This study investigates the pivotal role of non-formal education in enhancing ecotourism resource management, aiming to elevate contemporary practices in the field. Utilizing a comprehensive methodology involving focus group discussions and expert interviews held at Parambikulam and Periyar Tiger Reserves of Kerala, India, the research employs latent content analysis to extract critical elements. The identified components of non-formal education programmes—education, awareness and interpretations—underscore their multifaceted nature within (eco)tourism destinations. Beyond unveiling strategies, the study scrutinises gaps in community interventions and their alignment with global mandates like the post-Aichi Target and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Urging immediate action from policymakers, administrators and stakeholders, the research advocates for incentive-based mechanisms aligning with post-Aichi Target and SDG objectives. The study emphasises community-based non-formal education programmes foster community involvement and encourages social and cultural interventions. Significantly, these programmes contribute to biodiversity conservation by disseminating locally generated, authentic information. This research underscores the transformative potential of incentivized, community-driven, non-formal education, emphasising its crucial role in advancing local communities and global sustainability goals.

It is not only worth talking about the chances of survival in the fight against emerging environmental and socio-economic threats, but it is necessary to use all possible means to influence public awareness. It is awareness that shapes our attitudes and literacy. The core of these tools is cross-sectoral place-based education. This raises the question of the role of new energy actors in the education process. As ‘first movers’, they have enormous power in the local community. Are they therefore merely energy producers, or perhaps, using their position, are they actively involved in creating local energy behaviours? A combination of social research methods including qualitative studies helped respond to this question. As the study shows, an opportunity for effective education is contextualisation, embedding educators in the local social structure and including first movers – energy producers – in this process. Biogas entrepreneurs transpose the knowledge of renewable energy – a globally known issue – to the local level. The provision of comprehensive education requires institutional support focused on building partnerships between policy makers, teachers and practitioners, enabling not only trans-sectoral contact but also the exchange of experience.

EnDiAs is an argentine group of astronomy fans founded fifteen years ago, whose goal is the public dissemination of Astronomy through Non-Formal Education. We consider that the sky is a World Heritage and everyone should have access to its observation and study. This paper shows the activities carried out by EnDiAs to fulfill its goal.

This paper shares findings from a recent study that engaged a group of Kenyan teachers in a review and development of interpretive materials through a participatory action research framework. It focuses on critical contextual reviews of interpretive materials in non-formal organisations and development of similar materials in schools with teachers. Social interactions between teachers and non-formal educators enabled the sharing of ideas, skills and techniques on materials development processes. This provided a basis for developing interpretive materials to support environmental learning within school grounds. A teacher-centred approach to materials development as argued in this paper seeks to respect the needs of schools within their social and historical contexts. It further challenges the conventional top-down approaches in which non-formal educators are creators of materials and teachers are viewed as “technicians” who implement the materials in schools. The paper offers some tentative guidelines on the development of interpretive materials in schools.