Activities

Participants will take part in guided explorations of the urban environment designed to develop skills in ecological observation, analysis, and interpretation:

• Urban safaris aimed at identifying and inventorying plant and animal species within the city;
• direct observations of urban habitats and micro-ecosystems, including assessments of their quality from a biodiversity perspective;
• documentation of the relationships between urban infrastructure and biodiversity, capturing elements of urban planning, architecture, and design that support coexistence;
• collection of field data (photographs, notes, audio recordings, ecological observations).

These activities enable participants to understand how biodiversity manifests, adapts, and survives in highly anthropogenic environments.

Students will use digital tools to analyze and spatially represent the collected data:

• inputting and organizing data into a shared database;
• producing maps of urban habitats, green corridors, and vulnerable areas;
• analyzing ecological connectivity and the quality of urban ecosystems;
• interpreting spatial patterns of biodiversity.

This component develops applied competencies relevant to urban ecology, urban planning, and environmental management.

To deepen the relationship with the urban environment, the program proposes complementary activities of observation and expression:

• collection of narratives and cultural traditions related to biodiversity;
• testimonies and attitudes of the population related to biodiversity;
• photography and visual field documentation;
• recording and analysis of urban soundscapes;
• sketching and observational drawing;
• creative writing and ecological storytelling.

These activities support the development of attentiveness, ecological sensitivity, and the ability to communicate research outcomes in a form accessible to the general public. Furthermore, a cultural perspective on biodiversity can provide new insights into a holistic understanding of urban biodiversity.

A central element of the program is the creation of the Virtual Museum of Unspoken Voices, which tells the stories of the city’s invisible species and will include:

• images;
• sounds;
• interactive maps;
• texts (multisensory narratives about urban species);
• educational artifacts resulting from field research.

As the final outcome of the project, the museum:

• will be projected onto a building façade in a highly visible area of the city;
• will function as a platform synthesizing the activities carried out, as well as a communication and public awareness–raising tool regarding urban biodiversity.

During and upon completion of the program, students will provide feedback regarding the usefulness and educational effectiveness of the methods used. Their purpose is to generate insights useful for the development and refinement of future transdisciplinary educational algorithms.