The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is one of the most endangered mammal species in Slovenia (Kos et al., 2005). The members of LIFE Lynx project, who aim to protect the species and ensure its long-term preservation, formed and constructed a nature trail to raise awareness and educate its visitors of lynx biology, its importance within the forest ecosystem and its persisting endangerment. The nature trail, set in lynx’s authentic environment, serves as a motivational factor to the project’s target audience, i.e. general public and school groups (primary and secondary school students). To guarantee the highest possible participation of children and young people, specifically school groups, an analysis of lower secondary school science and biology curriculums has been made, focusing on the lynx nature trail. Also, vertical alignment of curriculums through primary and lower secondary school and horizontal alignment of curriculums in lower secondary school have been explored and teacher guidelines have been formed. The overlapping of the nature trail’s content with the required goals and standards in the curriculums increases the odds that teachers will decide to visit and discover the trail with their students. Interdisciplinary connections and content coordination with curriculums enables schools to organize science, sports and technology activity days by visiting the nature trail and include it in their annual plans in a professional manner. The more people visit the nature trail, the greater the chance of a general positive attitude towards lynx in Slovenia and the greater the general public support for lynx’s long-term preservation.
|