Marine-based ecological education: marine discovery centres, millennium kids, environmental citizenship, and a vision for an eco-camp

摘要

The aim of this thesis is to gain knowledge and understanding about Marine-Based Ecological Education and then apply this knowledge and understanding to form the vision of an Eco-Camp in Western Australia. This has been done in three stages.ududPart one is an account of my personal immersion in a grass roots not-for-profit environmental youth organization, Millennium Kids. The most valuable lessons that I learnt during this time came through the Environmental Citizenship program. Initially I was a participant, and then on three other occasions I was a facilitator for the program. It was through these programs that I began to understand the value of facilitating lessons learnt from robust healthy nature.ududPart two of my research is concerned with marine education centres and uncovering their stories; documenting their ethos, education and public relations. I aim to focus on what each centre does best and how this has enabled them to become the entity that they are today. Through this process I collect information that will inform the culminating vision of this thesis, the Eco-camp.ududPart three is the vision for an Eco-Camp, which has developed organically from my understandings derived from parts one and two. Through both my research on marine education centres and my personal immersion in Millennium Kids Environmental Citizenship program, I began to realize the value and need for an Eco-Camp. The Eco-Camp will be in remote robust healthy nature and will immerse participants in these environments, attuning them to the rhythm of Gaia.