{"id":1297,"date":"2026-04-26T10:30:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T10:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.fotoessa.gr\/?p=1297"},"modified":"2026-05-19T10:38:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T10:38:07","slug":"guardians-of-the-coasts-workshop-training-and-participation-in-city-nature-challenge-2026-with-hcmr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.fotoessa.gr\/index.php\/2026\/04\/26\/guardians-of-the-coasts-workshop-training-and-participation-in-city-nature-challenge-2026-with-hcmr\/","title":{"rendered":"“Guardians of the Coasts”: Workshop Training and Participation in City Nature Challenge 2026 with HCMR"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of the activities promoting the goals of the Erasmus+ program “Guardians of the Coasts,” Fotoessa participated in the international environmental initiative City Nature Challenge (CNC)<\/strong>. For 2026, the CNC was organized in Greece by the HCMR (Hellenic Centre for Marine Research)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The CNC is an exceptional transnational initiative that encourages citizens to participate in observing and protecting biodiversity in urban and semi-urban environments. This is achieved through voluntary biodiversity recording excursions known as “bioblitzes.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

The CNC promotes the concept of the “citizen scientist”<\/strong>\u2014an active citizen who contributes personal observations to the scientific recording and protection of the natural environment. These actions are implemented with the participation of schools, environmental organizations, and citizen collectives, highlighting the importance of cooperation and participatory science in understanding and protecting biodiversity. Grounded in the principles of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA)<\/strong>, the CNC offers a unique opportunity for everyone to contribute to the knowledge, protection, and improvement of our natural environment\u2014and, by extension, the coastal and marine environment.<\/p>\n

How it Works<\/strong><\/p>\n

During bioblitzes, participants collaborate with scientists to find, photograph, and identify as many flora and fauna species as possible within a specific area and timeframe. They then upload their photos to the global iNaturalist platform<\/strong> via a specialized free app, where the observations are identified and verified by researchers and scientists worldwide.<\/p>\n

Field Workshops and Actions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fotoessa participated in two coastal biodiversity recording excursions for the CNC:<\/p>\n