Summary and rationale

Project summary

More and more people in Europe live in towns. Their knowledge about nature and natural values is generally poor. On the other hand, more and more animal and plant species living in Europe are threatened by human activities. If people are more educated about nature, if they know more about natural values in different parts of Europe, if they have a better possibility to communicate, and if they have personal experience with nature-related activities, then it will be much easier to protect nature throughout Europe. Life in a modern society is fast, people are busy with various activities not related with nature.

The aim of the project is to raise awareness on environmental problems among adults, bring together people who are interested in nature and who wish to raise their knowledge. The aim is also to involve people not conscious about environmental problems. The project will raise awareness of those people, which helps them to live in balance with nature. When educated, people will have a broader view and a higher capability to act in the society, which allows them to live a more worthy life.

Special events are prepared for this reason by the experts of nature working in different European countries. By accumulating experiences gained from partner countries we develop a methodology of how to bring people living in towns and big cities back to nature. This methodology is aimed to support protection and sustainability of nature in Europe to save it for future generations, and to prepare European societies for a more nature-friendly lifestyle.

An internet site, which is to be released during the project, will characterize the current project, advertise the educational methods used and explain the values of nature in Europe. Thus, the project will be sustainable.

Project rationale

Many people lack experience with nature-related activities, and many others are not aware of environmental problems. Often people are also not conscious on how much important can be their small actions to nature protection. In contemporary Europe, many adult people have limited opportunity to be active in the society, thus there is a need to improve this situation.

We believe that environmental education is important in contemporary world. Caring about nature is a basis to protect nature in Europe. The second basis is education. Only educated people are able to really protect nature in today's world.

Our plan is to raise the level of environmental awareness in people through various communication, workshops, excursions and outdoor activities. At the same time we help both people and the society to live a more active, more productive and more worthy life. By providing adult people with an opportunity to participate in important activities we can positively effect both the society and people.

We believe that by showing natural resources to European citizens and, on the other side, problems related to the environment we are able to make people understand the importance of nature in Europe and create in them a spreading feeling of respect towards the environment.

The partners of this project have a long-term experience in educating people in their home lands. This project allows to exchange their knowledge in an effective way, by arranging partnership meetings and by carrying out educational events in each country. Thus, the methods used in partner countries are exchanged and, as a result, a positive cumulative effect is expected, which allows to raise the level of knowledge among adults, and at the same time provides them with an opportunity to live a more active and nature-friendly way of life.