Environmental Education through Roadkills Observation Systems Erasmus Project

Project Title

Environmental Education through Roadkills Observation Systems

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Wildlife Vehicle Collision (WVC) is a serious issue affecting both biodiversity and society. There are many areas of Europe and the world where WVC are under-reported or not reported at all. The impacts on the ecosystem, especially at finer spatial scales, are currently unknown. Environmental education currently lacks material related to WVC. The aims of the EnVeROS project were to create educational material to contribute to the mitigation of the phenomenon and promote citizen science.

Objectives
1) Collect all the WVC related information in a document that will serve as a key reference material (IO1).
2) Use this material to produce the e-learning course.
3) Create educational material to be used by educators for primary; secondary and adult education.
4) Built the EnVeROS web map and app for promoting citizen science and adult education.
5) Create a comprehensive replicability e-package for education & training activities related to Road Ecology and Wildlife Vehicles Collisions.

The IOs (2,3,4,5 and the layman report based on IO1) were delivered in five languages (EN, GR, CZ, IT, GER) to support wider uptake.

Results and impact attained
The results and impact of the EnVeROS project are related to 1) the work done for the IOs, 2) the multiplier events for promoting the IOs to the stakeholders, educators, and VET providers, 3) the Webinar, 4) the LTT (joined staff training) activity, 5) the dissemination work and 6) the project management.
IOs
IO1: the report contains all the aspects that are related to WVC (i.e., Road ecology, citizen science, pedagogical aspects). Citizen science aspects are highlighted. Moreover, questionnaire research in the project regions is included, involving 508 citizens and 103 experts, from the project areas (Italy, Cyprus, and the Czech Republic) and beyond.
IO2: The e-course contains all the relevant topics (e.g., effects of roads on ecosystems, socioeconomic impacts, monitoring). The material was produced with the use of software that is tailored for interactive presentations. Feedback from 100 individuals (stakeholders; online questionnaires) was collected (overall satisfaction rate 4.1/5).
IO3: The educational activities focus on 1) primary and secondary education and 2) adult education. The activities are built to be introduced in existing curricula in primary and secondary education as well as in adult education/VET related to sustainable environmental resources management (e.g., protected areas management). This material could cover the existing gap in material related to Road Ecology and Citizen Science in adult education and VET.
IO4: The project platform (www.enveros.eu) was built early in the project to host all the information relevant to the EnVeROS project. Information about the project and WVC are provided. The e-course and the web-map are hosted. Documents and news section are also there and link to the Facebook page and the email. The webpage (and the IOs) is available in five languages. 1714 users from all over the world visited the website (March 2019-December 2020). Top five countries: Italy, USA, Cyprus, Canada, Germany.
IO5: For the last IO of the project, the team created a WVC comprehensive replicability e-package that will allow anyone interested to design vocational/educational activities for different target audiences (available in 5 languages). Also, it provides instructions on how to incorporate this material in different training events.
E1-3: Multiplier events took place in all project areas. Participants: 104 in Cyprus, 40 in Italy, 50 in the Czech Rep., 68 in the webinar. TOTAL: 262; 340% above the target (e.g., VET providers, public authorities, NGOs).
C1: The LTT event was held in the Czech Republic, in CDV between 5-7 June 2019. Staff from the partners were present (11 people) and it was also an open event (20 participants in total). The main training topic was the WVC monitoring system that it is established in the Czech Republic, as cooperation of CDV, the police, and volunteers.
Webinar: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the E4 event in Cyprus was held as a Webinar. During this event, 14 Road Ecology and Citizen Science experts presented the EnVeROS project and other relevant projects’ actions to 68 participants from several countries (Europe and beyond; e.g., Egypt, S. Africa). The webinar was recorded and is available via the project and OUC website.
Dissemination: A dissemination plan was prepared and followed early on in the project. The project material reached 2861 people (e.g., multiplier events, training, website).
Longer-term benefits: The IOs of the project (e.g., web-map and app., website, e-course, training guidebook) were designed and implemented in a way that guarantees their use, during the everyday activities of the project partners and anyone interested to provide training in the topics of Ecology and Citizen Science.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 152469,56 Eur

Project Coordinator

ANOIKTO PANEPISTIMIO KYPROU (OPEN UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS) & Country: CY

Project Partners

• ACCADEMIA EUROPEA DI BOLZANO
• CENTRUM DOPRAVNIHO VYZKUMU v.v.i.
• Terra Cypria-the Cyprus Conservation Foundation