Case study: Soil to regenerate - Terra da rigenerare
Photo acknowledgement: Archives of the Province of Padua.
- Secondary
- Indoor
- Campaign / event, Citizen science, Experiment, Hands-on activity
- Italy
Soil to regenerate – Terra da rigenerare
In 2020, potential soil contamination from an old fertilizer and glue factory site was discovered during preliminary work for expansion of Rolando da Piazzola Institute, a secondary school in Padua, Italy. This contamination included heavy metals, which posed health risks to the school community. The Province of Padua, owner of the land, launched an investigation to assess the health risk to those attending the school and possible preventive measures.
In response, the school initiated a comprehensive educational project called ‘Terra da rigenerare’ (Soil to regenerate) involving pupils, staff, families, and the broader city community. The project successfully turned a challenging situation into a valuable educational experience. It highlighted the importance of environmental awareness and active citizenship, involving the entire school and city community in addressing soil contamination and health risks.
The three main architects of the project are Giampaolo Bustreo, Headmaster of the Rolando da Piazzola Institute, Annibale Biggeri, a Professor at the University of Padua, epidemiologist and consultant to the school on citizen science, and Sara Campanella, a teacher at the Rolando da Piazzola Institute.
Objective
The project aimed to transform this negative event into an opportunity for collective growth in knowledge, awareness, and active citizenship. The focus was on educating the school and city community about soil health and contamination.
Approach
Key activities undertaken by the school included:
Historical Research:
- Investigating the historical causes of contamination through archival research.
- Exploring decisions and actions leading to the current situation for educational growth and active citizenship.
Scientific Studies:
- Conducting safe laboratory studies on contamination data in science classes.
- Involving pupils in studying the chemical and scientific aspects of soil contamination.
Community Engagement:
- Regular updates and transparent communication from the Headmaster with the school community about survey results and ongoing investigations.
- Informing families and staff about health risks and preventive measures.
Collaborations:
- Partnering with universities (University of Florence and University of Padua) to develop and distribute questionnaires assessing environmental risk awareness.
- Engaging experts such as epidemiologists and environmental scientists to guide and validate the research.
Awareness:
- Presenting research findings at conferences like “Environmental History in Italy: state of the art and future prospects” at the University of Padua.
- Publishing articles on contamination and the school’s response in scientific journals and the school website.
- Class presentation of the project at the “Senato & Ambiente” contest organised by the Senate of the Italian Republic.
- Organising public meetings and events to share information and foster community involvement.
In addition, the school organised a “Jamming for RoLand” event where around 220 pupils shared and discussed contamination issues and future prospects in a participatory format that was livestreamed. It was based around four main topics, so called ‘stations’, supported by experts. The Epidemiological station – on the perception of risk. The History & Science station with geomorphological and hydrogeological maps of the territory and archival documents (from 1891 to 1987) from which to understand the transformation of place over time. The Law & Characterization station on risk and environmental legislation in relation to measurements taken from the school grounds. The Testimonies station that wove together memory and lived experience of people connected in various ways to the school grounds.
Link for further information
Link for further information (in Italian): https://www.rolandodapiazzola.edu.it/pagine/terra-da-rigenerare