Abstract
The Chubu Branch of the Japan Society of Engineering Geology (JSEG) has been conducted an educational activities called “Experience Tour for Kids and Parents” every summer since 2004. The aim of the activities is to avoid from young people from being away from nature. It targets impressionable school children and provides them opportunities to experience nature. It also contributes to development of the engineering geology society. Five tours have been held from 2004 to 2009, and there were 62 families, totally 152 people attended to the tours. The tours included visiting the historical earthquake sites, experience of landslide simulation at the disaster prevention center, collecting and observing fossils and minerals, and laboratory experiments. The tours tend to be more participation-orientated style. For example, participations enjoyed discussion with the professional paleontologist over the fossils they collected during the tour.
Tour information is published in the newspaper along with other publicity methods and we gain a great amount of popularity with applications numbering two times the actual capacity. This might mean that people are not interested in nature but more people are eager to connect with nature. Therefore we believe that one of the missions of JSEG is to provide the opportunities for young people to connect with nature.
