LIFE ENABLE: Creating the European Nature Academy for applied Blended LEarning

LIFE Preparatory project LIFE ENABLE started in August this year and will last until July 2024. The primary purpose of the project is to enable all Natura 2000 and Protected Area managers, to become more effective, competent and confident nature management professionals. The project will use a blended learning approach to build capacities in core competencies required for effective nature management. 

ABOUT LIFE ENABLE

This forward-looking three-year project is designed to build practical nature management capacity among Natura 2000 and Protected Area managers. It aims to equip individuals and their organisations with the competencies they require to meet the challenges and opportunities of nature management in the coming decade. It will establish an enabling framework to create a training system for professional development that contributes to ensuring progress towards the realisation of the objectives and ambitions of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and underpinning policies.

It is led by EUROPARC Federation with the support of 7 partners from 7 countries:

LIFE ENABLE Project in a nutshell

LIFE ENABLE Project in a nutshell

The central ethos of this project is to enable all who work in or with Natura 2000 to:

  • Foster structured networking and peer-to-peer learning
  • Increase understanding that their role beyond biodiversity protection: they are key players, integral to ensuring progress towards the ambitions of the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy at a local, national, and European level
  • Gain knowledge, information, and learning about the core legislative, regulatory, managerial, technical and administrative aspects of their work.
  • Apply technical knowledge gains by acquiring, improving and developing the practical capacities and competencies they need to deliver site management responsibilities whilst developing constructive relations and partnerships with N2000 stakeholders
  • Enhance skills to contribute to the effective management of ecosystems and the services offered, particularly by forests and marine areas.

European Nature Academy

Capitalising on the experience of LIFE e-Natura2000.edu, this new project will create a European training system called European Nature Academy as the means to develop further training projects and capacity building programmes at a Pan-European scale. The goal is to deliver widely accessible and tailor-made learning experiences for Natura 2000 managers. This will be done by developing, testing and implementing innovative and accessible training activities that will support the delivery of EU policy by improving nature management practices in an extended Protected Area network that incorporates Natura 2000 sites.

European Nature Academy will boost individual, organisational and national capacities for Natura 2000 management by providing learning opportunities for individuals to train as trainers, mentors or facilitators of the project’s learning experiences. Apart from that, it will also create a body of replicable courses and tailor-made learning activities, making use of the full range of face-to-face, blended, and online possibilities.

As such, LIFE ENABLE will apply practical development and delivery mechanisms to revise and update content and learning approaches on the basis of participants’, tutors’
and external experts’ feedback as part of continuous professional development programmes purpose-built for Europe’s nature and its managers.

Visit European Nature Academy!

Download the eNatura2000 App

eNatura2000 App

eNatura2000 App

The eNatura2000 App has been designed within the LIFEe-Natura2000.edu project to enable Natura 2000 site managers and private landowners to connect, discuss and learn in an innovative way. In LIFE ENABLE, the App will be further developed to become a leading dedicated social networking platform for Europe’s nature managers. It will act as a portal to the Academy MOOC (Massive Open Online Curse) platform and its contents, as well as provide enhanced means to make professional connections. The new E-Natura2000 App will provide a mix of services for users: for example, similar to a simplified Linked-In for Natura 2000 managers.

The app is available on Google Play and App Store! DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

Assess your competencies with a Training Needs Analysis Tool

Individual Training Needs Assessment

By using the purpose-built TNA, all individuals that have Natura 2000 management responsibilities can self-assess their training needs, generate a personal report and use the results to plan better their future professional development actions.

The Individual Training Needs Assessment Tool (TNA) is free for use and available here!

Download the Report: Identification and assessment of competencies for management of Natura 2000

Group Competence assessment for Natura 2000 site managers

In addition to the Individual Training Needs Assessment,  you can use a tool developed for assessing competences for a group of people involved in the management of Natura 2000 sites.

It is available in 5 languages:

  • English
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Italian
  • Romanian

The assessment groups can include individuals who are managing individual Natura 2000 sites, or coordinating / managing several Natura 2000 sites and provides an overview of competence levels for the entire group.

Get more information and use the free tool here!

Watch a Video tutorial to help you conduct a group assessment.

Get to know LIFE ENABLE

For an insight into all project actions and other objectives of the project, download the full LIFE ENABLE factsheet:

LIFE ENABLE Factsheet/Enable Natura 2000 and Protected Area managers

LIFE ENABLE Factsheet: click on the image to download the full document

or take a look at our leaflet

LIFE ENABLE Leaflet: click on the image to download the full document

If you want to get all the insights and exclusive information about the LIFE ENABLE project, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter, so you don’t miss any important updates!

Materials for download:

LIFE ENABLE factsheet

LIFE ENABLE leaflet

Natura 2000 and LIFE logo

LIFE ENABLE Logo square and circle

LIFE ENABLE Logos with strapline in different colours non-transparent

LIFE ENABLE Logos with different strapline colours transparent

LIFE ENABLE A2 Gap Analysis

Also, make sure you shoot us a message in case you would like to get access to our communication plan, which can serve as inspiration for your own projects!

This activity is supported by: