Research team wins award in the BiodivTransform competition

BiodivTransform is a competition organised by the European Partnership for Biodiversity, Biodiversa+. Its aim was to develop solutions supporting transformation processes for the protection of biological diversity. A total of 284 initiatives were submitted, of which 35 received funding amounting to more than 40 million euro.

Among the awarded initiatives is the project Fostering Systemic Societal Transformation for Biodiversity Conservation through Nature Re‑Connection, coordinated by Dr Katarzyna Rędzińska from the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography and the Division of Spatial Economy and Environmental Sciences. The proposal was developed under the NAWA “Joint Research Projects” programme, carried out in bilateral cooperation with Austria.

The research focuses on how contact with nature influences our everyday decisions and attitudes toward environmental protection. The team aims to better understand how urban residents function in their surroundings and what can help strengthen their connection with nature. The work will be carried out in the functional areas of Warsaw, Vienna and Stuttgart, using a range of methods, including online surveys, participatory mapping with residents and ethnographic techniques (interviews and observations). The project will result in the development of practical guidelines and tools to support the creation of more environmentally friendly urban spaces and to enhance cooperation between researchers, local authorities and residents. The team has secured 1,197,338 PLN to implement the project.

Partners

Poland: Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, University of Warsaw – Dr hab. Anna Horolets Forest Research Institute – Dr Ing. Mariusz Ciesielski

Austria: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning / Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences – Priv.-Doz. Dr Karolina Taczanowska, Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change, University of Graz – Prof. Dr Ilona M. Otto

Germany: Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen – Dr.-Ing. Ellen Fetzer, Faculty Environment Design Therapy Stitching LE:NOTRE Institute (NL) – Dr Jeroen de Vries