Education for the sustainable development of mediterranean model forests Erasmus Project

Project Title

Education for the sustainable development of mediterranean model forests

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

In Mediterranean European countries, the general public, in general, does not have a proper knowledge of forests, and even less to their contribution to sustainable development. It usually underestimates the matter, depending on the country and region of course, of their fire risk, economic importance, biodiversity fragility and diverse recreational uses. This generates, respectively: fires (the greatest number is caused by negligence), weakening or abandonment of economic activities (due to social or economic pressure), destruction of natural resources (by inappropriate uses) and social tensions (by disrespect for the need to conciliate various interests and objectives). In order to remedy the causality between the problematics and their origin, through the concept of Model forests (MF), the Forest-Ed project aims to make the multiple functions of Mediterranean forest areas known (and well-known) by the non-forest professionals that use the forest or hinder its sustainable uses, thus directly influencing the models and strategies of forest management. A MF is a partnership approach association based on a large-scale landscape encompassing many different land uses and aiming to attain sustainable forest management. In this context and through the perspective of MF, knowledge exchange, cooperation in areas of common interest, and the collective development of capacities for innovation are put forth to empower educators, youth workers, educational leaders and their support staff.

The main expected direct results upon the completion of the project are that environmental educators:
– gain, at the same time, knowledge and educational techniques to train and educate publics and stakeholders on environmental transition of forest management in the context of climate change and the role played by MFs;
– operationalize the knowledge and apply the acquired techniques within their own educational activities, in the framework of strengthening effective sustainable forest management and Mediterranean Model Forests initiatives.

Through this empowerment of professionals of environmental education, the project will ultimately allow the adult general public, and forest stakeholders with specific interests to be educated on the fact that in he mediterranean basin, forest areas represent through their different functions, valid solutions for sustainable development: environmental through the preservation and valuation of natural resources, social through the conciliation of various cultural, spiritual and recreational uses, and economic by value-chains based on forest-based products and services.

Being MF associations of diverse stakeholders having different values and interests regarding forest areas and still targeting sustainable development, their operation mode is inherently participatory and transparent. It is because they are particularly suited to the objectives of the project that all the 7 European Mediterranean MFs are partners (existing associations as beneficiary and ongoing initiatives as associated). While being implemented, Forest-Ed will feed their collective dynamic strengthening the international MFs networks.

The project will also allow the existing associations to share their feedback to the initiatives so that the former take benefits of their respective experiences, especially breaking barriers linked to individualistic behaviors and attitudes. Through the direct goals of the project – the creation of a well versed pool of environmental educators with specific knowledge on Mediterranean MFs and the techniques to most efficiently convey the concept – Forest-Ed will have an effective impact in terms of supporting:
– citizenship, cooperation and active participation ;
– the role of education in handling climate change and forest environmental transition ;
– open mindedness by encouraging debates of ideas, exchange of various points of view among adults about forest sustainable development ;
– implementation of the EU 2020 agenda and other national and international directives for sustainable development, in the context of linking sustainable forest management and climate change.

The Strategic Partnership brings together 7 entities from 6 countries representing almost the entire Mediterranean arc of the European Union: Provence Model Forest (France), the Regional Development Fund of Western Macedonia (Greece), CESEFOR Foundation (Spain), ASPEA (Portugal), River of Mirna Basin Model Forest (Croatia), Florentine Mountain Model Forest (Italy), and GRAINE network (France). Beginning in September 2020, and ending in December 2021, Forest-Ed will include 3 transnational events in France, Portugal, and Italy. These will include different types of sessions, both indoors and outdoors in effective and planned MFs and the production of relevant educational materials.

Project Website

http://foretmodeleprovence.fr

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 107660,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

Forêt Modèle de Provence & Country: FR

Project Partners

• GRAINE Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur (Réseau régional pour l’éducation à l’environnement)
• REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND OF WESTERN MACEDONIA
• Associazione Foresta Modello Montagne Fiorentine
• Associação Portuguesa de Educação Ambiental
• Modelna suma “Sliv rijeke Mirne”
• FUNDACION CENTRO DE SERVICIOS Y PROMOCION FORESTAL Y DE SU INDUSTRIA DE CASTILLA Y LEON