Where Nature Becomes the Classroom
Nestled in the Corni di Canzo Forest — a protected woodland spanning more than 400 hectares in the Mountain Community of Triangolo Lariano, near Como — the Environmental Education Centre Primalpe (CEA Primalpe) offers a unique educational experience for young people and schools. Managed by Legambiente Lombardia Onlus under a concession from ERSAF, the Regional Authority for Services to Agriculture and Forestry, the centre has built a reputation for transforming direct contact with nature into a rich and meaningful learning journey.
The programme goes by an evocative name: VITAMIN N — N for Nature. The idea is simple but powerful: just as vitamins are essential for health, nature is essential for balanced human development. In an era where children increasingly spend their time indoors and disconnected from the natural world, Primalpe offers the antidote.
Who Is It For?
CEA Primalpe works with both school groups and informal gatherings of young people, typically in groups of 20 to 25. During 2023 alone, the centre hosted 66 groups — a remarkable volume of activity throughout all seasons of the year. The target audience ranges from children to adults, with dedicated proposals adapted to different age groups, ensuring that every visitor finds an experience suited to their stage of development.
What Happens in the Forest?
Participants do not simply observe nature from a safe distance — they are immersed in it. The centre functions as a genuine open-air workshop where young people engage their five senses, explore the ecosystem around them, and begin to understand the multifunctional role that forests play in regulating climate, supporting biodiversity, and sustaining human communities. Guided tours, interactive workshops, educational activities, and residential stays are all part of the offer that Legambiente tailors to the needs of each visiting group.
One of the most significant outcomes, according to educators, is the psychological dimension of the experience: children who spend time in a fully natural environment develop a different kind of awareness, one that classroom teaching alone cannot provide. They recover what researchers call the “nature deficit” — the growing disconnection between human beings and the living world that surrounds them.
The Role of Educators and Assessment
Facilitators at CEA Primalpe accompany groups through their activities and ensure that the experience is not only enjoyable but educationally sound. Evaluation questionnaires are administered to participants to gather feedback and measure learning outcomes, a practice that helps the centre continuously refine its approach.
Strengths and Challenges
The success of Primalpe lies in its ability to engage children on multiple levels simultaneously — physical, emotional, and intellectual. By activating all five senses in a natural setting, the centre creates learning experiences that stay with participants long after they return home. The partnership between Legambiente Lombardia and ERSAF also ensures the centre’s institutional stability and the professional quality of its educational offer.
The main obstacle, as any outdoor educator will recognise, is the weather. The long rainy season in 2023 forced the postponement or cancellation of several activities — a reminder that nature, for all its gifts, does not always cooperate with planned schedules.
Relevance for Sustainable Learning
CEA Primalpe is a compelling example of non-formal learning within the topic of sustainability. Its approach aligns with several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). By placing young people directly in the heart of a living ecosystem, it creates the conditions for authentic, transformative learning — the kind that shapes values and behaviours rather than simply transmitting information.
Website: primalpe.wordpress.com
Contact: primalpe@legambientelombardia.it
