Hellabrunn Zoo participates in BildungKlima-plus education network

The original network of 16 education centres (one per federal state) has been expanded with the project BildungKlima-plus-56 to include 56 additional education partners. The aim of the network is to increase the number of environmental education opportunities and improve the quality of teaching. The project focuses on extracurricular learning centres that offer educational programmes on climate protection. Hellabrunn Zoo’s collaboration with the network is a logical extension of its educational offerings at the zoo.

The effects of climate change on people, flora and fauna are already being felt everywhere. Hellabrunn Zoo wants to do more to tackle this challenge by participating in the BildungsKlima-plus-56 project. In November 2022, the zoo became a member of the nationwide network in order to expand its environmental educational programme. After the success of first workshop with the network, many ideas for further cooperation emerged. They include the upcoming "Climate, Animals & Us" awareness weekend on 21 and 22 July 2023 at Hellabrunn, where visitors will have an opportunity to learn about the current environmental education projects at the zoo and about the urgent need for climate protection.

BildungKlima-plus: Learning from each other and taking action together

All newly admitted educational institutions receive intensive consultations on how their educational programme can be optimised and expanded for topics such as climate protection. The aim of this is to take suitable measures to reduce the CO2 footprint and thus become a role model for climate protection. Education providers are shown how to implement successful climate education programmes. The increased network size makes it possible to offer significantly more learning opportunities on climate protection at extracurricular learning centres throughout Germany and to make a significant contribution to environmental education.

Verena Dietl, Mayor and Chair of the Supervisory Board, is pleased with the zoo's participation in the network: "At Hellabrunn Zoo, in addition to our exemplary educational offerings, we also place an emphasis on raising awareness about tackling current environmental issues. Extracurricular learning centres like Hellabrunn are therefore of invaluable importance, as they support and can even expand our commitment to education. The educational content on offer is designed to be experienced in a playful way but also to be informative for visitors of all ages, thus playing an important role in environmental education."

Zoo director, Rasem Baban, sees participation in the project as an important sign: "The inclusion of Hellabrunn Zoo in the network of climate protection education centres is a great honour for us and shows that we are on the right track with all our previous and future planned projects. Hellabrunn and the educational facility of the Zoo School are very special extracurricular places of learning. With the large number of barrier-free and inclusive educational offerings at the animal enclosures and around the entire zoo, we are able to arouse enthusiasm for the animal kingdom and the environmental protection required, not only among schoolchildren. Only in this way, can we lay the foundations for a real understanding of the complex relationships in nature and take action to protect them.”

More information on the multifaceted commitment of the zoo and about climate, nature and wildlife protection will be presented during the climate awareness weekend in late July. The event will be supported by several conservation organisations. Mobile info stands will be dotted around the zoo to enable conservation ambassadors to engage with visitors and special keeper talks are also planned.