| 简介 | 自然大学是一所全开放的公众环保大学，推动公众“向大自然学习，到大自然中学习，自然而然地按照本性学习”。自然大学的目标是协助所有人打通人与自然界的阻隔，推动普通公众成为环保志愿者。
自然大学创意于2006年8月份，2007年3月份开始探索。在北京，陆续与北京地球村环境教育中心、自然之友、绿家园志愿者、达尔问自然求知社等形成过合作关系；在全国，也于福建、甘肃、天津、湖南、四川、广东等地有过尝试。
自然大学主要由六个学院组成，分别是山川、草木、鸟兽、垃圾、环境健康、乡土，大体囊括了环境保护的主要领域。同时，为了让参与者打通所有的“自然认知和社会认知”的阻碍，自然大学还准备开办“通识课”，以助参与者的能力得到更好的提升，境界得到更好的拓展。
自然大学不仅仅是为了培养参与者“发现自然之美”的能力，更注重激发每个人成为“主动的环境保护者”。自然大学信奉的原则是：“发现自然之美”是为了“保护自然界的永续发展”。因此，自然大学重视对环境问题的“觉察与改良”。相信每一个学员都会成为自然保护难题的解题高手，也相信自然大学会成为每个学员的“环保发动机”和“智慧培养场”。我们相信每个人面对环境难题，都有“积极接应，化难为易”的能力，更相信每个人都有持续探索，“化易为难，上下求索”的勇气和智慧。
自然大学的每一个学院都需要资金来保证“发现与干预”愿望的兑现。按照2006年以来的经验，大体一个学院每年需要80万元左右的资金，整个自然大学在北京正常健康地运行一年，需要500万元左右。因此，自然大学与北京水源保护基金会合作，设立淘宝公益账户，欢迎大家踊跃“购买”。
虽然你支付的费用，未必会形成对你的直接服务，但我们相信，环境保护是公益事业，自然大学愿意把所有的能量，全都用于对自然界的保护中；更相信通过自然大学所有参与者的努力，你的信任与支持会得到增持和放大。
“化伤害为美好，化腐朽为神奇；持续向自然学习，永远卫护大自然。”
联系我们：电子邮件：zirandaxue@163.com
网 站：www.nu.ngo.cn
与环保有个约会：www.rise.org.cn
Nature University is not a true university, but an environmental protection project. NU has 6 schools, namely School of Hills and Rivers, School of Forest and Steppe, School of Animals, School of Waste, School of Environment and Health and School of Farming. In these schools, almost all environmental topics are discussed.
Public education is basic part of NU activities. Every week, NU has at least 6 indoor or outdoor activities open to the public. Fieldwork and investigation are emphasized as a way of education. Each school has its own unique outdoor activities, taking the public to visit and observe the local rivers, landfills and incinerations, botanical gardens, birds, farms and so on. Public environmental lectures, discussion and salons are another sort, where people could sit together talking about environmental issues.
In addition, NU also holds the belief that people could know of the environment with the aid of portable monitoring device. So far, NU has devices for water quality, air quality (particle pollution and formaldehyde) and acoustic environment. Besides, NU maintains cooperative relationship with laboratories in collages and monitoring companies, who also give professional ideas about environmental monitoring in NU activities.
NU, based on Beijing, is also working on environmental issues in other places of China. Each school investigates in environmental accidents all over the country, including water pollution, forests damage, steppe destruction, waste disposal, POPs elimination, air pollution, etc. NU has built a steppe protection network. One of the aims of these investigations is to uncover, especially whose environmental issues that are barely known to the public. For this purpose, NU cooperates closely with journalists, offering victims, or experts to present the truth. Through media reporting, public awareness on certain topics could be lifted. NU is dedicated to solve the environment problems and launches advocacy when necessary.
Beijing Water Source Conservation Foundation was founded on Jan. 31th, 2008. As public funds, the obligation of BWACF is to protect water source. To achieve this goal, BWACF raise funds to support public education activities and direct water protection projects; special funds are established, including Yinshuisiyuan Fund, Water Source Conservation Award Fund, Water Cultural Development Fund, etc. Nature University Fund became one special fund of BWACF in 2012. |