Introduction to the Programme
The “Environment and Conservation Fund Insect Pollination Ecology Education Programme” is an environmental education and community engagement programme funded by the Environment and Conservation Fund. With the theme of common insect pollinators in Hong Kong, the programme aims to educate and promote insect ecology to the public, to eliminate the public’s inexplicable fear of insects through diversified educational activities, outdoor field trips and “Insect Hotel”.
By popularizing the “Insect Hotel”, we could provide more nursery places for insect pollinators. Also, promote the importance of insect pollinators ecosystem services in Hong Kong. The programme is community-based, encourages the public to conduct long-term observation and surveys, collects ecological baseline data of insect pollinators in Hong Kong. As a result, the programme enriches the local ecology research with comprehensive data.
Thanks to everyone’s support, the programme was completed in November 2023. If you are interested in applying for kindergarten, primary and secondary school activities, such as the school educational programme “Insect Hotel and Pollinating Insects” and school educational programme “Butterfly Ecology Course”, you are welcome to contact our staff through email education@owlhk.org or school@owlhk.org.
Programme Features
- Insect pollinators become a new entry point for the public to re-recognize the importance of insect pollinators in Hong Kong, and introducing the concept of ecosystem services
- In form of competitions, secondary school students will be trained to conduct “Insect Hotel” experiments, cultivates self-directed learning skills to learn about insect ecology proactively
- Program is composed of comprehensive and diversified learning activities. In addition to indoor theory and outdoor learning, students are required to build their own "Insect Hotels". Providing more habitats for insect pollinators, enriching urban biodiversity
- Tertiary students are trained up to become tutors so as to lead the public for citizen science surveys and assist in early childhood eco-education activities. Thus, students can apply the theories while consolidating knowledge, learning through teaching others
- Promote effective environmental education to early childhood education, to cultivate the mindset of coexisting with insects from an early age through on-site early childhood educational activities
- Conducting on community-basis, insect pollinators surveys and public tours assist in enhancing the common understanding of insect pollinators, eliminating the fear of insects. The survey will collect mass ecological baseline information of Hong Kong insect pollinators, contributing to biodiversity research in Hong Kong directly
- Publish reference book to encourage Hong Kong primary and secondary schools to apply conservation concepts of “Insect Hotel” in teaching and daily life, to popularizing ecological conservation and environmental education
Programme Structure
“EFC Insect Pollination Ecology Education Programme” was officially launched in December 2021 for a period of two years, and was completed in November 2023. The programme is divided into seven parts:
- Insect Hotel Design Competition for Secondary Schools
- Tutor Training for Tertiary Students (2 rounds)
- Insects' Moving Castle - Insect Discovery Workshop for Kindergartens (2 rounds)
- Citizen Science – Hong Kong Insect Pollinator Survey (3 rounds)
- Where “Bugs” come from - Insect Pollinator Tour for Public
- Hong Kong Insect Hotel Manual
- Programme Achievements Release cum Awards’ Ceremony of Insect Hotel Design Competition for Secondary Schools
Hong Kong Insect Hotel Manual
The “Hong Kong Insect Hotel Manual” (the “Manual”) is now available! The “Manual” has been distributed to over 1200 secondary and primary schools in Hong Kong for free. We aim to promote insect pollinators preservation to campuses!
The manual contains:
- Insect pollinators ecological knowledge
- Concept and application of insect hotel
- Insect Hotel Teaching Kit for primary/secondary schools
- Glossary of Common Solitary Wasps in Hong Kong
The online version of the “Manual” is now available as well. Take a look at it!
Insect Pollination Ecology Education Exhibition
To share the programme results with the public, as well as to promote related ecology knowledge about insect pollinators, a 2-day free public exhibition during 25-26 November 2023 was held. In the exhibition, the public could learn about the contribution of solitary wasps’ to ecology through specimens and models of insect pollinators. Besides, excellent works from the “Insect Hotel Design Competition for Secondary Schools” were showcased. Visitors voted for the most popular insect hotel. Visitors could also take a close look at secondary school students’ efforts in conserving insect pollinators, and enable the public to understand the mechanism of insect hotels. In addition, the public could create “mini-insect hotel” crafts, and join the league of insect conservation.
Programme Achievements Release cum Awards’ Ceremony of Insect Hotel Design Competition for Secondary Schools
On 26 November 2023, we had the Programme Achievements Release to demonstrate the programme results to the public, participants and the media, including the analysed results from the “Hong Kong Insect Pollinator Survey” and publication of the “Hong Kong Insect Hotel Manual”. In addition, prize-winners of “Insect Hotel Design Competition for Secondary Schools” were awarded in recognition of their creative ideas and efforts.
Insect Hotel Design Competition for Secondary Schools
First Competition Using “Insect Hotel” As the Main Theme in Hong Kong
In addition to providing comprehensive and diversified learning opportunities, the Insect Hotel Design Competition for Secondary Schools trains and leads secondary school students to conduct “Insect Hotel” experiments in the form of competitions. Competitions enhance students' collaboration skills and engagement level, while cultivating students' self-directed learning skills, via observing insect ecology proactively and understanding ecological knowledge.
