- Gould League
The Gould League is an independent
Australia n organisation promoting environmentaleducation , originally founded in Victoria in 1909 and named after the Englishornithologist John Gould . Largely autonomous branches were subsequently established in other Australian states.History
The initial stimulus to form the Gould League was a letter from
Jessie McMichael toJohn Albert Leach , supervisor ofnature 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 theRoyal Australasian Ornithologists Union .Alfred Deakin was the first Gould Leaguepresident . 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.Jenkins, C.F.H. (1983). "John Gould and the Birds of Australia". Gould League of Western Australia: Perth. ISBN 0-9591672-1-8]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 . In 2006 the Gould League of Victoria became the Gould Group Ltd.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 program significantly reduced the waste to landfill produced by schools.References
External links
* [http://www.gould.edu.au/ Gould Group Ltd]
* [http://www.gould.nsw.edu.au/ Gould League NSW]
* [http://www.wagouldleague.com.au/ WA Gould League]
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