Desert Environments CPD at The Royal Geographical Society

Representatives from the Anglo Omani Society were invited to attend an event held at the Royal Geographical Society on the 26th of September to launch the new Outward Bound Oman Education and Outdoor Learning material.

Speakers included Mark Evans MBE, director of Outward Bound Oman, Professor Joe Smith, director of the Royal Geographical Society and Mike Robinson, director of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. In addition to educators and guests, the event was attended by His Excellency Abdul Aziz al-Hinai, the Omani Ambassador to London. The longstanding relationship between Royal Geographical Society and Oman was displayed in an address by Nigel Winser, who participated in the 1985-87 Wahiba Sands field research program; the findings of which formed the basis for the current teaching materials for Desert Environments.

The event showcased the work of Outward Bound Oman which was launched in 2014 as part of the international Outward Bound community that started in Wales in 1941 and strives to educate and encourage personal development through outdoor expeditions. In particular, the event celebrated the opening of Outward Bound Oman’s new desert training centre in the Sharqiya Sands (formerly the Wahiba Sands), which has been designed locally with careful consideration of the challenging conditions to provide the optimal environment from which to conduct research and expeditions. Sustainability was also a major factor in the site’s design, with substantial use of solar energy and the re-use and treatment of all water on site.

The second half of the event consisted of a workshop held by Chloe Searl and Tamsin Murchie on the subject of teaching Desert Environments using Oman’s Sharqiya Sands as a case study. Educators explored methods for effectively engaging students of different ages and abilities, and discussed how the study of Oman’s Sharqiya sands fits with current requirements for the Geography GCSE. The discussions ranged from using sandboxes as a hands-on way for children to understand the formation of sand dunes, to different ways of thinking about food production and air miles, to discussion on the human impact on desert geography.

The day concluded with an opportunity for attendees to view historic Omani items held in the Royal Geographical Society’s archive. The takeaway message of the day was the importance of recognising the incredible landscapes and environments that, in the words of director Mark Evans, make Oman a ‘geographer’s paradise’.