Centro di Educazione Ambientale ODV

The Cea Niscemi is an environment-focused association created by young nature lovers. The association has two action strands related to Environmental Education (EE) according to Sustainable Millennium Development Goals of Agenda 2030: 1) the volunteers work hard to protect the ecosystems and biodiversity in Sicily through local conservation projects and 2) they invest a lot of time in the environmental education activities. 1) With the help of other Italian and foreign partners, the Cea Niscemi is committed to safeguarding areas belonging to the Natura2000 network. The volunteers monitor the area and collaborate with institutions to safeguard priority habitats and species. In particular, the Cea Niscemi focuses its efforts on protecting the Special Protection Area (SPA) of "Gela Plain", an important migration route for trans-Saharan birds, where we seek the farmers’ cooperation in order to achieve a nature-friendly agriculture system that respects birds and other animals. In our small guesthouse in Niscemi we host volunteers from all over the world. They help us manage the more than 50 hectares within the Geloi project, which focuses on concrete actions against climate change: tree planting, wetlands conservation and wildfires prevention. These volunteers also help us in the surveillance of Bonelli's Eagle's nests, often endangered by poachers who steal the chicks and sell them at the smuggling market. 2) Thanks to the efforts of the volunteers, the Cea manages a Natural History Museum and an Environmental Education Centre with activities for children and adults alike. Educational field trips and classroom lessons are organized with schools and local community, teaching both the children and their parents to respect nature. In addition to the already mentioned activities, particular attention is paid to the organization of cleanup days in areas of particular environmental interest such as beaches where the endangered Kentish Plover nests. Finally, to make the natural beauties of Sicily known, the Cea Niscemi also focuses on the publication of reports, books and educational posters.