From knowledge to awareness: the LIFE-ASAP project educational path on the invasive alien flora in the Botanical Garden of Cagliari (Italy)

The project LIFE ASAP aims to stop new introductions and reduce the voluntary and accidental spread of invasive alien species, through education and communication to the general public. At European level, this is the first project that addresses the practical implementation of the Regulation (EU) No. 1143/2014 on invasive alien species and the Italian Legislative Decree No. 230/2017 in force since the 18th February 2018. LIFE-ASAP focuses on the role that Botanic Gardens play in bringing society closer to the different scientific activities and, above all, to the overarching themes of nature conservation and education. Among the activities proposed in the project, an educational trail will be created within the Botanic Garden of Cagliari that will allow visitors to learn about a selected group of alien plants introduced in Italy and Sardinia for ornamental or other purposes. The path will include 13 self-explanatory panels, three of which are introductory and 10 are dedicated to key alien species. Garden visitors will be invited to take the path, and, in addition to a guided tour of the "Invasive alien flora path", a multidisciplinary educational activity will be proposed. Importantly, primary and secondary school students will be involved, through a game, in a real hunt for invasive alien species. Clues and multiple-choice questions will allow student teams to identify invasive alien species within the Botanical Garden and learn the best practices suited for prevention and management.