The sixth edition of the summer camp “Paths of Sustainability” has been successfully concluded in Italy, also thanks to the ReCo project. Since 2020, this initiative has been co-organized by the Marine Protected Area of Miramare-WWF and the Julian Prealps Nature Park to jointly promote the two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.
For one week, around twenty young people from the Friulian mountains and the province of Trieste come together to explore nature, meet local stakeholders, and engage with researchers working on biodiversity and climate change. They also discover small businesses that embody the mission of the UNESCO MaB Programme: fostering harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and promoting sustainable development rooted in respect for biodiversity.
Indeed, one of the most meaningful experiences unfolded in the karst dry grasslands of Pian del Grisa, within the UNESCO Miramare and Coast of Trieste Biosphere Reserve, whose exceptional ecological value is now enhanced by the ReCo project’s pilot action. This semi-natural habitat, shaped by centuries of agricultural and pastoral activities, is a biodiversity hotspot and a key focus of ReCo’s ongoing monitoring efforts. Guided by a WWF expert botanist currently engaged in the ReCo project’s monitoring activities, the young participants conducted a plant species survey along a transect, learning to observe, identify, and record the richness of the native flora. This experience was not only scientific but deeply human, representing a moment of connection with the land, its history, and the knowledge passed down through generations.
Among the other activities of the summer camp: a visit to a natural science museum, a walk along the Napoleonica trail offering sweeping views of the Miramare Biosphere Reserve and the Trieste coastline, a boat excursion to carry out sea monitoring and restoration activities, and a dynamic “MaB LaB” session. Researchers from leading local institutions shared scientific and environmental topics, showing how to communicate science in engaging and accessible ways.
This summer camp is made possible thanks to the support of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region and the patronage of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO, but this year has been enriched by the contribution of the expertise gained within the framework of the ReCo project. Helping to rise awareness on the importance of biodiversity preservation in the youngest generations, “Paths of Sustainability” is more than just a camp: it’s a living laboratory of intergenerational exchange, where knowledge and passion for conservation is cultivated and passed on for a sustainable future.