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Vision & Mission

Its dual mission is to improve the education programs in the facilities of its members and to provide access to the latest thinking, techniques, and information in conservation education. 

IZE facilitates communication and professional development among zoo/aquarium educators and liaisons with related organizations such as WAZA (The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and CBSG (Conservation Breeding Specialist Group).

IZE and individual members work together with other conservation organisations, including the World Zoo Organisation, the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, and the IUCN (The World Conservation Union), to enhance the understanding of conservation issues and to share information on effective informal education methods.

Letter from IZE President, Stephen McKeown

Here in the UK we’re enjoying a fabulous new TV series called Planet Earth narrated by Britain’s favourite mammal, Sir David Attenborough. The filming is the most spectacular I’ve ever seen – hopefully some of you will have a chance to see it when it’s screened in other parts of the world. As technology has advanced so many more of these wildlife spectaculars are filmed in the wild but when I was a young zoo educator I well remember a BBC film crew arriving at my zoo and erecting a huge black sheet in the porcupine enclosure with a circular hole cut out through which a bright light was beamed. This represented the moon shining out from the African sky in a most convincing way and saved the crew the expense of traveling to Africa to film. Sir David recorded a voiceover in the comfort of a television studio in Bristol and the whole thing was so cleverly done that I doubt whether many viewers could tell that it was all staged. Nor would they want to probably, in the sense of letting light in on the magic. Ironic then that people who seek to devalue the role of zoos so often cite wildlife documentaries as a more palatable and educational substitute. The reality is that the two go hand in hand, partner experiences in creating a sense of wonder in the natural world and bringing it closer to us in our living rooms and on a visit to the zoo.

A few years ago I was at a seminar in Manchester where a museum educator produced a stuffed stoat (Mustela erminea) in its winter coat. The total body length of this striking looking creature is around 40cm. The most common answer given by visiting schoolchildren on being asked to identify it was, "A Polar Bear." Logical enough in a child’s mind I guess if you’ve never seen a polar bear in real life (there is only one in the whole of the UK - in Edinburgh Zoo) as it’s white, furry, looks quite fierce, obviously lives in snowy places and is about the size that a polar bear would be on an average television screen. So, at a very basic level, zoos can show people the real size of animals in relation to themselves. It’s not just kids either. I was showing a TV producer around my current zoo to try and identify some educational opportunities for a programme. He was one of those sophisticated, sunglass wearing (it was not a sunny day), trendy types who affected a slight ‘know it all’ air. On entering the giraffe house he commented that he’d never seen a giraffe in real life before (plenty opportunities to do that – he must have led a sheltered life). At first he looked straight through the jumble of giraffe legs in front of him and then slowly raised his head in complete awe. "I never realized they were soooooo big….," he said in genuine wonderment. So, in other words, confirming what you all know already, face to face encounters with live animals have an impact and an educational value that nothing else can ever really replace.

Something I touched on at the end of our conference in Pretoria is the important issue of being trusted by our audiences when we’re delivering conservation messages. With so much information sloshing around in print, on TV and radio, and, of course, the Internet, it’s sometimes hard for people to make up their minds about who to believe, especially when conflicting views are presented. The German group GfK compiles an annual ‘Trust Index’ based on research conducted across 19 countries. You can find the detailed results on their website at www.gfk.com but to summarize their findings, at the bottom end of the trust league are politicians (lowest,) business managers and journalists – no surprises there. The professions most trusted by people are doctors (most,) teachers and the army. This has significant implications for us as educators. If you consider how much information on conservation and environmental issues is fed to us by governments, business (especially multinationals) and the media, in other words those we trust the least, it throws up a real challenge for us as educators. If our closest affiliation in this morass of trust and mistrust is the teacher category, then our responsibility to deliver clear, impactful and accurate messages is even greater. Isn’t it reassuring, and for me quite motivating, that we have something that politicians, multinationals and the media cannot buy for any amount of money? As well as confirming that we are a powerful force on our own and as a community of educators, it also creates opportunities for stronger relationships with the media, corporations and government departments and agencies.

Our conference in Pretoria made me reflect on how far we have come as a profession that really only started in the 1970s. The quality of the presentations, the passion shown by people who truly believe that what they are doing will make a difference and the commitment of everyone to follow through on the actions that arose from our discussions was truly inspiring.

Between now and our next conference in Adelaide in 2008 I hope that we will be able have our membership grow further, continue to increase the information flow and idea sharing between ourselves and consolidate our relationship with the WAZA Education Committee. We are fortunate that Ed McAlister, Karen Sausman and Gordon McGregor Reid (Immediate Past President, President and President Elect of WAZA) are all committed supporters of zoo education as of course is Laura Mumaw, Chair of the WAZA Education Committee.

It is a huge privilege to lead an organization such as IZE and I certainly have some hard acts to follow! The IZE Board with its diverse range of skills and experience, reinforced by a real commitment to our cause will achieve much over the next two years but only with the support of IZE members. There will be opportunities to contribute to our work at global, regional, national and individual levels and I firmly believe that all of you have a contribution to make, wherever you are. The Board and I are looking forward to working with you!

Stephen McKeown
IZE President
s.mckeown@chesterzoo.org