Angiari is a small municipality in the Province of Verona where the primary school "Francesco Dal Cer" is very active, hosting children from six classes, ranging from first to fifth grade.
The entire school complex has been involved in a Service Learning project dedicated to environmental care and the redevelopment of a small forest near the school, thanks to the collaboration of the Municipality and the local section of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI).
The children followed differentiated paths based on their age, tackling a common objective linked to fulfilling their part within SDG 15 "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss."
Through reading books or watching films selected according to their age, the children understood the concepts of environmental care and the issues related to deforestation and human impact. An exploratory walk along the "Ponte dei Limoni" (Lemon Bridge) and through the Grigoli forest allowed the children to deepen their knowledge of the flora and fauna of the forest and observe the stages of forest growth.
All these learnings were the subject of creative workshops and the construction of small houses placed inside the forest. The commitment was truly significant; experts from the CAI accompanied the teachers and children through the various stages of the journey, and the Municipality of Angiari provided a public area so that the children could continue their community service by planting new trees that will enrich the forest of the small town.
"The students have improved their understanding because they were emotionally involved in the topic," commented the referring teacher, Margherita Scarantino. "Life revolves around nature, and we must respect it!" This was one of the interventions of a fifth-grade student.
A grand celebration marked the conclusion of the project, with many adults and families participating in the planting of the new trees in a moment of shared joy on November 26, 2023!
