After almost two years of intense collaboration, learning and shared commitment, the Erasmus+ project DIANA – Developing Inclusive and Accessible Natural Areas is coming to an end. But its impact, and the wish to build a more inclusive future in nature tourism, keep growing.
Who we are: a strong and committed partnership
DIANA brought together three dedicated partners from different corners of Europe:
– D.A.F.N.E. (Italy) – project coordinator, expert in environmental education and accessible nature tourism in Liguria.
– KOAN Consulting (Spain) – specialists in sustainable tourism, social inclusion and participatory planning.
– ABAT Balkania (North Macedonia) – active promoters of alternative and accessible tourism in the Balkans.
Together, we combined local expertise and shared values in support of a simple but powerful idea: nature should be for everyone.
Funded by Erasmus+
DIANA was co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme (KA210-VET), under the small-scale partnerships strand. The project focused on training in inclusion and accessibility in protected natural areas, particularly for professionals and communities with limited access to capacity building.
What we did:
Throughout 2023 and 2024 we worked side by side with communities, associations, professionals and guides to promote inclusion in natural areas. The main activities were:
– Co-creating tools: the Compendium of good practice and the Toolkit for inclusive nature guiding
– Local training sessions in Italy and North Macedonia, where guides tested the Toolkit and gave feedback through field workshops.
– Interviews and focus groups with local stakeholders and people with different needs, to make sure our tools were built with the community, not just for it.
– An international closing event in Genoa, including an inclusive walk in the Beigua Regional Park, where for some participants it was the first time hiking in nature.
What we learned:
This project taught us something that goes well beyond checklists:
Accessibility is not a label. It is a shared condition, a mindset that has to be lived and practised.
Nature and community go hand in hand. Inclusion means involving people from the start: not only consulting them, but co-creating with them.
Progress happens step by step, but the impact can be exponential.
Enjoyment matters. People with disabilities do not want charity: they want to enjoy nature like everyone else.
Looking ahead: sustaining the impact
DIANA was a small project with a big ambition: to plant the seeds of systemic change. Going forward, we aim to:
– Share our Compendium and Toolkit widely with guides, protected area managers, training institutions and tourism associations, to feed into long-term capacity-building programmes.
– Explore new collaborations with the EU to scale up this work.
– Keep working with networks such as ISTO, Green Destinations and Interpret Europe to promote inclusive nature tourism.
Stay in touch!
You can explore all our resources and updates on the official website and on social media:
📘 Facebook: @DIANAerasmusproject
Let’s keep working together for a future in which natural areas really are for everyone.
