Every time a city expands, the territory transforms. Urban green spaces can reduce these impacts. On November 30, AIDGLOBAL, in partnership with the Municipality of Loures, promoted the first session of a cycle of playful-pedagogical activities, around the valorization of trees, in urban spaces, which brought together eight classes of the 8th year of the Rainbow Secondary School, of Portela.

‘Placement of new species of trees and shrubs’ was a dynamic activity in Parque Adão Barata, in Loures, with the participation of 210 students and 16 teachers. It aimed to make them aware of the importance of green spaces in urban environments and how these natural landscapes positively interfere in their lives, in order to contribute to decarbonization and environmental sustainability.

The dynamics of the day began with an icebreaker which involved all the students and their teachers. Divided into 4 groups, each class received different texts that addressed the role of trees in urban centers. Each team used their imagination and creativity to present to other colleagues the content of their text, through music, dance, reading and even small theatrical representations. It was a lively moment of joint learning.

This initiative, within the scope of the project "PAB_LivingLab —  Viva a Descarbonização no Parque Adão Barata", was marked by the ecological work that will be carried out by the classes of the Arco-íris School, throughout the school year 2022/2023, until giving rise to a Tree caching, a simple and fun activity, outdoors, which encourages young people to identify and learn more about trees.

Each tree will receive a nameplate, which will contain a QRCode, with associated challenges, and students will have the responsibility to create their content. This technology will allow all Park visitors to access the QR Code and participate in Tree caching during their visit to PAB.

Climate change no longer goes unnoticed, not even for these young generations who are more aware of environmental issues and the importance of planting new tree species, taking on the responsibility of being godparents and godparents of a tree. It was from games, group work and challenges that they were also given the opportunity to reflect and discuss various themes related to environmental conservation in an urban context and to evaluate the benefits it brings to public health and the regeneration of nature and biodiversity.

In the end, there was also room for the students to have the opportunity to know the area, where the trees had been newly planted, in Parque Adão Barata, and to receive a technical file on the species they sponsored. This occasion symbolically fulfills the Sponsorship of Trees.

PAB_LivingLab – Decarbonization in Parque Adão Barata is a project that runs from May 1, 2021 and extends until April 30, 2024, financed by the EEA Grants Environment Program, with AIDGLOBAL – Action and Integration for Global Development – as the promoter entity, in partnership with the Municipality of Loures, the Higher Technical Institute of the University of Lisbon, BIM+, dstsolar and Innovation Point.