EU Zoos and Science in the 21st Century: Engaging the public in nature conservation

The Public in general often feels disconnected from or mystified by science. Also, people are increasingly less attuned to their environment, more urbanized, and less active outdoors.

Academic culture must be less narrowly focused or specialized in order to engage the general public in important social subjects such as nature conservation. Educational paradigms need to blur the lines between academia and journalism, to cross boundaries between the two and become interdisciplinary.

Worldwide, modern Zoos and Marine Parks are good examples on how non-formal education methods may help to engage the interests of students and general public on specific subjects related to nature conservation.

EUZoos-XXI is a 3-year project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission with a partnership amongst 5 zoological facilities (4 European and 1 North-American), one research centre and an environmental consultancy company. This project aims to engage these facilities with local people to address ways of cooperatively enhancing conservation by European citizens.

Objectives
EUZoos-XXI brings four different European Zoos and Marine Parks together (Zoomarine (Portugal); Kolmarden Zoo (Sweden); Zoomarine (Italy); and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (United Kingdom)) to develop scientific-based educational materials, activities, programs, and implement projects to engage the society on four main concern topics of nature conservation: Invasive Alien Species; Biodiversity; Ecological Connectivity; and Endangered Species.

The project is divided into 7 work-packages (WP), divided in three years (2009-2012).

WP1 . Coordination and Management of the project;
WP2 . Compilation of Scientific Background Material;
WP3 . Public Participation Meetings (PPM);
WP4 . Detailed planning of demonstration projects;
WP5 . Implementation of demonstration projects;
WP6 . Survey to assess the impact of the project;
WP7 . Dissemination of information and lessons-learned.

Project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme

Type of funding scheme: Coordination and support actions (Coordinating)

Work programme topics addressed: SiS-2008-3.0.3.1. Encouraging co-operation and networking between scientific events organizers on public engagement with science