At present, over 50% of the world population lives in cities, where it is difficult to develop bonds with nature. Urban areas offer unique opportunities for building a resilient and sustainable future, where citizens are called to play a key role.The main idea aims to create a network of community-based nature reserves in European cities, encouraging changes in behavior that will lead to more sustainable cities in terms of environment integrity and public participation.

Zaragoza, Spain

Creation of environments socially just, ecologically sustainable, politically participatory, culturally vibrant

The creation of a web of conservation spaces for wildlife, managed by citizens, where they will make their own decisions and lead the actions, guided by the staff, in order to:
-Empower active citizenship by seeking new forms of actions (experiential learning)
-Work within a dynamic and participatory educational frame
-Implement a collaborative process with diverse target groups and communities
-Contribute to a sustainable future
https://youtu.be/ciJtPvMpD-k

Analysis of social and environmental local contexts
Kick-off transnational meeting
Public presentacion of the Project
Media campaign for promotion of the Project
Set-up of web platform to provide info, upload toolkits, resources and follow-up the process.
Structured dialogue with public administrations and private owners for the use of public/private lands for the creation of ‘minireserves’; Dialogue with stakeholders, decision-makers, groups of interest, communities, etc.
Regular workshops with groups of interest and individuals to join the project.
Analysis of possible actions to be carried out.
Development and implementation of Minireserves.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Final public events
The Results and material will be available online for new international MiniReserves

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European citizens, people involved in grasstroots local social, environmental and cultural groups, communities adversely affected by socio-economic and environmental issues within Europe, engaged citizens not involved in grassroots groups, young people.

This project gives power to empower citizens themselves, where the staff are facilitators of the process. Each managing group incorporates their own ideas for conserving the MiniReserve, according to the local context and given the space and available resources. At the end, we will get an international network amongst organizations, communities and individuals involved, that will foster collaborative research, sharing of good practices and innovative methodologies in environmental education.

Personnel costs 24000 EUR, Travel costs 3600 EUR, Accommodation/Subsistence 4270 EUR, Office expenses 4000 EUR, Digital Services 5000 EUR, Communication & PR 2000 EUR, Equipment 2000 EUR, Presentation of results 1500 EUR, Unforeseen 2500 EUR