News

Last year we onboarded our Peripheral NBS EduSystems within NBS EduWORLD, organisations dedicated to promoting nature-based solutions (NBS) in education in a variety of settings. While we’ve introduced these projects before (have a read here), we’re now taking a closer look at their progress and what’s to come. In this newsbit, we’ll look at coastal and urban initiatives that are using innovation, community engagement and sustainability to drive meaningful change. These projects are paving the way for more resilient and environmentally conscious communities by integrating NBS into educational programmes and urban landscapes, and promoting long-term environmental stewardship.

Patras - Advancing environmental education through digital innovation

The Water House Environmental Centre is embracing the future of education by integrating cutting-edge digital tools to enhance learning about Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). In 2024, significant progress was made towards this goal through consultation with companies specialising in digital educational materials. After careful consideration, a supplier was selected, balancing quality and cost to meet the Centre's needs. By the end of the year, the team had completed its selection process and was preparing to submit three bids to ICLEI for approval.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Water House plans to implement a number of innovative digital activities to enrich its educational programmes. These include:

• Interactive activities that are accessible both online and offline, allowing for flexible learning experiences.
• A dedicated website to host the interactive content, ensuring accessibility to a wider audience.
• Mixed reality applications designed for mobile devices, providing immersive learning experiences within the Water House's indoor spaces.

To launch these initiatives, the Water House will host an Open Day in 2025, providing an engaging platform for participants to explore and interact with the NBS concepts. Through these efforts, the centre will become a leader in combining environmental education with digital innovation, fostering a deeper understanding of sustainability.

Transforming schoolyards in Zaragoza with naturalisation initiatives

The City of Zaragoza is leading the way in creating greener, more inclusive school environments through the Adapta tu Patio and NBS EduWORLD projects. On 27 September, a kick-off event brought together 80 participants, including teachers, families and representatives from environmental associations and local businesses. The event showcased inspiring naturalisation projects and provided an opportunity for networking and collaboration.

Out of 29 applications, two schools were selected for their schoolyard naturalisation projects. The selection process included two modalities: schools with existing naturalisation projects and schools selected on the basis of climatic conditions (e.g. lack of vegetation) and social vulnerability indicators (e.g. income levels and child poverty rates). Designs for the selected schools have been developed with their education communities and implementation is underway, with tree planting scheduled for February 2025. The projects involve 754 students and their teachers, promoting environmental stewardship and hands-on learning.

In 2025, the initiative will expand to four additional schools, with continued support for the original two schools. A Schoolyard Naturalisation Guide will also be developed to share best practice and encourage collaboration between schools. As a pilot project, it will remain in a continuous process of evaluation and improvement, paving the way for wider adoption across the city.

Bridging science and urban practice: BURST champions nature-based solutions in Hungary

BURST, a forward-looking research organisation, is engaged in promoting Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) through its involvement in the NBS EduWORLD project. As a founding member of the Hungarian NetworkNature Hub, BURST is dedicated to enhancing local authorities' understanding of NBS. In collaboration with NBS EduWORLD, BURST is engaging landscape architecture students and urban stakeholders in hands-on projects that address urban challenges, particularly in stormwater management. The aim is to foster a deeper connection between academia and urban practice, driving the adoption of sustainable solutions.

In 2024, BURST launched a practice-oriented education programme involving 30 landscape architecture students from the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Municipality of Jászberény. Six student teams were formed following initial training, and a field visit was conducted to Jászberény on October 4th to map rainwater management challenges in six selected districts. The students used this data to co-design potential NBS interventions. On November 29th, the draft NBS concepts were presented to local government officials, experts, and stakeholders in a collaborative workshop, attended by over 40 participants. This event was organised in partnership with the Interreg Central Europe project CONE, offering inspiration for future NBS investments in the city.

Looking ahead to 2025, the student teams, supported by experienced trainers, will finalize their designs for the six areas of Jászberény. BURST plans to compile lessons learned into a user-friendly booklet, which will serve as a guide for municipalities seeking to implement similar NBS planning processes.