Groupe uni des éducateurs-naturalistes et professionnels en environnement (GUEPE) |
Honouring an individual or group that creates, presents or encourages conservation, habitat or wildlife programs to youth
Established in 1991, the Montreal-based Groupe uni des éducateurs-naturalistes et professionnels en environnement (GUEPE) has grown to become a leader in the field of delivering environmental and natural science education programs to children aged five to 12 in Quebec. Employing experienced naturalist and skilled communicators, it offers hands-on class workshops and education outings to students in 12 school boards, reaching out to anglophone and francophone communities. GUEPE also offers training to teachers so they can build on the lessons learned.
In addition to its school-based programming, GUEPE runs nature and science summer camps, where children learn about nature and wildlife through activities such as fishing, frog hunts and other games. The camps are so successful that some participants return each year, staying with the program from their early childhood up to adolescence.
That’s important work. After all, as GUEPE says, instilling a strong sense of the value of nature in children is an important step in helping them grow up to become adults able to make wise decisions about their futures and the future of the planet.