4th Wildlife Viewing & Nature Tourism Academy

Like many organizations,Bat Conservation International is working hard to incorporate the principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (hereafter known as JEDI) more deliberately and thoughtfully into our programming. The Bat Walks Program began in 2019 as a novel and exciting way to provide in-person bat experiences to everyone.  Although the program is successful, we realize that,during our initial planning, we built the program on existing zoo and nature center partnerships and did not take deliberate steps to offer inclusive programming to BIPOC communities. To correct this oversight, we are rethinking the program through a JEDI lens. With the help of an outside JEDI consultant and by using The Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation, we are exploring ways to enhance our Bat Walks Program in the Summer and Fall of 2021. We will share our successes, missteps, and lessons learned along the way. We hope that by offering an inside look at our process we can provide a framework for other outreach programs looking to incorporate JEDI standards.