Increasing youth engagement in biodiversity decisions: the importance of relations to water and landscapes

Sharing Experiences at “Connecting the Dots”

At the Interreg NPA - Connecting the Dots conference, project partners from University of Lapland (Finland) and Arctic Frontiers (Norway) along with an associated partner Youth for Arctic Nature (Iceland), shared their experiences working with youth to promote biodiversity awareness in the Northern Periphery and Arctic region. 

Key Findings: youth participation and knowledge transmission

Key findings of the CAP-SHARE project include the importance of addressing local and regional biodiversity through participatory approaches and strengthening Sámi youths’ knowledge and participation locally and regionally, particularly in the Sámi Homeland. Young people in northern local and Sámi communities want to be involved in decision-making processes that affect their lives and to have their voices heard in contexts where they are not usually included. The project also emphasizes that the transmission of traditional knowledge to younger generations is vital, and that strengthening intergenerational connections plays a key role in sustaining this knowledge. Furthermore, the findings highlight the value of multi-agency collaboration among schools, communities, cultural actors, and decision-makers.

Supporting scientists to engage youth

A takeaway from the project so far is that scientists need proper training and support to effectively share knowledge about biodiversity with youth. Young people from different backgrounds and age groups need information that matches their level of understanding and life experiences. Too often, individual scientists are left to figure out how to adapt their message for different audiences. Providing training in communication, along with dedicated time and resources for outreach, can help close the gap between researchers and northern communities.

Youth-led action for lasting impact

Youth want opportunities for active engagement in real project that make a difference in their community. Projects like CAP-SHARE help to provide opportunities for youth to work alongside scientists, policymakers, and knowledge holders to share capacity and knowledge. This helps to provide opportunities for youth to learn how to be more active within their communities, it provides tools for other stakeholders to learn how to actively engage their communities and helps to build equitable policy. Together we learn how we can work collaboratively towards effective biodiversity conservation for the future or our region’s nature, culture, and heritage. 

The audience asked questions creating a thought-provoking discussion about how to involve youth in biodiversity work and decisions in a way that is empowering and encouraging despite the current grave threats to Arctic biodiversity and climate change. This is a difficult balance between being realistic about the current situation, while pointing to actionable resources and tools to create a change. The discussion also touched on the differences between youth in different areas, and the potential of citizen science to create long-term community involvement.

The Icelandic Museum of Natural History leads CAP-SHARE, with University of Lapland and Arctic Frontiers as project partners.