Last week, our partner Centro Flora Autoctona (CFA) organized an exciting field initiative with the children of the Monte Barro summer campus (ZSC IT2030003). The main objective of the activity was to make the young participants aware of the importance of germplasm conservation and the positive impact this can have on the environment.
The first day began with an engaging moment of meeting, during which the technical-scientific staff of the CFA explained to the children the SeedForce project and the importance of collecting seeds for the conservation of plant species.
Subsequently, together with the girls who accompanied them, the children took part in a pleasant walk on Monte Barro, during which they had the opportunity to collect seeds with the help of the technical staff of the CFA. This field experience allowed them to experience the seed harvesting process first-hand and understand the crucial role it plays in preserving biodiversity.
In the afternoon, the participants paid a visit to the CFA, where they were able to explore the germplasm bank and laboratory. The CFA staff explained to them how the seeds collected during the activity on Monte Barro are cleaned and weighed. This allowed the children to understand the details of the seed conservation process and how they are managed in the laboratory for their future conservation: a unique opportunity to learn and appreciate the importance of germplasm and biodiversity conservation.
The following day, the young participants, in addition to a pencil drawing, completed a specific questionnaire on the activity carried out, specially prepared by the CFA team. The data collected through the questionnaire will be used in the coming weeks to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the initiative and to further improve future activities related to the SeedForce project.
