Natura 2000 in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Natura 2000 in Europe

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cooperation between educational institutions and business; Environment and climate change; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

Natura 2000
The Natura 2000 is a European network of protected nature reserves where certain animal species are safeguarded and their natural habitat preserved to maintain the biodiversity. To protect these areas governments are expected to take various measures. Agnieten College Zwartsluis located in the Netherlands, participates in this project together with Collège Hervé Faye and Collège Jean Moulin, located in France. Al three schools are located close to a Natura 2000 area.
The nature in the Netherlands is not faring well, one of the most important causes is the presence of nitrogen. The precipitation of nitrogen is a consequence of traffic, the industry and agriculture. To much of the matter causes a decrease in the diversity of species, flora and fauna, in an area, but also weakens processes generated by nature, for instance hydrating of the grounds.

Adolescentsee all around the world are taking a stand as they recognize that they will be the ones that will be burdened by the climate changees, but most of the causes and effects are too big for students to realize. The current governments are not taking the claims seriously or take too little action, even though news, briefings and scientific evidence concerning climate change and environmental pollution are reason for greater concern. With the Erasmus+ project we want to help students to understand that agriculture and conservation can support each other when used effectively. With the use of experiments and the results students find in their research, students can form their own opinions and adjust their behaviour accordingly.

The exchange project allows students to meet with youths of other countries in Europe to work together and find differences and similarities in their research. Besides awareness, the youths also have a chance to realize the meaning of being a European citizen by finding resemblances and forming connections. It is important for the students to become more aware of the significance of standing together as a European community to protect the environment and nature around us.

The goal of Agnieten College Zwartsluis, Collège Hervé Faye and Collège Jean Moulin is to encourage youths to broaden their borders and arrange for opportunities to gain international experience. In particular we would like students to accomplish the following objectives:
1. Developing basic social skills
2. Being able to communicate in a foreign language
3. Acquiring self-esteem and more confidence in discussions
4. Becoming aware of European citizenship
5. Acquiring knowledge about Natura 2000 areas close to home

The students will stay at a camping site located in a Natura 2000 area and will participate in multiple school activities, including research in the Natura 2000 area and visiting several local organisations. In the Netherlands students will make a visit to a local water purification company and an intensive dairy farm to experience nitrogen policies in action. The students will also explore the Natura 2000 area by researching biodiversity and water quality. For the exchange project the students will prepare a presentation about their Natura 2000 area to help the students of the partner schools understand the areas vulnerabilities and strengths, and how to make use of these observations.
During the project the students will maintain a portfolio in which they will be formulating their personal goals, keep track of several assignments developed by the faculty teachers of biology, physics, chemistry and geography, and the students will also keep a daily rapport of their activities. After the exchange the students will write a reflection on the experience.

The end project will be a brochure directed at visitors of all Natura 2000 areas. In the brochure the collected data and results of the Natura 2000 areas will be compared and both differences and similarities will be mapped. There will be an explanation concerning the vulnerabilities together with solutions and ideas to protect the area. The students will be presenting their end project together with their own experiences to the interested, parents and teachers.
We would like to continue our collaboration with Collège Hervé Faye and Collège Jean Moulin in the coming years, and strive to make the exchange project a permanent feature in the curriculum.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 93380 Eur

Project Coordinator

Agnieten College Zwartsluis & Country: NL

Project Partners

• COLLEGE JEAN MOULIN 36
• COLLEGE HERVE FAYE