Eco-education materials of the «People with Nature» project were presented for Pskov City teachers of biology and geography

pic_logoToday, March 28, 2013 at the secondary school No 2 the Methodological marathon meeting of the «Promoting nature education as efficient mean of awareness raising» / PEOPLE WITH NATURE project partners with Pskov City teachers of biology and geography was held. The meeting was organized to present the information products produced by the «People with Nature» project.

Project Coordinator from The State Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Pskov Region Elizaveta Payst presented the «People with Nature» project, a brochure on protected areas of the Pskov Region prepared within the project, and spoke about the progress of the Pskov Region Red Book development, the Committee’s work on opening of the Visit Center on Protected Areas of the Pskov Region.

Project Coordinator from NGO «Lake Peipsi Project, Pskov» Andrey Vasiliev told about the organization’s role in the project «People with Nature» and presented the website «Birds of the Pskov Region», which is available online at http://pskovbirds.ru. The concept of the website was prepared in 2008 with the financial support of the MATRA / KNIP Programme of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Russia, when materials about waterfowl birds of Pskov Region were collected and processed. The updated website contains systematic information in Russian and English about all birds encountered in Pskov Region that will be useful not only for ornithologists, but also for a wide range of users who are interested in the nature of the region. It also can be used for practical trainings in secondary schools, in institutions of advanced and higher education.

A. Vasiliev also introduced to teachers the information materials prepared by other eco-educational projects that can be used within extra-curricular activities with the students for nature studies.

At the end of the meeting the teachers were given leaflets prepared by NGO «Lake Peipsi Project, Pskov» for the International Bird’s Day (April 1). The leaflet reminds about the forthcoming holiday and calls to contribute to the protection of birds.

PEOPLE WITH NATURE project will last for 2.5 years, since April 2012 to September 2014 with the participation of partners from Latvia, Estonia, Pskov Region and St. Petersburg, Russia. The most notable results of the project will be jointly developed modern eco-educational methods, educational materials and trained professionals that will contribute to sustainable development of environmental education and public awareness in the region. Also, the project provides purchase of equipment for 14 Nature Education Centers (NEC), updates 4 eco-trails, increases the capacity of NECs professionals, teachers and guides, organizes children’s competitions and 3 cross-border camps for teenagers in Estonia, Latvia and Russia, develops the Virtual M of Lake Peipsi, creates short films and slide shows on sustainable natural resource management. Eventually, the project participants will get knowledge on how to live with nature and protect it.

The project «People with nature» is co-financed by the Estonia-Latvia–Russia ENPI CBC Programme 2007-2013. Total funding of the project is 1.5 millions EUR; contribution of Estonia–Latvia–Russia CBC Programme is about 1.35 millions EURO. The remaining 150000 EURO are local funds of the project partners.