April 2026 – As part of its activities to promote the objectives of the Erasmus+ project “Guardians of the Coasts”, Fotoessa took part in the international environmental event City Nature Challenge (CNC), which in 2026 was organised in Greece by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR).
This is an outstanding transnational initiative that encourages citizens to go out into the field to observe and protect biodiversity in urban and peri-urban environments. This is achieved through volunteer biodiversity recording outings known as “bioblitzes”.
The CNC promotes the concept of the “citizen scientist” – the active citizen who contributes their own observations to the scientific recording and protection of the natural environment. These activities involve schools, environmental organisations and citizen groups, highlighting the importance of collaboration and participatory science in understanding and protecting biodiversity. Based on the principles of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA), the CNC offers everyone a unique opportunity to contribute to the knowledge, protection and improvement of our natural environment and, by extension, of the coastal and marine environment.
How It Works
During the bioblitzes, participants work with scientists to find, photograph and identify as many species of flora and fauna as possible within a specific area and time frame. They then upload their photos to the global iNaturalist platform through a dedicated free app, where their observations are identified and verified by researchers and scientists.
Workshops and Field Activities
Fotoessa took part in two such coastal biodiversity recording outings for the CNC:
- 24 April: Anavyssos Salt Pans
- 26 April: Pefko Beach (Kiteza)
HCMR scientist Ms Sofia Giakoumi delivered a comprehensive field training workshop on the CNC process and on using the iNaturalist platform in the coastal environment. She then accompanied and guided the participating volunteers, students, teachers and organisations, including:
- Fotoessa – Centre for Education, Research and Action
- Anavyssos Lower Secondary School (with teacher Ms Despoina Lampridou)
- 2nd Lower Secondary School of Kalyvia/Lagonisi (with teacher Ms Katerina Angelopoulou)
- “From EgoSystem to EcoSystem” collective (with activist Ms Mania Vranopoulou)
- Members of the Movement for Free Beaches in the Saronic Gulf
Alignment with “Guardians of the Coasts”
This field training activity and the bioblitzes that followed are fully aligned with the core objectives of the “Guardians of the Coasts” project:
- Encouraging citizens’ direct engagement and participation.
- Strengthening collaboration and the development of environmental skills.
- Fostering a new, deeper relationship with nature.
- Supporting the connection between citizens and scientists through transparency, collaboration and respect for nature and local communities.
Contributing to better environmental protection through collective effort, open access to knowledge and shared responsibility for the environment.
