The call for the BNIP pilot projects in 2017 was a success and resulted in eight small-scale inspiring projects. In almost 2 years’ time these projects achieved great things.
Read here what regional landscape Meetjesland has realised.
Regional landscape Meetjesland informs children and families in a playful way about Natura 2000
The pilot project LIFE Animated of regional landscape Meetjesland wants to inform children, youngsters and families in a playful way and get them to explore the beautiful nature of the Meetjesland.
LIFE Animated has developed a short animated film that introduces the general public to the typical nature and animal species of the Natura 2000 sites in the region. Various symbol species have been transformed into digital animated characters: Pauline the eel, Zaza the Desmoulin’s whorl snail, Sharief the Western marsh harrier, Vlera the bat and Kamiel the great crested newt. In a video the symbol species tell about the Natura 2000 areas in the Meetjesland. The film was widely distributed and a social media campaign was launched.
(read more under the film)
Life Animated also developed two digital trails full of games for tablets and smartphones. With these trails they want to encourage everyone to explore the area on foot. This offers an easily accessible platform as well as a fun way to learn more. Young people, families and other hikers can explore at their own leisure, schools learn about Natura 2000 in a playful way. Several schools have already tested the walk before the official launch of the games trails, which has already increased the brand awareness of LIFE Animated. A competition was also organised for schools to win a guided walk.
In addition to the digital activities, a number of guided educational nature walks have been developed to highlight the symbolic species and Natura 2000 sites.
The regional landscape intends to further increase the number of available tablets and refresh the trails regularly with new games and news facts. The educational package will be further developed and offered to schools, youth clubs and playground activities. Support will also be provided to schools wishing to include Natura 2000 and the mascot species in their curriculum. As icing on the cake, an app developer showed interest in making the figures appear in other areas of the Meetjesland via a kind of ‘Pokémon Go’ game module. Thanks to LIFE Animated, even more people will be lured outside to discover nature!
Would you like to know more about the project and its mascots? Take a look on https://www.rlm.be/
