Autumn is a truly picturesque season, where leaves gracefully descend from the trees, and the landscape undergoes a gradual transformation as if an invisible artist lightly brushes the treetops. The fallen leaves serve as a natural fertilizer or a splendid medium for creative endeavors. This year, the students of the “Nature Guardians” club embarked on a unique project, using the fallen leaves they’d meticulously collected and dried in advance to craft an owl.
The workshop was led by the group’s supervisor, Oksana Strichko, who shared intriguing facts about these elusive birds. She educated her young students on owls, describing them as fearsome birds of prey and mystical creatures found all over the world, with over 420 owl species known to exist. One of their distinguishing characteristics is their skin-folded outer ear. Owls have an extremely flexible neck structure that allows them to rotate their heads nearly 270 degrees while keeping their eyes fixed. As the children perused images of these birds, they noted the peculiar tendency of owls to perch in the rain. Mrs. Oksana explained that this seemingly unusual behavior is actually how they care for their feathers. Remarkably, owls often choose to remain in the rain when they have the option of seeking shelter.
Following this informative session, the children were eager to get started on their own owl figurines. Mindful of their environmental concerns, they opted to use paper towel sleeves as the body model. They thoughtfully chose the body model for their feathered friend, considering their commitment to environmental preservation; they used paper towel sleeves. Their creative process began with carefully crumpling the dried leaves, which would serve as the owl’s feathery adornments. Then, they moved on to the next stage of their artistic endeavor – adroitly gluing these leaf feathers in place. With a unified sense of purpose and enthusiasm, the children worked diligently. In between, as the craft pieces dried, they indulged in riddle-solving sessions centered around birds. This workshop not only encouraged creativity but also ignited a deeper appreciation for the natural world among these young nature enthusiasts.
The event was held within the framework of cooperation between the Interreligious and Civil Environmental Forum of Eastern Europe (IRCEF) headed by Olexander Bokotey) and the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU Bundesverband, NABU International), project coordinators Ivan Tymofeiev (NABU), and Nataliya Kulya (IRCEF).
Oksana Strichko,
Head of the “Nature Guardians” club Transcarpathian Regional Center for Children and Youth Creativity “PADIUN” and IRCEF expert
