SERES is a transdisciplinary initiative that integrates nature-based solutions (NbS) to strengthen the socio-ecological resilience of the territory. The project, developed by Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability in collaboration with the local administration of La Estrella, works with three educational institutions—Colegio Los Robles, Colegio Canadiense, and Colegio Waldorf Isolda—as platforms for community mediation and knowledge exchange.

The project promotes ecological restoration and food security through small-scale actions such as urban gardens, composting, collective planting days in prioritized areas, and rainwater harvesting systems. To date, the first rainwater harvesting prototype has been built and delivered at Colegio Waldorf Isolda Echavarría. Additional prototypes are currently being developed for implementation in other institutions and for the broader community within facilities of the Municipality of La Estrella. In parallel, a guidebook is being developed to systematize the experience and facilitate its replicability, along with the design of a traveling exhibition that will document the process and outcomes of the implemented actions.

As part of the educational component, the course “Ecological and Social Management: Integrated Approaches for the Territory” was developed. The course included approximately 24 hours of sessions distributed over several weeks, strengthening capacities in climate adaptation, collaborative governance, and the restoration of social ecosystems. It was designed for undergraduate students from the Faculty of Architecture and other academic programs, as well as university departments dedicated to science communication and social appropriation of knowledge at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. The course also included participation from officials from municipalities affiliated with the ICLEI municipal network and various stakeholders from the Municipality of La Estrella.

Ultimately, SERES seeks to strengthen collaboration between academia, local government, and communities to promote sustainable territorial practices. By integrating environmental education, community participation, and nature-based solutions, the project aims to generate long-term socio-ecological resilience in peri-urban landscapes. Through knowledge exchange, practical interventions, and the development of replicable tools such as prototypes, educational materials, and public exhibitions, SERES aspires to inspire similar initiatives in other territories facing comparable environmental and social challenges.

Co-Producing Solutions: Composting for Healthier Communities

Working in partnership with the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Zero Waste, and the eThekwini Municipality Agroecology Unit, �鶹��Ƶ students and community members co-designed and implemented a composting initiative that responds directly to local waste management challenges.

Following training sessions and hands-on implementation, community members began transforming organic waste—such as old vegetables and household wet waste—into compost. This not only reduces the volume of waste in the settlement but also addresses critical public health concerns. With inconsistent waste collection, uncollected refuse often becomes a breeding ground for pests, particularly rats. Composting offers a practical, locally driven solution to this issue.

The initiative also reflects the importance of building local partnerships. A nearby supermarket, which previously disposed of its waste into the river, is now contributing wet waste to the composting system—reducing environmental pollution and strengthening community-led environmental stewardship.

Through �鶹��Ƶ, this work goes beyond training—it is about building long-term capacity. The community has taken ownership of the process, ensuring that composting continues as a sustainable, embedded practice. 

Figure.1&2– Quarry Road residents and �鶹��Ƶ students at a community composting site. 

Innovation in Context: Vertical Gardening

In response to the spatial constraints of informal settlements, the initiative introduced vertical gardening—a low-cost, adaptable solution for urban food production.

Using recycled materials such as wooden pallets and old sacks, community members in Quarry Road developed vertical gardens that maximise limited space while reinforcing principles of reuse and sustainability. A demonstration site was established at one household, creating a living learning space where knowledge can be shared and adapted across the community.

This reflects a core �鶹��Ƶ principle: solutions must be locally appropriate, resource-conscious, and driven by the realities of the communities they serve.

Figure. 3- Vertical Gardening Initiative at Quarry Road informal settlement 

Peer-to-Peer Learning: Extending Impact to Pholani

A defining feature of �鶹��Ƶ Africa is the emphasis on knowledge exchange. The success in Quarry Road created an opportunity to extend the initiative to Pholani through a “training the trainers” model.

Community members from Quarry Road, supported by Zero Waste and �鶹��Ƶ students, facilitated composting training for the Pholani community. This peer-led approach strengthens local ownership and ensures that knowledge is transferred in ways that are accessible and contextually relevant.

In Pholani, where land is available adjacent to the settlement, community members cleared and prepared the area for planting. With support from the UKZN team, seedlings were provided and a variety of crops were planted, including spinach, potatoes, onions, mealies, and green peppers—contributing to improved food security and livelihoods.

