Gould League

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Gould League is an independent Australian organisation promoting environmental education, originally founded in Victoria in 1908 and named after the English ornithologist John Gould. Largely autonomous branches were subsequently established in other Australian states.

[edit] History

The initial stimulus to form the Gould League was a letter from Jessie McMichael to John Albert Leach, supervisor of nature study in Victorian state schools and later Assistant Chief Inspector of Schools in Victoria.

When formally established in 1909, the Gould League of Bird Lovers, as it was then called, was devoted to bird protection, especially the prevention of bird egg theft, the promotion of interest in and knowledge of birds and to campaign for the formation of bird sanctuaries. Members would take a pledge to protect Australian birdlife and not to collect their eggs. One of the main sponsors was the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. Alfred Deakin was the first Gould League president. The League had considerable success during this period, particularly in education. Activities included field days for the public to be introduced to birdlife, and publishing educational material.^[1]

After the 1960s the League focused on more general environmental education, and the name "Gould League" was adopted, without specific reference to birds. The Gould Leagues promoted the teaching of Environmental Education in schools, publishing classroom material and establishing Field Studies Centres, initially in New South Wales.

During the 1990s there was a shift of emphasis to "Education for Sustainability". For example, the 1990 formation of the first Recycling Education Centre in Australia by the Gould League of Victoria and the Waste Wise Schools programme that significantly reduced the waste to landfill produced by schools. During the next few years, the League intends to continue to promote the importance of national and global sustainability.

[edit] References