IVN: a professional organisation on a regional, national and international level
From the Amsterdam office, a professional staff develops educational methods, training programmes, projects (around 700 annually) and materials to support professional workers, government, volunteers and other parties. IVN also participates in the Dutch professional environmental network. IVN develops and publishes a wide range of educational books on the environment, brochures, posters etc. ‘Mens en Natuur’ (Man and Nature) is the IVN volunteer quarterly magazine, whereas ‘Podium’ and ‘Podium Actueel’ are mainly consulted by professionals. All three magazines are in Dutch. A well-equipped informationcentre, http://www.podiumonline.nl/, specialises in online information services.
There are IVN branches (consultancies) in all 12 Dutch provinces, with professional consultants. They co-ordinate, advise and support regional as well as local groups, schools, educational organisations and authorities. They all have their own regional networks and link national developments and activities to local levels and vice versa. These regional offices specialise in project management and often function as the centre hub for projects. Most branches operate a small documentation centre.
IVN: 17.000 volunteers and their local activities
In 176 local branches, over 17.000 volunteers are involved in educational work on nature and environment. Annually, they organise hundreds of activities, such as walking with specially trained guides, school projects, exhibitions, youth activities and a range of courses.
Other projects focus on the preservation of landscape and natural areas, endangered wildlife, nesting boxes and management of botanical gardens. Also schools, community centres and children’s zoos are provided with environmental education. To an increasing extent, IVN local groups participate in policy, in cooperation with town councils and water boards.
IVN Youth: WoesteLand
‘WoesteLand’ is a group of about 200 young IVN volunteers, whose activating and educational summer holiday camps are their most popular activity. These holiday camps are unique and good fun, a combination of preservation activities, cultural themes, education and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Maintenance is of vital importance for the preservation of the areas they work in. This (often strenuous!) labour is the starting point for environmental education. During the year, WoesteLand organises several other activities for its members.
IVN: Projects
On a national scale, for instance ‘De Groene Maand’ (The Green Month), every year in September), is organised together with a number of partners to attract special attention to specific elements of the Dutch landscape in general, and IVN NatuurNetwerk in particular. The work done by the IVN volunteers is financially supported by the Nationale Postcode Loterij (one of the national lotteries).
In all Dutch National Parks, IVN staff organises education and information activities, in close co-operation with the public, visitor centres, private organisations, farmers and landowners as well as Tourist Information Centres and local authorities. Regularly, IVN works together with German or Belgian fellow-organisations.
A centre-based project which IVN is supporting is the visitor centre network, consisting of some 150 centres around the country (contact: Maria Mulder, m.mulder@ivn.nl).
IVN is also supporting and coordinating a large network on water education, called Watch (http://www.watchweb.nl/).
The programme of Schools for Sustainability is involving pupils and students from secundary education including highschools as active actors in sustainable development of the society. This will be done through contacts with representatives of companies, governments like municipalities, waterboards and provincial governments, and social and cultural organisations. Strong activating education modules are leading to understanding of the real meaning of sustainability in concrete situations in society. The themes used are among other things: renewable energy, sustainable construction, physical planning, sustainable consumption, sustainable tourism. IVN takes the lead in this project. http://www.scholen-voor-duurzaamheid.nl/ (contact Lida Blok, l.blok@ivn.nl)
IVN: International
IVN International combines the spirit and knowledge of both volunteers and professional staff by initiating and participating in small scale international education activities, always with local partners.
Since 2004 IVN International is increasingly involved in bilateral educational projects, both in Europe ('new neighbours' of the European Union), West-Africa and the Caribbean. In 2005, the Yves Rocher Foundation honoured an educational project in Madagascar, co-produced by IVN. IVN is a member of IUCN; one staff member joins the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication.
For more information, contact the IVN International staff:
