A variety of emerging environmental education practices address the needs that are increasingly linked to contexts that are even more urban. These practices are becoming increasingly important, especially considering that in 2008 (Seto et al., 2010; Crossette, 2010) the urban population of the world surpassed the rural one and, the UN estimates that 60% of the eight billions of inhabitants of the planet will live in the city. Frank et al. (1994) recognize that urban environmental education has the same objectives as traditional environmental education: encouraging awareness, knowledge, attitudinal training, skills development and participation in solving environmental problems, but it has a specific characteristic because it occurs in urban areas, with urban citizens and dealing with urban environmental systems and problems. This paper describes the BASE project (Balice Smart Environment) which took place in Bari form 21st November 2016 to 16th June 2018 at Lama Balice Regional Natural Park. This represents an extraordinary natural and bio-diverse opportunity within a strongly anthropized and infrastructural area such as the metropolitan city of Bari (Italy). As it represents a green heart of the city, the Park is considered a powerful 'antibody' both because it is an ecological corridor for plant or animal species, and because it is implemented through the work of the Environmental Education Experience Center of Villa Framarino (EEEC), together with its activities for schools, as well as for associations, researchers and naturalists of our territory. The resulting eco-network model is an extraordinary and strategic tool for the development of a metropolitan city like Bari: on the one hand as a territorial area to improve, qualify and give it value, by organizing paths and natural experiences for residents and tourists; on the other hand as an ecosystem able to achieve an ecological, productive and community rebalancing within the city.
Urban Environmental Education and Sustainability in Lama Balice Regional Natural Park
Elvira Tarsitano
;Gabriella Calvano;
2018-01-01
Abstract
A variety of emerging environmental education practices address the needs that are increasingly linked to contexts that are even more urban. These practices are becoming increasingly important, especially considering that in 2008 (Seto et al., 2010; Crossette, 2010) the urban population of the world surpassed the rural one and, the UN estimates that 60% of the eight billions of inhabitants of the planet will live in the city. Frank et al. (1994) recognize that urban environmental education has the same objectives as traditional environmental education: encouraging awareness, knowledge, attitudinal training, skills development and participation in solving environmental problems, but it has a specific characteristic because it occurs in urban areas, with urban citizens and dealing with urban environmental systems and problems. This paper describes the BASE project (Balice Smart Environment) which took place in Bari form 21st November 2016 to 16th June 2018 at Lama Balice Regional Natural Park. This represents an extraordinary natural and bio-diverse opportunity within a strongly anthropized and infrastructural area such as the metropolitan city of Bari (Italy). As it represents a green heart of the city, the Park is considered a powerful 'antibody' both because it is an ecological corridor for plant or animal species, and because it is implemented through the work of the Environmental Education Experience Center of Villa Framarino (EEEC), together with its activities for schools, as well as for associations, researchers and naturalists of our territory. The resulting eco-network model is an extraordinary and strategic tool for the development of a metropolitan city like Bari: on the one hand as a territorial area to improve, qualify and give it value, by organizing paths and natural experiences for residents and tourists; on the other hand as an ecosystem able to achieve an ecological, productive and community rebalancing within the city.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
