Connecting people to nature

The first event being held today is the hosting of an Open House at the EMA’s Elizabeth Street, St Clair offices from 10 am - 4 pm. The open house aims to transform the EMA into an interactive and informative space where people of all walks of life will have the opportunity to take a brief moment out of their hectic routines to reconnect with nature, the agency said in a media release.

Activities will include among a mobile petting zoo, giveaway of seedlings to encourage planting of trees for carbon capture, environmentally sustainable community- based business initiatives such as Nature Seekers’ creation of jewelry from recycled glass bottles collected at Matura Beach and informative mini lectures and quizzes for visitors. The EMA will also use the event to launch the results of the National Environmental Literacy Survey conducted in 2016.

Tomorrow, the EMA will be partnering with Sandee Communications, supported by the Green Fund, to host the final of the National Spelling Bee Championships.

During November 2016 to March 2017, over 350 standard three pupils from 175 primary schools participated in five district qualifiers. The final will feature an intense competition between 17 finalists representing all school districts.

Capitalising on a unique opportunity to connect the event to World Environment Day, all the words chosen for the final have been selected from key terms used in environmental conservation and sustainability.

Finally, in an effort to connect with TT in the social media sphere, the EMA via Facebook, launched a photography competition in May and invited citizens to submit their photos demonstrating how they connect with nature in their everyday lives. The response saw 181 photo entries. The winners will be announced via Facebook: The Environmental Management Authority on Wednesday.

Winners receive a courtesy guided tours to protected areas such as the Caroni Swamp.