Interesting opportunities are opening up for our services with the establishment of the biosphere reserve Mura-Drava-Danube. There are 21 cross-border biosphere reserves worldwide. However, this is the only one spanning five countries: Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia. Our home region Thermen- und Vulkanland Steiermark and its RIVERS’COOL places are recognized as the biosphere reserve’s northern portal. When we are on geomantic hikes or culinary excursions, we love to make use of the calming Murauen. A deliberate walk across the bridge to Slovenia is an essential part of each encounter. Awareness for a peaceful togetherness that allows us all to blossom (we are all part of nature) is important. Visiting culinary entrepreneurs and handicraft artisans on both sides of the border is a sign of recognition of each others valuable work. We informed ourselves and the lifeline MDD-programme made it possible for us to participate in the train-the-trainer programme.
Link: Find out more about the lifeline MDD-programme
For nine sessions interested teams from five countries were working together under the leadership of WWF. Content were didactic materials and tools for cross-border trainings. Methods for the playful transfer of knowledge for kids and adults at the RIVER’S COOLs, which are outdoor classrooms with a campfire, a viewing tower or – especially important to us – the bridges crossing the Mura. With the knowledge gained through these sessions our regional agency for education on the job is putting together a nine-day programme. The aim of this programme is to educate teachers, interested citizens and touristic tour guides. We feel happy about the opportunity to learn something new, give our input and actively participate in the creation of modules as a common knowledge basis about the biosphere reserve.
Link: Amazon of europe Mura Drava Danube
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION – Barbara Friedinger
For successfully completing the transboundary Train-the-Trainer Seminar in the scope oft he project „lifelineMDD – Protecting and restoring ecological connectivity in the Mura-Drava-Danube river corridor trough cross-sectoral cooperation“ organized for raising training competencies in enviromental education on the topics of ecological connectivity, river dynamics an aims of a bisosphere reserve.
