From October 3rd to 5th, the fall school “Approaches and Tools for Biodiversity Education” was held at the Cà Matta Park Center in Ponteranica (Bergamo). This residential experience brought together a group of 25 participants, including educators and teachers from early childhood, primary, and upper secondary schools.

The initiative represented an important opportunity for exchange and reflection among those who, over the past year, took part in the national pilot of the BEAT methodological toolkit — a tool designed to support outdoor explorations for children, young people, and adults, and to promote immersive, continuous, and place-based experiences of biodiversity education. The toolkit was developed within the framework of NBFC activities.

Over the three days, the group continued to work on the methodological approach, also experimenting with another tool, “Nature. Learning to Encounter Biodiversity” (Corraini Edizioni) — a deck of cards offering insights and perspectives to approach biodiversity through experiential educational practices.

The experience, set in the natural environment of the park, alternated between practical activities, field explorations, and small and large-group reflection sessions. The cards, organized into the categories Actions, Elements, Tools, Perspectives, and Questions, provided an opportunity to reflect on the many ways of encountering biodiversity, not only as a subject of study but as an experience of relationship, attention, and care that can be actively explored starting from one’s own interests and questions.

The program took shape as a shared learning space, where living and working together encouraged the development of collective reflections and the identification of key methodological issues for biodiversity education. Throughout the process, participants collaboratively produced ongoing documentation to track their progress and capture the most meaningful insights and discoveries from each individual.