“Empowering youth for nature interpretation” project
The “Empowering Youth for Nature Interpretation” project is a follow-up of the previous EMM cooperation with the US Forest Service International Programs, the “Local youth – The Voice for the Sustainable Promotion of the ‘Orheiul Vechi’ cultural-natural Reserve” project implemented in 2018 and the “EMPOWERING ECO-EDUCATION. Skills and Experiences for Nature Interpretation” project implemented in 2019. All three projects are building towards the long-term goal: based within the project’s pilot zone of Orhei National Park (including the Orheiul Vechi cultural-natural Reserve), to create a model of involving the youth community in nature interpretation and conservation activities.
PROJECT GOAL: to create a model of involving the youth community in nature interpretation and conservation activities based on the Orhei National Park area.
Objective 1: Carrying out creative-educational activities on nature interpretation in the area of the Orhei National Park;
Objective 2: Providing support for the involvement of youth from the Orhei National Park area in the implementation of five service projects;
Objective 3: Providing the framework for signage of a hiking and biking trail in the area of Orhei National Park according to the recommendations agreed with Moldsilva State Agency (Moldova Forestry Service);
Objective 4: Increase visibility of the Orhei National Park in mass media of regional and national level.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
1. Creative educational activities
1.1 Online course on nature interpretation.
The aim of the course is to train 50 children from the area of Orhei National Park (Donici, Ghetlova, Ivancea, Morozeni, Neculăieuca, Peresecina, Pohorniceni, Puţintei, Selişte, Teleşeu, Trebujeni, Vatici, Maşcăuţi, Codreanca, Băneşti, Săseni and other nearby settlements), aged between 11 and 18, on the biodiversity of Orhei National Park, including the Orheiul Vechi Reserve, as well as to offer them the opportunity to learn methods of interpretation and description of biodiversity by creating content in the form of text and /or drawing.
Activity results:
Nature in Orhei National Park. Online lesson with biodiversity expert – Mrs. Victoria Covali
Visual elements for interpreting nature. Online lesson with the artist Dumitru Balica (Part 1)
Visual elements for interpreting nature. Online lesson with the artist Dumitru Balica (Part 2)
1.2 Art contest “Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi Reserve”, nature drawing category – individual work.
Following the nature interpretation course, EMM held an art contest called “Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi Reserve” – nature drawing category. Pupils aged 11-16 years old participated by creating one artwork (drawings/paintings, A3 format) representing the nature of the Orheiul Vechi Reserve. The authors of the best 10 artworks received awards.
Activity results:
Contest announcement – drawing category (JPG file)
Contest announcement - drawing category (PDF file)
Winning artworks:
Ist place. The miracle of Orheiul Vechi. Vîrtosu Ana, Orhei city, 16 yo
2nd place. Butterfly on the plain. Vataman Ecaterina, Romănești village, 16 yo
3nd place. The living wealth of the „Old Orhei” Reserve. Guțan Marina, Orhei city, 15 yo
4th place. The fineness of the Old Orhei fauna. Iraida Ceban, Orhei city, 15 yo
5ht place. Paradise in palms. Draw the curtain. Marulea Simona, Vatici village, 15 yo
6th place. Painting for the soul. Petrov Gabriela, Orhei city, 14 yo
7th place. On a piece of heaven. Vîrlan Olga, Trebujeni village, 11 yo
8th place. The splendor of nature in Orheiul Vechi, Perlug Alina, Neculăieuca village, 12 yo
9th place. Landscape in Orheiul Vechi. Mîțu Veceaslav, Orhei city, 15 ani
10th place. Old Orhei. Toma Mădălina, Orhei city, 11 yo
Personalized promotional materials based on the winning artworks at the Young Ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi Reservation contest:
1.3 Art contest “Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi Reserve”, media campaign category – group work (up to 10 pupils).
Youth groups aged 14-18 years old (e.g. non-formal youth clubs) were invited to do a media campaign in order to promote the natural heritage of the Orheiul Vechi Reserve. The campaign had to include key messages, podcasts, videos, posts on social media, articles, radio.
Activity results:
Media contest announcement (fişier JPG)
Media contest announcement (fişier PDF)
Winning works:
Contest winning group: Young Environmentalists Platform
2nd place: Ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi Reserve
3rd place: The young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi reservation: IPLT Romănești
1.4 Art contests awards ceremony.
Following the selection of the best drawings/paintings and media campaign, an awarding ceremony was organized in order to present the results of the creativity contest “Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi Reserve” and to hand out prizes to the winners of this contest .
