NaturED
Inspiring Minds with Nature-based and Sustainable Education
Initiative phase: Early beginnings
The peer group project NaturEd is a part of the Certificate on Sustainable Development and Social Innovation offered by the University of Luxembourg. It is a student-based initiative with new students every year focusing on environmental education, especially biodiversity.
To achieve this, we established an outdoor classroom, accessible for teachers, kindergarteners, or simply a study group of students. For this, we arranged tree logs in a circle, serving classes and groups as a dynamic teaching option. With this, we finished stage one, which is visible in the photo. Currently, we are planning to arrange the remaining parts of the concept visible on the graph. However, the site is already frequently used for diverse purposes.
The green space has a positive impact on natural habitats and allows users to engage with the surrounding biodiversity. It invites students and citizens to connect with nature through experiential learning experiences emphasizing the importance of biodiversity and pollinators. It offers great opportunities to teach about habitats and ecosystems, human-made biodiversity loss, sustainable urban planning, and a more nature-based lifestyle. You can plan a lesson or a workshop - or simply enjoy your coffee while watching bees collecting pollen.
Furthermore, tailored learning and teaching material for different age groups is provided on our main website.
Are you a teacher, social worker, or simply someone with an idea? You can use our calendar to book the classroom for free. The calendar allows you to see if the site is free at your desired appointment and reserve it while allowing us to keep track of the utilization of the site.
Name of Organization
- NaturED
- info@natured.lu
- https://transformation-lab.lu/projekte/peergruppenprojekte/project-natureed/creative-concept/can-you-hear-the-be-zzz-ees/
Address & geo
- NaturED
- Kirchberg Plateau Luxemburg
- Coordintanes 49.626381, 6.156175
Institution type/carrier
Research facility
Institution-Name
University of Luxemburg
Are there any additional partners or funders connected to your initiative?
- Fonds Kirchberg
- Musée national d'histoire naturelle
- L'Administration de la nature et des forêts
- University of Luxemburg
- the TransformationLab
- and the Certificate in Sustainable Development and Social Innovation.
Participation opportunities
You can contact us with any questions and proposals and book the site via the calendar.
Objectives
Our goal is to create an educational space to raise awareness of biodiversity's importance. The artificial separation of nature and culture is obsolete. We aim to prove that humans can live and learn within and from nature without harming the environment, which is crucial to our survival.
Impact
The site offers several benefits. Teachers can directly and explanatory educate about ecosystems, biodiversity, pollinators, or sustainable city planning on the spot - to name a few examples. Several studies show mental and physical benefits for students by"offering low-cost, non-invasive pedagogical solutions". Additionally, nature-specific outdoor learning has a positive effect on students' socio-emotional development as well as identity building, and"should be incorporated into every child's school experience with reference to their local context". Being close to the European Parliament, the Centre National Sportif et Culturel d'Coque, and the Univerity Campus Kirchberg, the location offers easy access to further interesting sites to visit for classes. Closeby playgrounds offer opportunities for dynamic break sessions.
Those benefits are useful for other groups planning a workshop on the site as well. Further, any outdoor session is visible to pedestrians walking by, or playing with their children on the closeby playground. Over time, this contributes to a more sustainable perception of the relationship between nature and culture.
With the project, we directly support the biodiversity of the site.
Target audience
NaturED has been focusing on teachers and students but is open to hearing about new proposals.