Bandaisan Geopark: Education Initiatives
Education is a core value promoted at Bandaisan Geopark. Staff from the geopark work with elementary and secondary schools in the municipalities of Bandai, Inawashiro, and Kitashiobara—all located within the geopark—to organize programs for both the classroom and the field. Students learn about the region’s geology, history, and unique ecosystem through excursions and hands-on activities.
Disaster-prevention awareness and mitigation techniques are a major focus of the geopark’s education programs, and the volcanic Mt. Bandai provides a real-life case study. In 1888 when the volcano erupted, 86 people from Inawashiro perished in a mudflow. The surviving residents worked together to restore their community after the devastating event. Today, geopark staff build upon this legacy by training younger generations in natural disaster management.
The geopark also offers programs for student groups visiting from other parts of Japan, and the staff support research projects at the university level and beyond. Additionally, independent “geoguides,” local guides certified by the geopark, teach visitors about the local area’s history, culture, and wildlife.
