Category: Sin categoría

Hello everyone! My name is Micol, I’m 24 years old and I’m from Tuscany, Italy. I’m currently volunteering as an IVY Project Partner for the Interreg project “StrategyMedFor – Strategy for the Sustainable Management of Mediterranean Forests” under the Interreg Euro-MED programme. My host organization that is also leading the project, is The European Topic Centre – University of Malaga (ETC-UMA). What is “StrategyMedFor” about? StrategyMedFor’s main output is the development of a Strategy for Sustainable Management of Mediterranean Forests (SSMMF). It aims to create a strategy for each forest type, considering future climate scenarios. The project has determined criteria and subcriteria to define the status and quality of Mediterranean forests. Then these criteria were adapted to geodata ready to be used for generating a final map of priority areas for protection, restoration and resilient management. The methods were evaluated and tested in three pilot sites: in Greece, North Macedonia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The StrategyMedFor project is more than just creating a plan – it’s about inspiring real change! Who’s Involved? The project is led by ETC-UMA and it counts seven partners from six countries of the Interreg Euro MED programme, and eight relevant associated partners from the forest EU & international scene. My Role as a Volunteer I arrived at ETC-UMA during the last phase of the project – and the last phase is all about transferring the knowledge! My tasks range from creating StoryMaps and sets of visual maps on ArcGIS Online, to communication work. Why IVY Matters? Being an IVY Project Partner is so much more than a volunteering experience. The IVY programme creates a unique bridge between passionate young people and meaningful European projects – proving that the next generation has a vital role to play in shaping Europe’s future. – Micol, IVY Project Partner at the European Topic Centre – University of Malaga (ETC-UMA)for the Interreg Euro-MED project “StrategyMedFor”

I’m Stefano, and this year I started an IVY program in Lugo (Spain) with Vida Láctea. The main goal of my volunteering is to support the company in the communication, especially for what concerns ATLIC, an international project involving several partners across all the European Atlantic Area. The purpose of ATLIC (Atlantic Innoblue Communities) is to promote the concept of blue economy, i.e. an environmentally and economically sustainable model of growth for companies, organizations and communities connected whose existence is integrated with the ocean. Here in Lugo we are guiding a group of young people in the design of technological solutions that can benefit the blue economy: last year, for example, we supported a participant of the project in the creation of a robot to clean the beaches, and another one in the designing of a board game about the Galician maritime culture. Each of our partners are developing the same concept in their respective countries, to impulse the creation of even more ideas and stimulating the entrepreneurship abilities in the young people. We are also organizing local and international creative jams, competitions between groups of young people where they have a few days to develop an idea from scratch. In the last event, hosted by one of our Irish partners, Donegal Youth Service, between the 10th and 12th of March, I was mentoring one of the teams participating to the competition, and I gave a 3D printing workshop to a group of participants. I was also preparing contents for the communication of the event, including an online promotional video, a video presentation of the event to be projected on stage, the welcome kit with all the information about the event, and a final video that I’m editing right now. In April we are going to join with all the partners of the ATLIC project in Nantes, where the École de Design Nantes Atlantique will be hosting a presentation of all the ideas developed by the young people supported by each partner. I’m grateful for this opportunity, as it is giving me more insight on how European projects are written and carried on, and improving my communication skills, both in English and Spanish. – Stefano, IVY Project Partner at Vida Lactea, SLU, for the Interreg Atlantic Area project ATLIC – ATLANTIC INNOBLUE COMMUNITIES

Hello! My name is Joana and for the last three months I have been an Interreg Project Partner for the Festive Pathways to a Sustainable Tomorrow (EUFEAST) project. My host organization is the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (REMTH), seated in Komotini, Greece, which participates in many European projects, one of them being “Eufeast”.   EUFEAST is an international project that aims to boost the cultural heritage, the local economy and the tourism. To achieve this goal, every kind of local festival is being used, such as traditional festivals, art festivals, food festivals, etc. Currently, seven European countries are participating: Greece, Malta, Sweden, Hungary, Belgium and Poland. Regions from these countries are joining forces, in order to maintain their heritage and to share it with other people, who are curious to explore new cultural modules and ways of collaboration. During those three months, I have done many interesting things. First of all, I got to explore the local festivals. It turns out that the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is the perfect place for people who would like to live the Greek culture. Local people are very proud of their heritage, and they prove it by celebrating it. At the same time, the region is placed next to Bulgaria and Turkey, which makes the local people very friendly with foreign cultures. I was very happy to discover that local people keep celebrating everything that they consider important, and they don’t seem to let their roots get lost in the past. I also got the chance to attend the Kick-Off Meeting- 1st Stakeholder Meeting. It was an incredible experience, and I completed many tasks such as taking care of the registrations, creating questionnaires, taking pictures, assisting the participants etc. By joining this meeting, I had the chance to meet new people and to participate in a very interesting discussion. I also saw how meetings work and what it takes to organize them. It was definitely a unique experience. I would also like to mention that my host organization has been amazing. Everyone was very kind and good to me. All those months, they have been patiently teaching me new things and sharing their knowledge with me. From the first day I felt comfortable enough to be myself and to not be scared to ask questions or to express my opinions. This experience as an IVY Volunteer has helped me a lot in many ways. First off all, I am “training” my skills, while I am building new ones. For example, I was already able to cooperate with others, so teamwork was never a problem for me, but I am now building communication skills. Right now, I am not as scared to send emails or to make calls as I was when I started. Besides that, I am developing responsibility, while it expands my perspective over many topics. All those reasons make me happy with my choice to participate as a Volunteer for IVY. I am very grateful that I was given the chance to be part of something so beautiful and interesting. I would definitely recommend it to young people that want to learn new things, gain new experiences, grow emotionally, build new skills and want to help society. – Joana, IVY Project Partner at Region of East Macedonia & Thrace – REMTH , for the Interreg Europe project EUFEAST – FESTIVE PATHWAYS FOR A SUSTAINABLE TOMORROW

What does European cooperation look like in practice? For me, one of the best ways, to find out, has been to put on my waders, take sampling equipment into a stream and spend several days collaborating with people from other countries. As an IVY volunteer, I am currently involved in the Interreg project OreAqua, which focuses on improving the management and protection of aquatic fauna in the Ore Mountains region through cross-border cooperation, scientific monitoring and the exchange of knowledge. The Ore Mountains are an area with a long history of heavy industrial activity. Today, one of the challenges is to understand the current condition of aquatic ecosystems and support their biodiversity using reliable scientific data. This is where OreAqua comes in. Czech and German project partners are carrying out joint field monitoring using a common methodology on both sides of the border. OreAqua brings together several scientific and environmental institutions from both countries. The project partners include the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the University of South Bohemia, Technische Universität Dresden and the Sächsische Landesstiftung Natur und Umwelt. Bringing together universities, research institutions and an environmental organisation allows the project to combine scientific expertise with practical experience in environmental management. One of the main parts of the project is the monitoring of fish communities, with a main focus on brown trout (Salmo trutta). During my IVY experience, I have been involved in the preparation and realisation of fieldwork in Saxony and Czechia. Over several field trips in September, I worked together with Czech and German colleagues, helping to monitor fish communities in rivers and streams close to the Czech-German border. The collected data will help the project team understand the condition of aquatic ecosystems and provide a basis for future management and conservation measures. In trout populations, genetic analyses will also be used to identify unique native populations that could be suitable for supporting the conservation of the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera). Other project activities include environmental DNA sampling from water and sediment, which can help detect fish parasites and aquatic invertebrates, as well as the installation of data loggers measuring water temperature. Combining all these different sources of information will allow the project partners to assess the suitability of individual sites for trout and develop recommendations for effective management. For me, one of the most valuable parts of the IVY experience has been seeing how scientific knowledge can be transformed into practical cooperation. The project brings together people with different expertise from both sides of the border, while also involving students, local stakeholders and the wider public. Of course, the experience has not only been exclusively practical. Spending several days in the field together gave us the opportunity to get to know each other better, share experiences and enjoy some good food and local drinks after long days of sampling. Before joining IVY, I mainly understood European cooperation from an academic perspective. Through OreAqua, I can now see much more clearly what it means in practice. Interreg is not just about funding projects, it creates opportunities for people and organisations from neighbouring countries to cooperate on shared challenges. For me, OreAqua is a great example of this. The project connects scientific research, practical activity and environmental management, while bringing Czech and German partners together around a common goal: better protection of aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity in the Ore Mountains region. – Jan, IVY Project Partner at Biology Centre CAS – Biologické centrum AV ČR, for the Interreg Bayern-Czechia project Oreaqua – Strengthening native aquatic ecosystems in the Ore Mountains region

