Environmental Education in São Tomé and Príncipe: The Challenges of Owning a Unique Biodiversity

Abstract

The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe host extraordinary biodiversity that evolved over millions of years without human presence. In the fifteenth century, the colonization of the islands created a society of migrants, associated with extensive land-use change and generally low knowledge and stewardship of autochthonous biodiversity. Formal education became widely accessible after the country’s independence but the curriculum has never been aligned with the natural heritage of the islands. Informal environmental education started in the 1990s alongside the pioneer conservation initiatives involving the scientific community. In the last decade, these efforts have multiplied, in line with the need to engage and involve local actors to promote stewardship and ensure the success of conservation efforts. Some changes were made recently at a formal level with the inclusion of environmental education curricula and new manuals. In addition, several initiatives and improvements are being developed in the private education sector. However, limited access to resources for educators reduces motivation and capacity to implement longer-term improvements. Most environmental education activities are still promoted by NGOs and mainly focus on endemic or threatened species and target school-age audiences. Other initiatives focusing on specific demographic groups have provided interesting results but are more intermittent and their impacts have largely not yet been evaluated. Improving formal assessments for current and future projects to assess impacts and refine future approaches will be essential moving forward. In addition, ensuring the involvement of local actors, coordination between different initiatives, and the use of diversified approaches will ensure that environmental education engages the widest possible audiences.

Biodiversity Conservation in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Recent Progress, Ongoing Challenges, and Future Directions

“…There have also been an increasing number of initiatives aiming to improve environmental awareness on the islands (Ayres et al 2022), which is vital to boost public support and locally-led initiatives, ultimately contributing toward more robust conservation. In addition, making biodiversity information more accessible (e.g., GBIF 2021) will strengthen local capacity and engagement in conservation.…”

“…Parallel to increased funding, civil society awareness toward conservation has also greatly increased over the past few decades, which is clearly reflected in the number and impact of local environmental non-governmental organizations (Ayres et al 2022). MARAPA has been active in marine conservation initiatives for São Tomé Island, promoting sustainable fisheries and environmental education since its creation in 1999 (MARAPA 2021a).…”

Species Ecology in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Distribution, Habitat Preferences, Assemblages, and Interactions

“…Finally, it is crucial to raise public awareness about the unique biodiversity of these islands, both internationally and locally. Local biodiversity education has greatly improved in recent years (Ayres et al 2022), but the development of local scientific expertise through outreach, capacity building, and advanced training is still lacking and should be promoted through international collaborations.…”

The Avifauna of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

“…The success of ongoing conservation efforts ultimately relies on engaging the inhabitants of the islands, a process that is still in its infancy (de Lima et al 2022). In this regard, birds are also being used to raise awareness locally and globally for the value of the unique biodiversity of the islands (e.g., Rebelo 2021; Ayres et al 2022).…”