On February 13th, 2025, the Messara Agricultural School in Crete hosted a dynamic awareness and co-creation event under the MONALISA project. The event, organized by HSPN and the University of Crete – Natural History Museum of Crete (UoC/NHMC), focused on two key goals:
- Raising awareness about land degradation risks in the Asterousia region
- Engaging local stakeholders in the co-design of sustainable land restoration solutions
The event brought together a diverse group of local actors: farmers, educators, and community members for a day of knowledge exchange and collaborative planning. Participants were introduced to the MONALISA project’s mission and methodology, emphasizing the integration of traditional knowledge with scientific innovation.
Interactive Co-Creation Activities
Two hands-on workshops fostered dialogue and creative thinking:
- Issue Mapping Activity – Participants were split into groups to identify local land challenges, propose potential solutions, and discuss barriers to implementation.
- Nature-Based Solutions Review – Participants assessed real-world examples of land restoration techniques and shared their perspectives on their applicability to the Asterousia landscape.
These activities sparked engaged, constructive conversations, reflecting the strong commitment of the local community to finding workable, site-specific responses to environmental challenges.
By combining scientific research with on-the-ground insights, the event illustrated the MONALISA project’s participatory approach to land management, ensuring that sustainable solutions are locally relevant, practically grounded, and community-driven.
This event marks a meaningful step forward in fostering resilience in Mediterranean drylands, and in shaping restoration pathways that are both innovative and inclusive.
