Basic information on project

The project focuses on environmental education and training of pupils of elementary and secondary schools (age group 13-16 years) in the Czech Republic and Germany, especially to improve their relationship to nature and landscape in the vicinity of home and school.

The project demonstrates the landscape in which students live as a common area without borders, with similar properties and mutual interactions, the quality is highly dependent on the awareness and behavior of local residents.

The relationship of students to the landscape and its elements will be strengthened through their own collecting information about the various landscape elements that directly affect them (historically - a direct relationship with their parents and grandparents, aesthetically - directly affecting the aesthetic value of children’s living space, functional - barrier against noise, dust, wind, landmarks, environment - elements important for biodiversity and ecological stability) and to understand their function, significance and importance. This information will significantly reduce the indifference of target group to landscape features - students understand the direct effects of changes in the state of these elements on quality of life.

Pupils' interest in participation in the project will be supported by use of modern technologies of geographic information systems (GIS), which are themselves an attractive theme (using GPS mapping, use of multimedia files, work on the internet) and use the natural competitiveness of children – results of all working groups will be shown in the joint map, accessible to each other and directly comparable during the project.

Participation of groups on both sides of the border will enhance awareness of the common qualities of environment, issues and processes. Students will meet "virtually" in mapserver environment during project implementation and comparison of results and personally during the project days.