REASE: A regional network to raise awareness on ecosystem services provided by seagrass meadows in the Algarve (South Portugal)

The Environmental Education Network for Ecosystem Services (REASE) is a recently founded initiative in the Algarve (south Portugal) by institutions of scientific research, education, science outreach and a local environmental NGO. The REASE aims to develop environmental education projects in the area of ecosystem services (ES), especially those provided by coastal vegetated ecosystems, including saltmarshes seagrasses. The network is currently working on: 1) capacity building for school teachers and environmental managers in order to promote scientific knowledge on the services provided by coastal ecosystems; 2) the creation of an “incubator of projects” to design innovative, formal education ES projects to be developed in local schools; 3) raising awareness of students and general public on the role of vegetated ecosystems for human well-being thorough expositions and talks at science outreach centres; 4) publication of a booklet for children on the ES of seagrasses, with a community-based participatory design (illustrations made by schoolchildren); 5) the launch of a Citizen Science project for schools to evaluate the Blue Carbon stock in the Algarve, for which schools have been provided with field and laboratory kits, and scientific support; 6) the development of an app to directly upload field measurements and blue carbon data into the website of the project, where data will be scientifically validated and analysed. The actions and events are being successfully welcome by the local community and having a high media impacts and participation rates.