Children's environmental group Team Otter get trip to Isle of Canna connecting with the outdoors, while enhancing their wildlife and environmental experiences.
Engaging children with nature, wildlife and the environment is so important and it’s something the International Otter Survival Fund have taken positive steps towards, igniting a passion with their Team Otter programme which has seen groups popping up from Mexico to Mongolia. Integral to their education output they look to engage children at a community level with environmental issues, campaigns and well, generally making a difference in the world.
Their closest group is right near their headquarters on the Isle of Skye, Team Otter Broadford. A passionate group of children working towards cleaning up their environment and reducing the environmental impact in the local area. Whilst also having the chance to learn about with survey techniques and keeping an eye out for those local otters of course!
Ben from ISOF applied to the Alpkit Foundation for help towards a visit to the Isle of Canna, a haven for seabirds, and other marine life on the west coast of Scotland. It was a trip that looked to give members of Team Otter Broadford the opportunity to engage with the outside, camping, walking and learning all about the amazing array of wildlife that the island has to offer.
“During this trip, the group will be allowed the opportunity to visit one of the country’s best seabird habitats, observing a wide arrange of species, and also have the chance to contribute to their beach clean target of 30 – of which they have done 16.”
We were able to give a small grant of £150 to help support the children's trip and it was lovely to hear back on how they got on, with the kids enthused to continue getting involved in environmental work and help monitoring the local wildlife.
“The group has spent a few years working to help the environment, and the wildlife, of our area. We have, of course taken the opportunity to visit wildlife of our local area, but Canna has different species, particularly marine species, which allowed the children to see and observe them in their natural habitat. Furthermore, during the trip, we camped and the children were in charge of putting up tents, cooking and other outdoor learning activities.”
If you want to find out more about the work they do looking out for the amazing otters then get yourself over to the website of International Otter Survival Fund.