The School Interpretation Centre for Forests and Biodiversity presents itself as a strategic space for education on risk prevention and sustainability, particularly relevant in forest areas.
The School Interpretation Centre for Forests and Biodiversity is a strategic space for education focused on risk prevention and sustainability, particularly relevant in forest areas. Through the interpretation of the natural environment, the Centre promotes an understanding of environmental risks, especially forest risks, and encourages responsible and preventive attitudes, contributing to the protection of the territory and sustainable development. More than just bringing nature into the classroom, the project proposes bringing the classroom into nature, creating an immersive, outdoor educational environment where direct contact with the forest ecosystem enhances sensory, experimental, scientific, artistic, and civic learning.
The forest thus becomes a permanent pedagogical laboratory , capable of promoting interdisciplinary, integrative and contextualized learning, developing cognitive, social, emotional and environmental skills, and fostering active and responsible citizenship in the face of contemporary environmental challenges, namely the conservation of biodiversity, risk prevention and the sustainability of ecosystems.
The goal is to develop this project at the Fonte Santa Basic School, located in the heart of the Pinhal de Leiria area.
The project directly contributes to the achievement of the following SDGs of the 2030 Agenda:
SDG 4 — Quality Education
Promoting inclusive, equitable, and innovative learning, centered on experience and interdisciplinarity.
• SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities and Communities
Valuing the territory, the natural heritage and community participation.
• SDG 13 — Climate Action
Raising awareness about mitigating and adapting to climate change and preventing environmental risks.
SDG 15 — Protect Life on Land
Encouraging the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of forest ecosystems.
• SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals
Strengthening networking between schools, the local community, and regional organizations.
About the author
The school group has over 2800 students and offers education from preschool to secondary school, including scientific-humanistic and vocational courses, as well as adult education and training through the Qualifica Center, with RVCC (Recognition, Validation and Certification of Competencies), EFA (Family and Adult Education) courses, and PLA (Personalized Adult Education) courses for migrant populations. It has a large team of professionals, including teachers, specialized technicians, technical and operational assistants.
The school group participates in several networks, namely the REEI Schools network, the 2030 Schools network, and its geographical location, history, and demographic size give it an increased responsibility in promoting sustainability and building innovative educational practices.
4.1. Characterization of the School where the School Interpretation Center will be located
The project aims to implement the School Interpretation Center for the Forest and Biodiversity, to be installed at the Fonte Santa Basic School.
4.2. Fonte Santa Basic School
Fonte Santa Basic School, in addition to being located in the Pinhal de Leiria area, is a community-oriented school with a preschool group and two classes in the first cycle of primary education. This reality has allowed for the development of several innovative pedagogical projects, promoting the articulation between preschool and the first cycle of primary education, as well as between students of different school years. Learning often takes place in small, heterogeneous groups that flexibly reconfigure themselves according to learning and collaboration objectives.
Budget and due dates
The project should be implemented by the end of October to develop activities in the 2026/27 school year.
The creation of the Forest and Biodiversity Interpretation Center involves the completion of the steps indicated below, with an estimated cost of approximately €36,000. This will cover support and consultancy, information and capacity-building activities for teachers and non-teaching staff, the acquisition of laboratory and digital equipment to support the Center's activities, and the hiring of a facilitator to create and develop the Activity Plan for the first year.
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Step
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Description
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Value
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1
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Consultancy
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1,250€
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2
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Training and production of informational and promotional materials.
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2,250€
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3
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Acquisition of laboratory furniture and equipment, and digital and virtual reality equipment and technologies.
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€16,000
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4
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Hiring of an Animator – 1st year
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€15,000
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Total: €34,500
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This investment ensures the correct technical execution of the installation of the School Interpretation Center and its viability in the medium term.
Contextualized learning activities provide students with the opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes that promote meaningful learning through immersive experiences connected to real-life situations. These activities can include field trips to natural or cultural spaces, hands-on workshops led by experts, research projects on the surrounding environment, participation in community initiatives, and the use of active learning methodologies such as problem-based learning or solving real-world challenges in the school and community.
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