The five-day training will be instructed by local experts and professional teams, teaching ecological knowledge and searching skills of insect pollinators, as well as technical training in basic carpentry. Students will make their own "Insect Hotel" and will experience providing habitats for urban insects, and enriching urban biodiversity. Though the "Insect Hotel" experiment, students will learn experimental correction, data integration and analysis, and understand the practical challenges of scientific research.
The Secondary School Insect Hotel Design Competition will recruit 10 teams, each consisting of 3 to 4 students and 1 teacher. Students will participate in five training days, including indoor teaching activities, outdoor field trips and the production of the “Insect Hotel”.
Thank you for your support and enthusiasm for this competition, the “Insect Hotel Design Competition” has concluded! Congratulations to our winners as listed below:
【Insect Hotel Design Award】
Gold award - HKSYCIA Wong Tai Shan Memorial College
Silver award - Cheng Chek Chee Secondary School of Sai Kung & Hang Hau District, N.T.
Bronze award - St. Francis Xavier's School, Tsuen Wan
【Insect Hotel Operational Report Award】
Gold award - Cheng Chek Chee Secondary School of Sai Kung & Hang Hau District, N.T.
Silver award - Hoi Ping Chamber of Commerce Secondary School
Bronze award - The Church of Christ in China Kei To Secondary School
Tutor Training for Tertiary Students
Environmental Education X Early Childhood Education - Comprehensive College Students Training
There are two rounds of tutor training for tertiary students. Each round of training consists of two training days and an overnight training camp. The training will be led by local experts, teaching the ecological knowledge and investigation skills of pollinators in person. Also, a current and experienced kindergarten teacher will explain the basics of early childhood education. Through a variety of interactive activities and outdoor field trips, participants will be well equipped as tutors!
After receiving a series of ecological and educational trainings, tertiary students will personally lead the citizen science of insect pollinators survey, and take parts in kindergartens workshop. Tertiary students will apply what they have learned in the training to achieve teaching-and-learning, consolidate the knowledge, as well as impart relevant skills and knowledge to the public, gain first-hand experience of conservation work.
The tutors will undergo four days of training, content includes:
- Basics of Environmental Education and Early Childhood Education
- Observation and identification skills of common insect pollinators
- Citizen Science Survey
- Creation and conservation application of “Insect Hotel”
- Basic ecology and diversity of insect pollinators in Hong Kong
Insects' Moving Castle - Insect Discovery Workshop for Kindergartens
Free insect-themed kindergarten outreach activity!
Thanks to the support of teachers, two rounds of the “Insects' Moving Castle - Insect Discovery Workshop for Kindergartens” have been completed. The workshop was a free interactive learning activity designed for K3 kindergarten students. Through interactive lectures and interesting stories, children learnt about urban insects and became less afraid of them, fostering a positive relationship with our insect neighbours. Children also created a simplified insect hotel, protecting pollinator insects in our city. After the workshop, the hotels were placed in the school gardens, giving school kids a chance to observe insects up-close. It can enhance children’s interest in insects.
Besides, our organization also provides various indoor/outdoor kindergarten activity packages and professional teacher training, enquiries from all kindergartens and nurseries are welcome!
Citizen Science – Hong Kong Insect Pollinator Survey
Citizen science refers to scientific research which is conducted by the public. Regardless of the background of investigators, they can assist in the collection and analysis of scientific data and the exploration of scientific hypothesis, allowing citizen scientists to experience scientific research and learn relevant knowledge. Concurrently, scientists can collect wider and larger amounts of scientific data with the help of citizens. In this activity, there were three rounds of Hong Kong Insect Pollinator Surveys. Each round had a specified research direction, which enriched the research project and comprehended the ecological information about insect pollinators. Each round included a 1-day training day, in which local experts taught about basic ecological knowledge and survey skills of pollinators.
The survey analytical results were released on 26 November 2023 during the Programme Achievements Release. We discovered interesting flower-visiting habits of bees and reassured the importance of solitary wasps for pollination. Besides, based on the survey results, our experts suggested using more native plants in urban planning to enhance urban biodiversity.
Where “Bugs” come from - Insect Pollinator Tour for Public
Learning about insect pollinators and insect hotels with the public!
The Insect Pollinator Tour is a free 3-hour public activity which aims to raise public awareness and knowledge towards insect pollinators through outdoor study. In collaboration with “The Mushroom Initiative”, we have also placed a few insect hotels inside their farm, allowing participants to observe and learn more about this great conservation tool.
- Learn about insect pollinator ecology and biodiversity with professional tutors
- Visit the biodiverse Lam Tsuen Valley and observe Hong Kong’s village-side insects
- Observe the operation of an “Insect hotel” through simple experiments to learn about its function and applications