Since joining the European TEAM#UP project in June 2023, we at Agresta S. Coop. have committed ourselves to a truly collaborative mission: sharing our practical experience directly with the Vocational Education and Training (VET) classrooms that will shape the next generation of ecological restoration professionals in Europe. Reflecting on our three-year journey within this Erasmus+ funded initiative (2023–2027) alongside 14 exceptional partners, we look back at the key milestones we have built together, spanning from international governance to hands-on field action.
As a worker-owned cooperative founded in 2000 by a small group of forestry students, sharing knowledge and cooperating to advance Ecological Restoration is deeply embedded in our DNA. Participating in TEAM#UP has provided the perfect collaborative space to channel our experience in forest ecosystems and environmental monitoring directly into European Open Educational Resources.
European Governance: Committed and Enthusiastic from Day One
Our involvement in TEAM#UP goes far beyond technical execution; we are an active part of the strategic engine driving the project forward. We have participated in every single working encounter of the Steering Committee, joining each milestone with great enthusiasm and a strong desire to cooperate and contribute.
Our journey within the consortium has taken us from the very first foundational kick-off meeting in Bernburg (Germany), through the highly productive working sessions in Budweis (Czech Republic), and up to our most recent gathering held in Moelv (Norway). These international spaces allow us to collectively assess the consortium's overall progress, conclude key development phases, and coordinate upcoming tasks with leading institutions from across the continent, ensuring that a true spirit of cooperation effectively guides every educational framework.
Sustainable Business Models: A Path for Professional Development
A core pillar of our role within the consortium is co-leading Work Package 5 (WP5), which focuses on business models, financing, and governance. Together with our partners, our aim is to show students that ecological restoration offers a truly promising avenue for professional development and meaningful career paths.
By participating in the creation of the official TEAM#UP Ecological Restoration Business Models Report in Europe, our team has helped map out practical models for the sector. We want to demonstrate to future professionals that Ecological Restoration in forest environments is a viable path that works, offering solid career growth for the next generation.
Co-creation and Young Talent: The Alicante Ideathons
A vibrant example of this hands-on, participatory approach has been our active involvement in the Alicante Ideathons. In these innovation spaces dedicated to boosting ideas that generate a real positive impact, we had the wonderful opportunity to work side by side with students.
Our participation centered around launching real challenges based on the actual conditions of our forests and mentoring the students' proposals. Helping young people shape their projects by sharing our day-to-day perspective in the sector not only allowed us to contribute to their motivation but also inspired us with their creativity and enthusiasm for finding viable solutions to protect biodiversity.
Technological Innovation and Forest Restoration Days
The true heart of our work lies in the direct transfer of knowledge and mutual support. We are thrilled to see the tools we use in our daily operations transform into real educational resources. A wonderful highlight of this has been our active participation in the "Ecological Restoration Days" (Jornadas de Restauración Ecológica) organized by IES El Palmeral in Orihuela, alongside various innovation workshops specifically tailored to VET activities.
In close collaboration with institutions like the University of Alicante and the team at IES El Palmeral (with fantastic logistical support from IES l'Allusser), our engineers have taken to the field to train both educators and students in cutting-edge technologies. From handling Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and digital mapping to using drones and LiDAR systems to diagnose forest and vegetation health, we open the doors of technical innovation so that the next generation learns to monitor habitats with mathematical accuracy.
Looking Ahead
All this accumulated experience and the viability frameworks we've generated are being actively integrated into the digital DERTO (Digital Ecological Restoration Toolbox) platform and the newly launched open-access MOOCs. As we head into the final stretch of the project towards June 2027, everyone at Agresta remains steadfast in our commitment to connecting science, business, and classrooms to build an ecological restoration with a solid foundation.