BioBox - A (Biodiversity) Toolbox to close the gap between Knowledge and Action

 

While understanding biodiversity and the natural world is an ongoing process, sharing the aspects we do understand is becoming of utmost importance. To change the trajectory of the world the action of each individual is needed, indifferent of their background and social status. One way to show people which actions will create positive change is by making the knowledge that research is producing accessible and practical, thus creating guidelines, roadmaps and visions open for all.

The Interreg Italia-Austria Project “BioBox – The Crossborder Biodiversity Toolbox” aims to function as such a roadmap. Addressing the decline of biodiversity in urban areas, BioBox offers measures supporting the target species Birds, Bats and Pollinators that are easy to implement, affordable to build and scalable. Using a mixed-media approach, these measures are presented as a booklet, an online platform, and workshop series. To allow individuals from all backgrounds to participate, the booklet is available in English, Italian and German. Additionally, the online platform will host the content of the booklet in easy language, sign language and a video format with subtitles. Through the online platform, interested individuals can reach out to the project team directly.

The workshop series can be attended by Pre-Schoolers and CEO of tech companies alike, as the material and content are tailored to various stakeholder and engages them through an interactive, perspective-shifting format. The workshop material can be used by multiplicators and educators with a previous introduction by us, thus enabling an independent workshop series to exist as well. By cooperating with socio-economic projects in the preparation of the workshop material, BioBox aims to address inclusion on several levels.

To understand the effect of the measures proposed by the project, a variety of the biodiversity enhancing measures are being implemented and monitored on pilot sites in the City of Villach and Udine, as well as on the Campuses of the University of Udine and Carinthia University of Applied Sciences.

By opening up conservation efforts and working together with people from all walks of life, we hope to inspire, implement and invite long lasting change in our project areas, and beyond.