Educational Activities X-Polli:Nation, citizens stands for pollinators

X-Polli:Nation, citizens stands for pollinators

The Museum System of the University of Florence is involved in the international Citizen Science project X-Polli:Nation. For what concerns Italy, the project is funded by the Tuscany Environment Foundation and is coordinated by Silva Società Cooperativa in collaboration with the Botanical Gardens of the Universities of Siena, Florence and Pisa,  and the Natural History Museum of Maremma.

This project aims at involving both citizens and students in the monitoring task of pollinating insects, whose decline badly and sadly affects food security, human health, quality of life, and the entire body of functions of ecosystems.

Through community sharing and caring,  the project also aims to spread the knowledge about pollinators and their ecological roles and to identify and promote good practices to restore and create suitable habitats for every functional groups of pollinating insects.

 

As part of the project, the Botanical Garden of Florence has already implemented a training course for teachers and, especially in spring and fall, carries out participatory monitoring sessions. Data are collected according to a specific scheme developed in the United Kingdom and then implemented by the Italian project team and re-adapted to the national reality. Secondary schools can also participate in data collection thanks to dedicated educational activities.

 

Aiming at the promotion and dissemination of scientific and naturalistic knowledge,  X-Polli:Nation fits perfectly into the mission of the Botanical Garden and, more generally, of the Museum System of the University of Florence.

Every person can try and  take part to the project. Manual of Activities (in Italian) and any other useful information are available at crosspollination.it (in Italian).