A WWF environmental education and management course on the Mediterranean Sea    

INTRODUCTION

    The blue school is a two-week, intensive environmental education and coastal management course focusing on the Mediterranean Sea. It is organised by the staff of the Miramare Natural Marine Reserve (Trieste), a coastal protected area situated in the Gulf of Trieste - in northern Adriatic Sea, on behalf of WWF International Mediterranean Programme Office and take place in Miramare - Trieste (Italy) inside and outside the marine protected area and in places of specific interest like the city fish market, supermarkets, mussel farming sites, and so on. The course consists of both theoretical and practical field sessions and includes: 

·         Biology and Ecology of the Mediterranean Sea.

·         Methods and programmes for marine and coastal environmental education; field and laboratory techniques. 

·         Management of coastal and marine protected areas. 

·         Methods and strategies for coastal and marine conservation.

·         Fishing system in the Mediterranean Sea.

·         Problems ensuing from the exploitation of biological and non-biological resources. 

·         Tourism and conservation.

·         Conservation-linked biological monitoring.

      During the seminar the attending persons, divided into groups representing the economic and social categories which are interested in the management of the area, i.e. researchers, tour operators, environmentalists, fishermen and fish-farmers, have to develop a project of coastal zone managent. Each category propose, during the simulation of a service conference (the final workshop), its management proposal of a "sample of coastal area" according to its needs and the notions they had received during the course, to local authorities, represented by some members of the Miramare Marine Reserve and by some course teachers. In order to do this, a feasibility study had to be done, from which the zonation, the management, the education and public awareness programme within the Reserve itself, the research plan and the needed economic support derive.

    The aim of this seminar is to educate people from developing countries in the Mediterranean area on how to implement the management of their marine and coastal areas and the environmental education policies (marine environment, in this case) in their home countries. The blue school is open to staff and volunteers from NGOs; civil servants from local, regional or national administrations, teachers; representatives of educational bodies and associations, and people interested in marine education programmes in the Mediterranean region. Applicants are required to reside in a coastal Mediterranean country.

GRANTS

    All board, lodging and tuition expenses will be covered by WWF. A limited number of grants are available to cover travel expenses for participants from the least developed countries of the region. All extras, such as food and drinks outside the three main meals, phone calls etc are not covered, and should be paid by the participants. No per-diem or "pocket money" is foreseen. All sessions will be held in English or French: translation services from/to these language shall also be provided. A certificate of attendance issued by WWF shall be given to participants who complete the course.