In 2022, ByBi has acted as project partner for the polish organization Nidzica Development Foundation NIDA, or NIDA for short, in their project INNES – Innovative School Education funded under the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 Education Programme. The project promotes biodiversity conservation and english language education in schools throughout Poland, and combines the two topics through a series of tools and developed by NIDA with ByBi’s support. The tools include: a cross-curriculum, an educational board game, and “Nature Caretaker’s guide” – a beekeeper-gardener’s guide.
ByBi has acted as an academic advisor on developing these results, making sure that the content is in line with sustainable beekeeping practices and includes the necessary balance between beekeeping and biodiversity conservation. ByBis main contribution to the project has been the co-organization of study visits to Norway in accordance with the Project Proposal. Assistance in organizing the visit program, accommodation, meals, etc. In august 2022, we had the pleasure of welcoming two groups of 25 polish elementary school teachers to Oslo for an inspirational two days learning about urban ecology, urban agriculture and ByBis educational approach to these topics. The 50 teachers had the opportunity to visit places and initiatives such as Geitmyra Skolehager, Losæter urban farm, Øverland farm school garden, and Gartneriet, Bygdøy Kongsgård. The teachers also got knowledge about Oslo’s public librarys approach to education and urban ecology during a seminar session in ByKuben with Deichman Grünerløkka.
The participants reported that they were «… very inspired and educated by everything what they’ve seen. Most of them are ready to act and implement similar initiatives for sustainable development in their schools in Poland».
ByBi is proud to have made this impact, which hopefully opens up opportunities and spreads inspiration of urban agriculture and beekeeping to the next generations of polish citizens.
We want to thank NIDA for the collaboration on the project. We also want to thank Vegard Farstad from Simplicatus games for the collaboration concerning our development of the educational board game.
