Aqua Fitness 100 Hours Certificate Course
A comprehensive Home Study course in water fitness! This distance learning course is perfect for anyone interested in water fitness and safety as well as teaching some of the essential elements such as aquafitness equipment and facilities, hydrostatic and hydrodynamic principles, and program design and facilitating.
Aqua Fitness activities might be defined as any fitness activities undertaken when the body is submerged or partially submerged in water. This might include Swimming, Diving (high board or scuba), Snorkelling, Aqua Aerobics, Hydrostatic Stretching, Deep Water Running, or even more structured activities such as Water Volleyball or Waterpolo. This course is relevant to all of these to a point, though the emphasis is Aqua Aerobics, Deep Water Running, Swimming and Stretching.
Aqua exercise is particularly useful as a therapeutic tool for people recovering from injury, or with some other problem that hampers their ability to exercise on land. Various aspects (eg. surgery, severe pain, different disabilities) can impair a person’s ability to participate in more traditional exercise; whereas aqua exercise if properly prescribed may be a very appropriate alternative.
Learn about all this and loads more in this excellent foundation course in Aquafitness. For those who wish to use the knowledge and skills taught in the program for employment purposes, to work at a Leisure Centre, for example, an endorsed certificate from an Ofqual Recognised Awarding Organisation can be obtained. Simply choose study option A, when enrolling.
UK Wildlife Law: An Introduction
Introducing our New UK Wildlife Law Course
There’s a real interest among those in Britain who work with wildlife, either professionally or voluntarily, for a better understanding of the myriad laws in the country that govern the interaction between man and his environment on these Islands. That’s why ADL is proud to announce a new short course in the works “UK Wildlife Law: An Introduction”.
By popular demand, this course is the ideal introduction for anyone involved in the British countryside and the huge variety of wildlife that calls it home. Great for farmers, conservationists and other roles, the goal of this course is to equip the student with a firm understanding of the essential wildlife law that they may need to be aware of.
Global Decision, Local Consequences
Across the world, Wildlife Law has generally followed four key themes that have worked their way into the statute books of countries across the world, and the UK is no different. These being the control of pests, the exploitation of animals, animal welfare and environmental conservation.
The course begins with an introduction to the international wildlife treaties to which the UK is a signatory and obliged to abide by. For example, the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling is a huge international treaty best known for banning Whale hunting with a few notable exceptions. But it wasn’t until 1986, to protect dwindling whale numbers, that the moratorium we know today came into force.
From the global level, the course moves onto the EU level, where many modern laws and directives regarding change in modern Britain originate (and wildlife legislation is no different). From here, the course reaches the national level focusing on UK specific laws that govern the interaction with wildlife and how it practically impacts on life in Britain today.
Why Wildlife Law matters
In Britain, the native environment and species of the island country remain a national treasure even today. Despite the industrial revolution of centuries ago, the country remains a country with a unique ecosystem that’s worth protecting. And even for those who may not care themselves, the relevant laws in force must still be abided by.
If you work with the countryside, in conservation or are simply looking to add an extension to your house, it’s valuable to have an understanding of how the presence of wildlife on the land can impact your plans and how you must work around it.
Why Permaculture is a bit like the Lion King
Having thought deeply about it for a little while, we have come to the conclusion that yes, pemaculture is definitely a little bit like the Lion King. That’s not to say that permaculture involves the adventure of a Lion cub who witnesses the murder of his father at the hands of an ambitious uncle, which lead the cub on a journey of self-discovery and so forth. But rather that there are themes from the film that resonate directly with the core values of Permaculture.
The Circle of Life
It doesn’t take long in the movie until these core values get a name. The film’s opening musical song composed by Elton John has it in the title: The Circle of Life. Later, as the story progresses, the young lion cub and film protagonist Simba is educated by his father Mufasa the king further:
Mufasa: Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.
Young Simba: But, Dad, don’t we eat the antelope?
Mufasa: Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life.
While these words are as important for everyone, king or not, they have a special resonance for gardeners and horticulturalists who are working to build their gardens, farms or other project along permaculture principles. The key to working successfully with permaculture is to understand the interrelated factors and relationships between the plants and animals living in any eco-system. Then to build something that is as sustainable as it can be.
King or Queen of the Garden
However, additional thought must always be given to the impact that the gardener, and any other humans involved, may have upon the garden. As King or Queen of the Garden, those responsible need to take responsibility to preserve and protect the delicate balance of the eco-systems that they oversee.
You may not, in most countries, have to worry about the effect of an unwanted pack of hyena’s in your garden. However, any unwanted species plant or animal, left to propagate unimpeded, can eventually overwhelm and wreck the delicate balance within your permaculture garden. Unwanted plants will compete for and steal nutrients from your intended crops and animals such as rabbits can ravenously devour everything in their path left to their own devices.
That’s why being aware of, and managing the Circle of Life as it applies to your garden, is of such special importance to permaculturists. Because you are relying on your garden to be as self-regulating as possible, you need a deeper understanding of the plants and creatures within it than you would do with conventional agriculture.
Any way you look at it, working on a Garden requires effort and knowledge. A Hakuna Matata approach simply won’t do.
