Biodiversity literacy is a prerequisite for biodiversity research, the design and implementation of biodiversity management schemes as much as for effective communication on biodiversity. Yet, reports increasingly show a decline in the ability to recognize and identify species, habitats and ecological processes. At the same time, the slow and often invisible process of biodiversity loss is difficult to communicate in ways that mobilize broad societal support. Keywords and concepts that have been coined are e.g. the “erosion of taxonomists”, “plant blindness”, “nature (dis-)connectedness” and “extinction of experience”.
Promoting biodiversity competence is therefore a central challenge. Since biodiversity literacy is context-dependent within and across cultures, mainstreaming efforts must draw on diverse approaches. In this session, divided in two 90-min slots, we highlight challenges and showcase best-practice examples from a) education and b) citizens science projects that train and foster biodiversity literacy in formal and informal settings. The goal is to share knowledge and ideas about didactic approaches to biodiversity teaching, the potential of digital tools for mentored or self-organized learning, and current trends that combine modern digital formats with traditional field-based experiences. Further aspects include building blocks for life-long learning, the design and management of citizens science projects, strategies for fostering long-term engagement of biodiversity stewards, and the requirements for educating the next generation of teachers and facilitators.