Figure. 3: Food Gardening at Pholani Informal Settlement- Figure.4: Making of Swales at Pholani Informal Settlement. 

Responding to Challenges Together

As with many community-led initiatives, challenges remain. Limited access to water, a lack of gardening tools, and the need for secure fencing have been identified as ongoing barriers. Additionally, environmental pressures such as flooding and wildlife—particularly monkeys—pose risks to crop sustainability.

True to the �鶹��Ƶ model, these challenges are not addressed in isolation. Through continued collaboration, adaptive solutions are being explored. For example, Zero Waste facilitated training on swales—a technique that helps manage water flow and prevent crops from being washed away in flood-prone areas.

Building Resilient, Connected Communities

The greening of Quarry Road and Pholani demonstrates what is possible when communities, universities, and local partners work together through the �鶹��Ƶ framework. This is not just about environmental improvement—it is about strengthening relationships, building local capacity, and supporting communities to lead change in their own contexts.

Through initiatives like these, �鶹��Ƶ Africa Durban continues to foster inclusive, community-driven innovation—showing that sustainable urban futures are built through collaboration, trust, and shared knowledge.

By: Nkosinathi Mncwabe

�鶹��Ƶ Africa Durban Coordinator

The Problem

In Zapopan, Mexico, rapid urban and population growth have intensified environmental challenges, creating an urgent need to strengthen environmental education for primary school students.

Limited municipal capacity and support for environmental education, often overseen by only a few government officials, have made it difficult to address current environmental problems such as deforestation, pollution, and wastewater management. 

In a community shaped by diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, officials and educators recognized that environmental education materials must be inclusive and adaptable, regardless of a student’s socioeconomic background.

The Opportunity

Building upon continued collaboration with the municipality of Zapopan on social projects, the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UDG) saw an opportunity to improve sustainable education while promoting long-term public policy in Zapopan, beginning at a primary school level.

In 2023, the CUCEA of UDG signed a letter of intent with �鶹��Ƶ (Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities) to strengthen the connection between academia and municipal involvement in environmental education. 

The initiative brought together university faculty and undergraduate students studying environmental management and economics to evaluate preexisting sustainability efforts and propose new ways to expand environmental education in local communities. 

Our Partnership

Dr. Antonio Sánchez Bernal and Dr. Beatriz Adriana Venegas Sahagún led the proposal as part of the IMPACTO UDG project, working alongside �鶹��Ƶ and the municipality to strengthen existing environmental education with student involvement.

Dr. Sahagún Sánchez and Dr. Venegas Sahagún integrated the �鶹��Ƶ model into their environmental management courses, assigning students to assess the effectiveness of preexisting environmental materials. Students conducted Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analyses and contributed hands-on material proposals across seven existing thematic areas of environmental education. 

The project also aligned with all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, fostering international sustainability and development.

After working with the municipality, Venegas Sahagún said implementing the �鶹��Ƶ model provided students with the structural framework to analyze public policy within Zapopan.

“Before, we were only professors working with the government, but with �鶹��Ƶ, we checked that we can do it with the students, as part of the class,” Venegas Sahagún said.

The Result

The collaboration among the municipality of Zapopan, CUCEA, and �鶹��Ƶ produced a comprehensive report on Zapopan’s primary school environmental education, including recommendations to strengthen the existing curriculum. 

The seven existing thematic areas of environmental education included updated proposals and engaging activities to help students learn more about sustainability opportunities in their community. 

Venegas Sahagún said the project and the collaboration between government and academia demonstrate the municipality’s willingness to rethink public policy, marking a shift from traditional approaches in Mexico.

“With Zapopan, we are working pretty well now; they are innovating their public policy, and they want to move beyond traditional politics in Mexico,”  Sahagún said.

Looking Ahead

Project organizers will deliver the environmental education suggestions to the municipality of Zapopan. Professors within the UDG are continuing to work alongside the municipality of Zapopan in designing the “Care policy of the municipality of Zapopan, Jalisco.” The professors working on this project are Dr. Jarumy Rosas Arellano and Dr. Edith Yolanda Gutiérrez Vázquez.

