Written by: Anželika Dautartė, VMU

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On 15 October 2025, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy (VMU) hosted a lecture on “Preserving Biodiversity Through Nature-Based Solutions: The Importance of Education and Community Engagement” within the Erasmus+ BIP “Wildlife in Closer-to-Nature Forest Management.”

The programme brings together 31 students from seven different European universities – in Italy, Latvia, Finland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Poland, as well as from Gifu University (Japan). Lectures are led and discussions actively joined by academic staff from the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology together with colleagues from universities in Romania, Latvia, and the Czech Republic.

The lecture explored global biodiversity loss and ways in which Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) can help restore ecosystems, enhance climate resilience, and improve human well-being. It emphasised that education and community involvement are crucial for success, as “biodiversity can only be truly protected when people understand its value and take collective responsibility for it.”

The event also presented the ᴇNᴀBʟS project, which aims to integrate NBS into higher education, promote interdisciplinary learning, establish Living Labs, and empower society to act for biodiversity and sustainability.

VMU’s example showcased how universities can transform their campuses into spaces that combine learning, research, and hands-on environmental action — through green infrastructure, biodiversity monitoring, and active student participation in sustainability initiatives.

The session brought together students and lecturers from several European universities who shared their experiences on wildlife protection and sustainable resource management. The discussions highlighted the importance of education, cooperation, and shared responsibility in shaping a more sustainable and biodiverse future.