supplements the answers, providing students with the necessary information. Provides feedback..

Summary

• The teacher briefly presents the most important issues discussed in class. He answers the additional questions of the proteges and explains all their doubts. Students complete notes.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

International Cooperation on Nature Conservation

A key element of biodiversity is sustainable development. After the United Nations' Conference known as the Earth Summit, the idea became widespread, turning into a political doctrine. Conference was organised in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro under the name Environment and Development. The representatives of 172 governments and of around 2400 non‑governmental organisations took part in the summit. Several documents concerning joint (international) activities to protect the nature and the environment against the negative influence of human civilisation and the preservation of the resources of the planet were signed. The most important documents were Convention on Biological Diversity an Agenda 21.

The implementation of the idea of sustainable development in the EU Memeber States consists in protection of species and ecosystems and it is primarily carried out in the Natura 2000 network.The aim of the network is to facilitate the movement of wild organisms and exchange of genes between different populations, thereby contributing to the biodiversity. It does not replace the national system of protected areas but enriches it. The Natura 2000 sites are designated by the Member States mainly on the request by the scientists who research the ecosystems.

A good example of Natura 2000 site is the Rospuda Valley– one of the most precious primary peatlands in Europe.

The Natura 2000 areas have been introduced to the Polish Nature Protection Laws as a result of application of two European directives: Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds known as the Birds Directive and Directive on the Conservation of natural habitat and of wild fauna and flora informally known as the Habitats Directive.

International protection of biodiversity can be much more effective than actions undertaken by single states. That is why many international conventions have been created which aim is to create protected areas for the conservation of biodiversity. In order to preserve the world's most valuable natural areas, in 1971 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established a worldwide network of protected areas, called Biosphere Reserves. Those have been established within the framework of the programme Man and the Biosphere (in short MAB). Currently there are 621 such areas, out of which 10 are in Poland. Unique and valuable natural areas can also be included in the UNESCO Cultural and Natural Heritage List. One of those in Poland is Białowieża Forest.

Poland also acceded the Ramsar Convention signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. This documents binds the Member States to protection of the wetlands, a home to numerous species of endangered animals, mainly birds.

Poland has also signed the Bern Convention on conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats and the Helsinki Convention on the protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea area. There are also other international treaties in place, helping the endangered or rare species in Poland. Some of those are the Bonn Convention on the conservation of the migratory species, agreement Eurobats on the conservation of populations of bats and Ascobans agreement on conservation of small cetaceans of Baltic and North Sea.

In order to reduce the demand on the exotic animals and plants and on products they are the source of, international laws prohibiting trade in live specimens of the most endangered animals and plants as well trade in their parts and products made out of them as well as controlling trade in other wildlife species. Those rules are contained in the Washington Convention.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed on 3rd March 1973 in Washington as a response to the growing threat to the natural occurrence of many species. Today it is binding for 180 countries. Poland adopted CITES on 3rd November 1989.

• Preservation of the biodiversity is a common interest of us all

• International cooperation is the key to preservation of the biodiversity.