The Research Team of Nature Protection, Wildlife Management and Environmental Education works as the independent interdisciplinary research group at the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. At the moment the Team comprises highly qualified specialists on environmental education, sociology and environmental sciences. Team's activity involves research and education. The main issues the Team focuses on are: human dimension of natural resources, human-nature conflicts' management in protected areas, Natura 2000 implementation (communication, mediation, public participation), environmental awareness of public, environmental education in formal and non-formal system, PR on waste management issues with local authorities and general public. Besides the research activity, Team performs variety of educational tasks, such development, conductance and evaluation of educational and information programs and campaigns, mainly on nature conservation and waste management issues. They are addressed to K-12 students, teachers, local governments, etc.
Currently the Team conducts 2 major research and educational projects: (1) SCALES - Securing the Conservation of biodiversity cross Administrative Levels and spatial, temporal and Ecological Scales (7 FP EU)
http://scales-project.net/, (2) Information, education and communication for the natural environment (Jagiellonian University project WRBW/DS/INoŚ/760
In 2011 two major projects were completed: (1) NATURA 2000 in Carpathians.Optimization of the use of the resources of the Natura 2000 network for sustainable development in the Carpathians (Norwegian Foundation Mechanism)
http://www.iop.krakow.pl/karpaty/and (3) Effectiveness of Natura 2000 territories protection and a social aspects of Natura programme introduction in Poland (the Polish Ministry of Science) http://www.eko.uj.edu.pl/ee/kbn.
The Team co-operates with various Polish and international research and
educational partners e.g.: UFZ - Centre for Environmental Research, Dept. Conservation Biology, Germany, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, USA, Human Dimension Natural Resources Unit, Colorado State University, USA, School of Geography Planning and Environmental Mgmt. University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, Department of Conservation Biology, Vegetation & Landscape Ecology, University of Vienna, Center for Research on Environmental Thinking and Awareness, University of Durham, Wielka Brytania.
We actively serve as consultants on social aspects of nature conservation to local governments, regional directorates of nature protection, national parks etc. We are also active at variety of professional associations (eg. European Early Childhood Education Research Association, NAAEE - North American Association for Environmental Education) and editorial boards (e.g. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education (IEJEE-Green), Diversity).
The scientists of The Research Team of Environmental Education regularly deliver credit courses to the students of 3 faculties: Biology, Environmental Protection and Biology & Geography: (1) Environmental Education, (2) Social and economic aspects of nature protection, and (3) Policy of environmental sciences. They also tutor students aiming at B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. completion.
They also give other educational services: e.g. (1) seminars, workshops and courses on nature protection, rational waste management for K-12 students, teachers and local authorities, (2) publications on environmental/nature protection issues for respondents of formal and non-formal education sector.