When I started my IVY experience at the Parco Naturale Regionale “Costa Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca e Bosco di Tricase”, I knew I would have the opportunity to learn more about environmental protection and European cooperation. What I did not expect was to discover how much can be achieved when different countries, organisations and communities work together towards the same goal. The project I am currently working on is SEALIFE – Strengthen cooperation to develop joint solutions for the Mediterranean Monk Seal’s Protection in the programme area, funded by the Interreg VI-A Greece–Italy 2021–2027 Programme. One species, two countries, one shared challenge SEALIFE focuses on the protection of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the rarest and most vulnerable marine mammals in the Mediterranean. The species is highly mobile and does not recognise borders. This is precisely why cooperation between Italy and Greece is so important. Protecting the monk seal cannot be the responsibility of a single organisation or a single country: it requires shared knowledge, coordinated monitoring and common conservation strategies. The project brings together Italian and Greek partners with different areas of expertise, including the Parco Naturale Regionale “Costa Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca e Bosco di Tricase”, ARPA Puglia, ISPRA, Archipelagos – Environment and Development and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research. Together, they are working to improve knowledge of the species, monitor marine caves and coastal habitats, collect data and develop common tools and protocols for its long-term protection. My role as an IVY volunteer As an IVY volunteer, my role is connected mainly to communication and visibility. I am supporting the Park in communicating its activities and projects, particularly through digital channels and social media. This may sound different from the scientific activities of SEALIFE, but I have learned that communication is an essential part of a European project. Scientific research, monitoring and conservation efforts are important, but they also need to be communicated. People need to know what is happening in their territory, why protecting biodiversity matters, and how European cooperation can create concrete benefits for local communities. Through my work, I am therefore trying to help make these activities more accessible and understandable, especially to a younger audience. What I am learning from SEALIFE One of the most interesting aspects of this experience is understanding European cooperation from the inside. Before starting my IVY experience, I knew about European projects mainly from the outside. Now I can see how cooperation works on a much more practical level: different partners contribute their knowledge and skills, communicate with each other, and work towards common objectives. SEALIFE has also shown me that environmental challenges are not limited to administrative borders. The Mediterranean is a shared ecosystem, and its protection requires a shared vision. For me, this is one of the most valuable lessons of the project: European cooperation is not only about working together; it is about understanding that some challenges can only be solved together. From the local territory to Europe Working in the Parco Naturale Regionale “Costa Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca e Bosco di Tricase” has also changed the way I look at the territory around me. The coast, the caves, the sea and the biodiversity of this area are often seen mainly from a tourism perspective. Through SEALIFE, I am discovering another side of the territory: its ecological value and the responsibility we have to protect it. A local project can therefore have a much wider European dimension. What happens along the Apulian coast is connected to what happens across the Adriatic and Ionian seas, and cooperation between Italy and Greece can help build a stronger and more effective approach to conservation. My IVY experience is still ongoing, but SEALIFE has already taught me something important: protecting our natural heritage starts locally, but it does not have to stop at our borders. – Marika, IVY Project Partner at Parco Naturale Regionale Costa Otranto – Leuca e Bosco di Tricase, for the Interreg Greece-Italy project SEALIFE – strengthen cooperation to develop joint solutions for the Mediterranean Monk Seal’s Protection in the programme area.

Hey there! My name is Mikaela, I am a Biology student and an IVY volunteer with the LASPEH 2.0 project in Montenegro. LASPEH 2.0 brings together partners from Italy, Albania and Montenegro to help protect important habitats and species in the South Adriatic area. I really like this side of the project because nature has no borders, and protecting it often means sharing knowledge and working together. As an IVY volunteer, I mainly help with administrative and communication support, but my experience here has gone far beyond that. I have had the chance to visit all the national parks in Montenegro, discover different cities and learn much more about the country, its culture and its people. One of my favorite experiences so far was a field trip around Barno Lake with a specialist in invertebrates. I helped photograph the area while we observed and identified different plants and animals around us. We also collected some water samples from the lake and later looked at them under the microscope to identify the microalgae present there. As a Biology student, moments like this mean a lot to me. Being able to leave the classroom, see these things with my own eyes and learn directly from professionals working in the field has honestly been a dream. Every conversation, field trip and new place has taught me something different. I also had the chance to be part of a short interview while visiting Lake Skadar, which was a really fun and unexpected part of the experience. It was nice to talk a little about what I am doing here and share my perspective as an IVY volunteer. Soon, I will also take part in a meeting with the project partners, where people from all the countries involved will come together to talk about what has happened in the project so far and discuss the next steps. I am really looking forward to seeing this cooperation happen in person and understanding more about how a project like LASPEH 2.0 works behind the scenes. And my IVY experience has not only been about nature. Living in Montenegro has given me the chance to visit places I probably would not have known otherwise, meet many different people and experience the culture in a much more personal way. Through IVY and LASPEH 2.0, I am learning about conservation, international cooperation and also about myself. I am really grateful for everything I have experienced so far, and I am excited to see what comes next! – Mikaela, IVY Project Partner at Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro, for the Interreg IPA South Adriatic project LASPEH 2.0 – Enhancing the protection of priority habitats and species in protected areas of the South Adriatic