MEDS GARDEN+: A network of didactic Mediterranean gardens for all - promoting an educational tourism and enhancing the green heritage
Priority Axis 4: A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights
Specific Objective: SO 4.6
Type: Capitalisation
The project builds on the previous MEDS GARDEN project funded under the 2014–2020 programming period, with the aim of expanding the network of Mediterranean educational gardens and enhancing the associated educational tourism paths, making the experiences more accessible and educational in a sustainable and inclusive manner, thanks to a joint strategy of awareness-raising, information, education and promotion.
Studies confirm that biodiversity and rich natural heritage attract tourist flows and can be a significant source of income and employment for local communities.
MEDS GARDEN+ builds on the experience of the previous MEDS GARDEN project (see description below) and, in particular, its key outputs:
· the 5 Mediterranean didactic gardens and the related Manual
· the innovative tourism product aimed at highlighting the cultural, environmental and social aspects linked to the conservation and protection of biodiversity and at promoting educational, experiential tourism that respects local communities.
The main purpose of the MEDS GARDEN educational gardens is to raise awareness and educate about sustainability, also through the conservation of biodiversity, respect for the key principles of sustainable agriculture and the promotion of the local food culture and traditions.
Through the capitalisation project, the network of MEDS GARDEN educational gardens has been expanded both by creating new educational gardens and orchards together with new partners in new areas of the programme area, and by further developing two gardens that had been established in the previous project.
The project defined a joint strategy to complementarily diversify the range of educational experiences in terms of content and learning objectives.
The educational value of the MEDS GARDENs regarding sustainability was also enhanced by integrating and experimenting further solutions for biodiversity and sustainable cultivation, making the MEDS GARDEN educational gardens key venues for developing green skills and competencies for the promotion of gastronomic cultural heritage, and the beating heart of edu-tainment initiatives for local, regional and cross-border tourism aimed at various target groups, where awareness-raising, education, and playful, sensory and cultural experiences are intertwined.
Through the capitalisation project, five pilot initiatives were carried out, resulting in the creation of three new educational gardens and the addition of new thematic areas or experiences in two gardens from the previous project, tailoring them to new target groups and new needs.
A new sustainable educational vegetable garden was therefore established at Civiform (Cividale del Friuli), a new Mediterranean vegetable garden in the ‘Giardino del Chiostro’ (Cividale del Friuli) and a community forest garden in Lokovec (Nova Gorica).
Further distinctive features were introduced in the FRIUL Didactic Garden (Pordenone) and the Purissima Educational Garden (Ancarano) from the previous MEDS GARDEN project.
During the project, the initiative was also extended to the Rafut Park/Garden in Nova Gorica.
The MEDS GARDEN+ project carried out a series of activities to support the development of educational gardens, including study visits, the design and testing of prototype workshop activities for educational or vocational purposes, project work, and masterclasses on the use of garden produce in gastronomy.
The project’s educational gardens were enlivened by a rich programme of activities such as workshops, cross-border thematic events and open days. To raise awareness of the initiative and showcase the outputs through concrete examples, information materials were produced, along with a video tour of the gardens, participation in trade fairs and significant events (Ortogiardino-cucinare in Pordenone, *Rose-Rosè festival in Portorož, Interreg GO! in Gorizia), a Manifesto and a Manual of Didactic Gardens (i.e. this document), a final cross-border dissemination event, as well as the dissemination of information, materials and documents via the project website and social media.
Seven of the events/activities carried out were cross-border in nature, organised jointly by the partners with the involvement of an audience from Italy and Slovenia.
Total budget: €749,474.85
ERDF contribution: €599,579.87
Start: 15/09/2023
End: 14 /01/2026
www.ita-slo.eu/meds-garden
