ASPEA transforms Azorean biodiversity into art and education with BI4ALL project

The Portuguese Association for Environmental Education (ASPEA), from its core in the Azores, is promoting the project “Biodiversity on the Islands 4 All” (BI4ALL), focused on the conservation and conscious and responsible use of the natural resources of the Azorean islands through workshops, webinars, teaching materials and a creative herbarium of local plants.

O projeto conta com o financiamento do Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency de Taiwan.

Considering that the archipelago belongs to the Macaronesia biogeographic region and has almost 12 thousand different species in the territory, BI4ALL includes two online talks dedicated to the conservation of this natural heritage, with one of them seeking to make a connection between the natural wealth of the Azorean islands and the Taiwan archipelago.

The project will promote a series of six Art and Biodiversity workshops on three Azorean islands (Terceira, Faial and São Miguel). During the workshops, participants will create a creative herbarium with local dye plants and learn how to make beeswax cloths. With this type of action, the objective is for Azoreans to become aware and better understand the role that these plants and insects play both in the natural wealth, but also in the socio-cultural history of the archipelago, with a view to their preservation and protection.

Both activities will begin in February 2025, on dates to be announced later on the association’s communication channels, and will be open to the entire community, with some specifically aimed at teachers and students from Azorean educational institutions.

“The BI4ALL project not only educates but also inspires a profound change in the attitudes of Azoreans towards natural resources. We are promoting a collective reflection on how to preserve and respect the unique biodiversity of this archipelago while celebrating the collaboration with Taiwan in protecting rich and similar environments”, notes Joaquim Ramos Pinto, President of ASPEA.

In addition to promoting biodiversity conservation, the workshops and webinars create a space for cultural exchange between the Azorean islands and Taiwan, encouraging commitment to the environment in both daily practices and cultural traditions.

The project takes place within the scope of the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the Earth Charter, promoted in Portugal by ASPEA as a focal point, which includes the creation of the Portuguese Earth Charter Network. The Earth Charter is a document with 16 principles (divided into four principles) designed to promote the construction of a more just, environmentally responsible and peaceful global society in the 21st century. BI4ALL responds to the 2nd pillar (Ecological Integrity), in particular the principles: of protecting the Earth’s diversity; preventing ecological damage; sustainable lifestyles; share knowledge.

About ASPEA

The Portuguese Association for Environmental Education (ASPEA) is a non-governmental environmental organization (NGO), founded in 1990, which already has 30 years of experience in environmental awareness, training and qualification, consultancy and development of environmental education projects and programs. Environmental on various environmental and sustainability topics, for a wide range of actors and audiences, in the forms of formal, non-formal and informal educational action.

ASPEA has its headquarters in Lisbon and branches in Aveiro, Braga, Bragança and the Azores. The association coordinates and participates in national projects financed by the Environmental Fund and local authorities, and other international projects within the scope of programs financed by ERASMUS+ and Creative Europe.

It coordinates accredited training activities for teachers and the general public, organizes national conferences (Pedagogical Conferences on Environmental Education, Art’Ambiente Conferences, etc.) and international conferences such as the Lusophone Congress on Environmental Education, and is an affiliate member of the following international networks: Lusophone Network for Environmental Education, Carta da Terra Focal Point, Caretakers of the Environment Foundation and Let’s take care of the Planet Network.

He coordinates the Agência Jovem de Notícias group in Portugal and, since 2017, has been running an environmental volunteering program for the general public and also CSR actions for companies.

ASPEA represents CPADA in monitoring the National Strategy for Education for Development, as well as being part of the CPLP Consultative Observer group.

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