Bella Bear's Global Adventures from Sussex in the UK to the Amazon Rainforest and Madagascar
Bella visited Madagascar in February 2015 to report on a project that the Railway Land Wildlife Trust is already supporting and to undertake a recce for a possible combined school expedition to be run sometime in the future.
The first project is based at Ambohimanga - a sacred site just outside the capital, Tana.
MADAGASCAR PROJECT
Dr John Parry led some teacher training at the site as well as recording the success of local people opening a woodland trail and also the start of a nursery of forest plants which did not exist before financial support from the Trust
The other Bella project in Madagascar involves learning as much as possible from a marine conservation project at Andavadok along the south west coast of Madagascar run by Blue Ventures. https://blueventures.org/
She tried to get to Andavadok in February 2015 but there had been a huge storm and the journey was very difficult because of floods and mud.
The link came about through the late Dr Alison Jolly who was a great supporter of the Railway Land Project and who pioneered work on ring-tailed lemurs.
Finally, after 8 hours driving, we had to give up as the road was too difficult.
It is hoped that Bella will be introduced to local Primary schools in Lewes District within the next two years as part of a major global education project in which children from those schools will research topics of interest for Malagasy children.
These will inlcude the seasons and especially snow; sheep farming on the Downs; local fishing; a local nature reserve and cattle farming.
The idea is to attract a very committed and talented group of teenagers from perhaps 3 local Secondary schools who will take the Primary presentations to Malagasy children and then feedback their adventures and what they have learned from Madagascar to the children on their return.
The cost of the project will be £2,000 per person which is a massive challenge and why it will take at least two years to organise.
However, anyone interested in supporting the project and to be kept especially informed of its progress and results should contact Dr John Parry
