RCE Porto Metropolitan Area 

The RCE Porto has two main lines of activity with interconnections, one more focused on Education, the initiative “NSA-The Nature is the Best Classroom” and the another more focused on Environment, the initiative FUTURE – the 100.000 trees project developed along the last 10 years. This initiative is a co-creative, collaborative and synergic project that aims to create, care and acknowledge the importance of native urban forests in the Porto Metropolitan Area (PMA). The project is coordinated by the administrative office of the PMA and the Catholic University. Project FUTURE addresses three main challenges of the region: Improve and expand native forests, in particular autochthonous urban forests; Emphasize the social capital that facilitates action for change and public participation; and promote inter-municipality cooperation to promote sustainability in the region. The project “Nature is the best classroom” is structured in three fundamental and complementary components. The first component consists of the creation of a learning community that integrates a network of teachers who promote Classes in Nature (in the forest, park or school garden). The second component of the project refers to the training of teachers and educators, with the aim of sharing techniques and learning methodologies in the context of Nature. Likewise, and enhancing municipal green spaces and the various environmental education centers, this component also includes specific training for municipal technicians, with the aim of inspiring the development of new initiatives and methods of exploring these locals. The third component refers to monitoring and evaluating the impact of Classes in Nature on children and adolescents.