Awarding ceremony: photo album
Awarding ceremony: press release
2. Support for service projects
2.1. Service projects small grants scheme.
Within the project, a grant competition will be announced for schools, school clubs, youth centers, and public associations from local communities in the area and from the proximate surroundings of the Orhei National Park that have project ideas meant to contribute to the nature conservation activities in their community. Awarding of grants will be ranging from $1,000.00 up to $3,000.00 for activities such as events (conferences/ symposiums/ exhibitions of regional impact); planting trees; trail building (path cleaning, cleaning springs, signage); research and monitoring of the biodiversity and creation of promotional materials related to nature conservation.
Activity results:
Micro-grant program conditions
Annex no. 1 – Application form
List of projects funded through the small grants scheme:
2. „Nature heritage” (Tabara middle school)
3. Inspiration through mediation” (Orhei Vocational School)
5. „Springs Path” (Camencea middle school)
2.2 Service projects sharing experience seminar.
All members of the implementation team as well as most active participants of the 5 service projects will be invited to a final event in order to share experience about the implementation process of their service projects, their achievements, and other project ideas.
Photo album: Round table “Projects and initiatives for local communities. Exchange of experiences “
3. Trail signage activities
3.1. Development of guidelines on trail signage in the Orhei National Park.
In order to stimulate the process of trail building in the Orhei National Park, we plan the elaboration of guidelines on trail signage in the Orhei National Park to serve as model for stakeholders (public institutions, education institutions or private persons) who would be interested in investing in trail signage and maintenance in this area as well as in other protected areas.
Activity results:
Guide „Organization and management of tourist routes in the national forest fund”
3.2 Seminar on trail signage guidelines.
A public event will be organized in order to present the Guidelines to interested stakeholders (regional state forestry institutions, travel agencies, and concessionaires of the forest fund in the Orhei National Park area).
Video recording of the consultation seminar
Photo album from the consultation seminar
Press release about the consultation seminar
3.3 Maintenance and trail signage expedition.
A group of youth from the Orhei National Park area will be invited to attend an expedition in order to do maintenance work and adjustment of the Curchi-Donici trail signage according to the developed guidelines.
Expedition on the Curchi-Donici forest route (photo album)
Post-event article: Expedition on the Curchi-Donici forest route
4. Visibility and promotional activities
4.1 Mass-media campaign
In order to make visible the project’s activities there will be used the following mass media channels: print press (editing, printing and distribution of one special edition-two pages, A3 format, full color- in the NATURA magazine, national coverage, 6000 subscribers, 30000 readers); online press (writing and distribution of eight articles about project’s activity); radio (three radio programs at local and national level about the project in general and about the particular results of the project); social media.
Activity results:
Print press articles
1. Special edition dedicated to the creativity contest “Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi Cultural-Natural Reserve”, published in the NATURA magazine - part I.
2. Special edition dedicated to the launch of the guide on the management of ecotourism routes and the mini-grant program, published in the NATUR magazine - part II
Online articles
1. Ecopresa.md: „Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi art competition”
2. Civic.md „Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi mass-media competition”
3. Civic.md „Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi art competition”
4. Natura.md: „Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi. Creativity contest for teenagers”
5. Civic.md „Small grant scheme for local communities in Orhei National Park”
8. Natura.md: „Awarded for promoting the Orheiul Vechi Reserve”
9. Ecopresa.md: „Awarded for promoting the Orheiul Vechi Reserve”
11. Biodegradabil.md: „Awarded for promoting the Orheiul Vechi Reserve”
19. Natura.md: „A guidelines for the tourist trails in Moldova”
20. Natura.md: „Small grants for significant results”
20. Ecopresa.md: By knowing nature better, we become better ambassadors
Radio
1. Radio interview with the project coordinator – Elena Scobioală – about the results of the creativity contest “Young ambassadors of the Orheiul Vechi Reserve”.
3. Radio interview with Victoria Covali, the author of the guide „Organization and management of tourist routes in the national forest fund”
Television and broadcast
2. TV6 „Young people promote the Orheiul Vechi Reserve”
3. TV Primul în Moldova: „Modern tourist trails in the Nature Reserves”
Implementation period: July 2020 – December 2021
Donnor: US Forest Service
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