This project was created to promote the enhancement, preservation and protection of the World Heritage Site through environmental education in schools. The aim is to spread knowledge of the Val d’Orcia and its Exceptional Universal Value from an early age.

In collaboration with local school teachers, educational projects have been designed and implemented, and a variety of programmes have been developed for schools of all levels to meet the following needs:

• Raise awareness among the younger generation of issues relating to the conservation and protection of the Val d’Orcia World Heritage Site and its biodiversity.
• Engage students in learning about the area’s natural, landscape and cultural heritage, and help them to understand the extraordinary combination of city and countryside, nature and architectural masterpieces that the Val d’Orcia site represents and which has been preserved to this day.
• Educate students about the risks and fragility of the nature reserves within the UNESCO-recognised site.
• Acquire an understanding of the many meanings behind the words ‘biodiversity’ and ‘ecosystem’, developing a sense of observation and knowledge of related issues.
• Encourage the younger generation to take on a leading role in protecting the area and develop a sense of belonging and territorial identity.
• Educate students to adopt sustainable attitudes towards the environment.
• Produce informative and educational materials, such as an educational workbook.

The programme comprised classroom lectures, educational visits to nature reserves and workshops.

To support the lessons, an educational booklet on nature reserves and a guide to the Val d’Orcia World Heritage Site were produced as working materials.
Thanks to the inclusion of educational fact sheets, drawings, illustrations and informative texts, the booklet provided an excellent opportunity to learn about the area.

Project funded through Italian Law 77/2006
Year 2008
Funding received € 13.500