Collaboration Drives New Approach to Environmental Education in Zapopan

El Contexto

En Zapopan, México, el rápido crecimiento urbano y poblacional ha intensificado los desafíos ambientales, lo que ha creado una necesidad urgente de fortalecer la educación ambiental para estudiantes de primaria.

La limitada capacidad municipal y el apoyo a la educación ambiental, a menudo supervisados por solo unos pocos funcionarios gubernamentales, han dificultado abordar problemas ambientales actuales como la deforestación, la contaminación y la gestión de aguas residuales.

En una comunidad con diversos orígenes socioeconómicos, funcionarios y educadores reconocieron que los materiales de educación ambiental deben ser inclusivos y adaptables, independientemente del origen socioeconómico de cada estudiante.

La Oportunidad

A partir de la colaboración continua con el municipio de Zapopan en proyectos sociales, el Centro Universitario de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas (CUCEA) de la Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG) vio la oportunidad de mejorar la educación sostenible y, al mismo tiempo, promover políticas públicas a largo plazo en Zapopan, comenzando por la primaria.

En 2023, el CUCEA de la UDG firmó una carta de intención con la Red �鶹��Ƶ (Alianzas Educativas para la Innovación en Comunidades) para fortalecer la conexión entre la academia y la participación municipal en educación ambiental. La iniciativa reunió a profesores y estudiantes universitarios de gestión ambiental y economía para evaluar los esfuerzos de sostenibilidad preexistentes y proponer nuevas formas de ampliar la educación ambiental en las comunidades locales.

Nuestra Alianza

El Dr. Antonio Sánchez Bernal y la Dra. Beatriz Adriana Venegas Sahagún lideraron la propuesta como parte del proyecto IMPACTO UDG, trabajando junto con la Red �鶹��Ƶ y la municipalidad para fortalecer la educación ambiental existente mediante la participación estudiantil.

El Dr. Sahagún Sánchez y la Dra. Venegas Sahagún integraron el modelo �鶹��Ƶ en sus cursos de gestión ambiental, asignando a los estudiantes la tarea de evaluar la eficacia de los materiales ambientales preexistentes. Los estudiantes realizaron análisis de Fortalezas, Debilidades, Oportunidades y Amenazas (FODA) y aportaron propuestas de materiales prácticos en siete áreas temáticas existentes de educación ambiental.

El proyecto también se alineó con los 17 Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de las Naciones Unidas, fomentando la sostenibilidad y el desarrollo internacional.

Tras trabajar con el municipio, Venegas Sahagún afirmó que la implementación del modelo �鶹��Ƶ proporcionó a los estudiantes un marco estructural para analizar las políticas públicas en Zapopan.

“Antes, solo éramos profesores y trabajábamos con el gobierno, pero con �鶹��Ƶ comprobamos que podemos hacerlo con los estudiantes, como parte de la clase”, afirmó Venegas Sahagún.

El Resultado

La colaboración entre el municipio de Zapopan, CUCEA y �鶹��Ƶ produjo un informe exhaustivo sobre la educación ambiental en la escuela primaria de Zapopan, que incluye recomendaciones para fortalecer el currículo existente.

Las siete áreas temáticas de educación ambiental existentes incluyeron propuestas actualizadas y actividades atractivas para ayudar a los estudiantes a aprender más sobre las oportunidades de sostenibilidad en su comunidad.

La doctora Venegas Sahagún afirmó que el proyecto y la colaboración entre el gobierno y la academia demuestran la disposición del municipio a repensar las políticas públicas, lo que marca un cambio respecto de los enfoques tradicionales en México.

“Con Zapopan, estamos trabajando muy bien ahora; están innovando en sus políticas públicas y quieren ir más allá de la política tradicional en México”, afirmó Sahagún.

Mirando hacia el Futuro

Los organizadores del proyecto entregarán las sugerencias de educación ambiental al municipio de Zapopan. Profesores de la UDG continúan trabajando con el municipio de Zapopan en el diseño de la “Política de Cuidado del Municipio de Zapopan, Jalisco”. Las profesoras que trabajan en este proyecto son la Dra. Jarumy Rosas Arellano y la Dra. Edith Yolanda Gutiérrez Vázquez.