Flourishing

Short description

The project "Gemeinsam aufblühen" (flourishing together) aims at strengthening the awareness for the value of species-rich grasslands and its function as precious insect habitats.

By providing a dedicated area close to the elementary school (VS Raggal) on which plants can be observed from sowing to growing and flowering, schoolchildren as well as their parents shall get optimal access to experience the project. In the long term, the grassland may be used for educational purposes and allow cross-generational experience, while motivating private households to imitate presented gardening practices.

All schoolchildren of the elementary school Raggal receive seed material to be sown in their family home gardens. Furthermore, a half-day seminar for future "Flowering ambassadors" is being organized and implemented, involving approx. 50 children. Through their participation the children will strengthen their knowledge on the topic and become so-called "Flowering ambassadors".

To broaden the impact of the project, an information folder will be developed and a painting competition as well as a touring exhibition, involving all six municipalities of the valley will be organized.

Point of departure

The Raggal Parents' Association together with schoolchildren and teachers would like to launch an initiative on grassland diversity in order to allow people to experience biodiversity and increase the topic`s visibility on the long term. In the last few years, the biosphere park management has already implemented a number of measures in this context in cooperation with the municipalities, but replication of biodiversity practices to home gardens is still largely neglected. This small-scale project aims to bring the topic of "grassland as a valuable habitat for insects and other species" to as many households in the valley as possible. The DIY-info flyer provides a basis for the implementation of biodiversity practices in home garden. Furthermore the Parents' Association considers the possibility to actively engage people living in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve region for the development of a sustainable living space on a topic to be specified.

Awareness raising activities for the fact that all people are part of the mission along the lines of a biosphere reserve region (sustainable living and economic activity, in balance with nature) are to be strengthened and reminded about as often as possible.

For the project`s purpose the municipality of Raggal is providing grassland located in the centre of the village. In a first step the grassland will be sown with lean pasture hay. The thematically related project "Biosphere Reserve School" (Biosphärenparkschule) as well as the cooperation with the biosphere reserve management offer a suitable opportunity for alignment in terms of the implementation of the half-day seminars. Furthermore, this cooperation would allow for long-term cooperation.

Even if this seminar is initially only to be implemented involving schoolchildren in Raggal, the painting competition on the topic "flourishing toghether", jointly effected with the biosphere reserve management offers a great opportunity to involve all primary schools of the valley and subsequently reach as many people as possible through a participatory approach. The Raggal Parents' Association is convinced that the responsibly and respectfully shaped future of tomorrow lies in the children of today.

Targets and target groups

• According to the philosophy of lifelong learning, this cross-generational project offers children and their teachers, parents and grandparents an unforgettable experience. They learn how to plant a diverse grassland area as well how to observe its development on the long term.

• Awareness raising towards the local population and guests of the Biosphärenpark Großes Walsertal through designated cultivated grassland area in Raggal; Implementation of the half-day seminar for young "flowering ambassadors"; Dissemination through the DIY-info folder.

• Production of a DIY-info folder on the creation of species-rich areas in home gardens (with regional seeds adapted to the location, providing an essential habitat for many insects and other species); Distribution of seeds for direct replication of the biodiversity measures by schoolchildren in their home gardens.

•  Ensuring the sustainability of a species-rich, regional grasslands located in the centre of Raggal in close cooperation with community staff (to ensures long-term support and professional maintenance).

• Supporting schoolchildren in becoming "flowering ambassadors" and hence important project multiplicators.

• Enable future cooperation and foster synergies with biosphere park schools (integration of the pilot seminars, display areas etc.).

• Strengthening the initiative of committed groups dedicating themselves to the participatory mission of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve region.

• Ensure a broad project impact through the cooperation with the biosphere reserve management, the implementation of painting competition involving all six primary schools of the valley as well as the organization of a touring exhibition being hosted throughout all municipalities.