General annual meeting
The annual general meeting of the EU Horizon project Restore4Life brought together all project partners highly motivated to engage in the development of a long-lasting online wetland renaturation service. The many tools and resources that will be developed in the project will contribute to establishing the Restore4Life Restoration Accelerator that will combine integrative wetland management with a novel level of societal involvement.
A comprehensive Citizen Science toolbox and an innovative Wetland Educational program will be two key resources accessible through this online platform, offering a complex suite of tools for long lasting community involvement, environmental education, and model wetlands as nature-based solutions.
Together, these resources will provide knowledge about the structure and functions of wetlands, the impacts of human activities, and the ecological, economic and social benefits of wetlands, thereby encouraging active stewardship in the conserving and restoring these precious ecosystems.
During the meeting, we organized a workshop for co-creating a comprehensive wetland-related education program that integrates sustainable practices and nature-based solutions. Together with representatives from project partners across Europe, we developed a framework to identify important ecological features to be addressed, topics for educational activities, and standout wetland educational programs and highlighted specific gaps and needs in wetland-related environmental education.
The workshop was based on a robust database developed earlier this year, encompassing over 160 examples of existing wetland educational projects. These projects span a wide range of European countries and include activities such as guided field trips, introductions to local fauna and flora, bird watching, field measurements (Citizen Science), and presentations on the benefits wetlands offer to communities and ecosystems.
Showcasing Best Practices
During the workshop, participants presented a selection of 20 exemplary educational programs from the database. These programs were chosen for their effective integration of sustainable practices and nature-based solutions in wetland restoration, their relevance to the Restore4Life project, the impact on the audience, creativity, and engagement.
Following the presentations, participants voted to rank these projects, offering valuable insights into their preferences and priorities for future educational materials.
Collaborative Development
A part of the workshop was dedicated to identifying relevant topics and target audiences for new educational materials, including hands-on experiments. The collaborative nature of this effort is crucial to ensure that the educational program addresses different types of wetland restorations present in the project and also the identified gaps and needs within the realm of wetland education.
The success of the workshop in Bratislava underscores the importance of partnership and shared knowledge in achieving our goals. Moving forward, the ongoing collaboration of project partners will be essential in crafting an engaging and impactful educational program that deepens the understanding and appreciation of wetlands, ensuring their preservation for future generations.
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