Involving young people in peatland work - Atlas Merveilleux
Case Study
Area
Type of work
Since 2004, the Conseil général des Côtes d'Armor in Brittany, France has run an ambitious three-year programme with GFEN (Groupe Français d'éducation Nouvelle) to use the creativity of children to give fresh views of dozens of natural heritage sites in the Côtes d'Armor Department. The childrens' poems, stories, maps, drawings, paintings and collages have been published in a series of books, known collectively as 'Atlas merveilleux d'Armor et Argoat' (Marvellous Atlas of Armorica and Argoat). This project has been described as a way of 're-enchanting' the sites' ('Réenchanter les sites')
LEADER+ Peatland Project partners were involved in work in Les Landes de Locarn in the first year of the project, results of which appeared in the first volume of the Atlas.
Work details
Groups of children visit a natural heritage site in conditions considered to be favourable to writing. Groups are accompanied by a facilitator and someone who encourages them to make an emotional and imaginative response to the place.
Work begun on site is continued in the classroom with the help of the childrens'; teachers and the writers and artists involved in that part of the project. For each site, the format of presentation for the Atlas is a map (combining different real and imaginary elements), followed by pages of poetry, fiction and art produced by the children and a page summarising scientific information about the site.
Results
- More than 500 school pupils involved
- 36 sites covered
- Trilogy of 'Atlas Merveilleux' volumes published each June between 2005 and 2007 (first volume 114 pages, second 130 pages, third due June 2007)
- Atlas format: 23.5cm x 23.5cm with 36 pages of illustrations
- The Conseil général des Côtes d'Armor was awarded the culture prize in the Prix Territoria 2006 for the work (Citation: “Proposer aux enfants du département des Côtes d'Armor de « Réenchanter les sites naturels d'Armor et d'Argoat », démarche originale de création et d'écriture en s'appuyant sur le pouvoir imaginaire dedouze espaces naturels remarquables.”
Availability of Atlas volumes
Retail price in France, 18 Euros.
Contact for further details:
GFEN 22
11 Rue Gustave Eiffel
22000 SAINT BRIEUC
France
Tel.: 02 96 68 69 09
gfen22@wanadoo.fr