This spring marked an exciting moment for nature conservation in Luxembourg’s Minett Biosphere Thanks to the innovative efforts of young minds at the second Minett Biosphere Youth Forum in July 2023, an impactful awareness campaign has been launched to protect the area’s biodiversity.

The creation of the awareness campaign

The project was the culmination of a four-day event that brought together fifteen young adults from five countries. Their mission? To address an environmental issue raised at a previous forum: the disrespectful behaviour of some visitors to the nature reserves and core zones of the Minett UNESCO Biosphere.

Through collaborative workshops with designers and environmental experts, the participants explored how to develop signs that provide vital information and inspire visitors to act responsibly in nature. The campaign’s design aims to encourage coexistence between human activities and wildlife, raising awareness of the fragility of the ecosystem. This creative process included numerous brainstorming sessions, excursions to nature reserves and hands-on sign construction.

© Minett UNESCO Biosphere

The new signs: Adapted and purposeful

The completed signs align with the visual identity commonly used by Luxembourg’s Nature and Forestry Administration (ANF), ensuring consistency across nature reserves. In use since the beginning of spring, these signs are visually appealing and are designed to foster a deeper connection between visitors and the surrounding environment. By modelling respectful behaviours, such as keeping dogs on leads or avoiding littering, they aim to mitigate human-induced disturbances in these delicate ecosystems.

Special focus: Protecting the orchids

As the Minett Biosphere comes into bloom this season, with its wild orchids in all their splendour, there is one sign that stands out. It has been carefully designed to safeguard these stunning flowers and raise awareness of their importance to the biosphere’s ecological balance. The orchids are not only visually striking, but also crucial for local biodiversity, serving as a symbol of the biosphere’s natural heritage.

This campaign is a testament to the power of youth-driven, community-supported initiatives in environmental protection and promoting sustainable coexistence. Through simple yet impactful measures such as this thoughtful signage, the Minett Biosphere sets an inspiring example of how small actions can lead to profound change.

So, if you’re planning a visit to the Minett Biosphere in the coming weeks, take a moment to admire the wild orchids in bloom and the new signs that encourage visitors to protect these precious lands, empowering us all to say: ‘We are the biosphere.’