29 Sep 2016 Codru Nature Reserve, Moldova, Europe Biodiversity | Forests
The Codru Quest II: A New Hope. Conservation of Ecosystems and Biodiversity in the Codru Forest through Education, Gamified Research, and Stakeholder Engagement
The Codru Quest is aimed at reducing the threat of forest ecosystem degradation in the Codru protected area through practical education and involvement of Moldovan communities and organizations, who value biodiversity and ecosystem services in Codru, into collaborative conservation of the area.
The stag beetle (Lucanus cervus), the endangered resident of the Codru forest and one of the species targeted for research and conservation within the Codru Quest.
The Codru Quest is the innovative research-and-capacity-building environmental project for stimulating cooperation among civil society, organizations, and companies around resolving biodiversity conservation issue through the use of gamification and citizen science. In 2016 – 2017 it is the research-and-education component of the 2nd edition of MEGA Impact Championship that addresses the issue of degradation of ecosystems in the Codru protected area in Moldova caused by lack of awareness and undervaluation of ecosystem services there that local residents benefit from.