Abstract
As stated in the European Commission's definition, Green Infrastructure (GI) refers to a strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas, along with other environmental features, that are designed and managed to provide a wide array of Ecosystem Services (ES) while also boosting biodiversity. Despite numerous actions at the European level to encourage the implementation of GI, few small entities have internalized the benefits of GI and initiated implementations in their territories. GI is still poorly applied at the local level due to a lack of knowledge transfer about its relevance in counteracting the effects of climate change. Training and education can act as catalysts to disseminate these concepts; however, to succeed, a hands-on approach that leads to emotional involvement and enjoyment is necessary. In Game-Based Learning (GBL), games are adopted to facilitate learning in a more realistic and engaging context. GBL is well-suited for both formal and informal training and information contexts and can help citizens and local stakeholders build higher-level scientific knowledge. Nevertheless, GBL is still rarely used in university courses to convey landscape ecology concepts. Here, we explore the interest of university students in GBL and present a cooperative board game about GI and ES, created as part of the Interreg Alpine Space FRACTAL project (FosteRing green infrAstruCTure in the ALps) with the specific goal of bridging the awareness gap among younger generations about GI and their role in supporting ES and ecosystem conservation in the Alps. FRACTALgame is an educational cooperative game in which four characters with different peculiarities must address anthropogenic problems intensified by climate change, using GI-based solutions. These problems damage five typical ecosystems of the Alpine landscape: the urban ecosystem, the forest, the high mountain ecosystem, the river ecosystem, and the rural agricultural ecosystem. The damage results in the loss of various types of ES, from supporting services to regulating, provisioning, and cultural services. Thanks to GI, the ES provided by the ecosystems are restored, and the functionality of the Alpine landscape is maintained. We also present a qualitative pilot study with 47 university students, who played FRACTALgame during a biology education course. Through a short questionnaire, we explored their interests in board games, and their knowledge about GI and ES. It turned out that 65% of the students often play games and that their preferred games are board games. On the other hand, more than a half of the students do not know the terms GI and ES. These results, although limited to a very small sample, show that students could welcome the GBL approach to learn new concepts.