TEHRAN — The 42nd nature school in Iran, stretching two hectares in area, opened in Pardisan Park, northwestern Tehran, on Wednesday, IRNA reported.

Nature schools play a significant role in improving people’s environmental literacy, knowledge and understanding of the environment and the circumstances and conditions affecting it.

The school will be officially inaugurated on Earth Day, April 22, according to Mohammad Darvish an official with the Department of Environment.

Nature schools are up and running in the provinces of Tehran, Hamedan, Isfahan, Khorasan Razavi, South Khorasan, Mazandaran, Gilan, Golestan, Fars, Yazd, East Azarbaijan, and Kermanshah, Darvish highlighted.

“We believe those who passed courses in nature schools would never do harm to the environment and would react to the damages inflicted upon the environment, biodiversity and the wildlife,” he added.

He further noted “it appears that the only way to save the environment is to bring up a generation who would be able to make up for the mistakes we’ve made and helped save the environment.”

Children aging three to 12 can enroll in nature schools, he said, adding, “Nature schools can actually replace preschools so that we can fulfil our responsibility which is to bring up children who choose to be on rangers’ sides rather than their opposing side.”

Nature school is not interfering with the normal school operating under Education Ministry’s supervision, rather it is a place for the children to spend their free time, enjoy environmental activities there with their parents, and get in touch with nature.

MQ/MG