How to keep kids engaged with nature? A showcase from rural communities in Moldova: The Future Fiends of Biodiversity Summer School [15.07.26]
The Future Friends of Biodiversity Summer School is a project that brought biodiversity researchers and nature enthusiasts from Germany, France and Romania to the moldovan bank of Nistru - the country's largest and most important water source. Organised by KomBioTa member Dr. Cristina Lupașcu-Vasilița, with support from the State Museum of Natural History and the University of Hohenheim, the Summer School took place in Delacău - a small rural community surrounded by rich biodiversity: flanked by the river to the east, a forest to the north and steppes to the west.
© Lupașcu-Vasilița
The participants were 18 school children from Delacău and Puhăceni (the neighbouring village), aged 8 to 14 years old, but also their parents and caretakers, who also took an interest in discussing biodiversity discovery, biodiversity friendly measures and gaining appreciation for the world surrounding us.
Apart from opening the stage for discussion with key stakeholders in the community, such as the local authorities, the school management, parents and teachers, the project showed very clearly that kids want and need more opportunities to engage with nature. They are excited, curious and motivated to connect, learn and share their fascination with the environment. It seems that the kid’s enthusiasm was contagious, as one of the major outcomes of the project was the building and installation of an insect hotel on school grounds, which in turn served as a convincing argument for the school administration to adopt a more biodiversity friendly approach to managing their green spaces.
Considering the reach of the pilot project, the Future Friends of Biodiversity Summer School will be coming back for a 2nd edition in 2027, in an extended format with more locations, and those who are interested to join and contribute are more than welcome to do so! Please contact Cristina at cristina.vasilita@smns-bw.de.
© Lupașcu-Vasilița
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