Dear colleagues,

Biological invasions, predominantly stemming from human activities and interference with nature, have emerged as a global burden, significantly impacting both ecosystems and economies. Mitigating the effects of non-native species is a complex issue and the eradication of established non-native species is typically impossible. The prevention of new introductions is therefore generally considered to be the most effective and efficient option and partly relies on public awareness. To this end, the education of stakeholders and the general public can be very helpful, with elementary school pupils being an especially crucial target group. Greater levels of education could help foster a more informed future generation around sustainability agendas and invasive species particularly.

Here, we ask you to cooperate with us in an international effort that aims to elucidate the relationship between the volume of economic losses caused by non-native species in various countries and the educational effect, namely the number of lessons focusing on biological invasions at elementary/primary/secondary schools (depends on the local rules and school system; pupils aged ca. 6 to 16 years). The below questionnaire is fully anonymous and should adhere to privacy policies. We thank you very much for your time and effort. Your help will be much appreciated!

link (English): https://forms.gle/TMMD2KL7cEGkTCi7A

If you will need other translations, let me know.

Thanks in advance!

Sincerely,

Jiří Patoka, Ph.D.

Leader of the international team

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic

Correspondence: [email protected]