A recent field trip organized by Oksana Kremin, who heads the Ecology and Environmental Work Department at PADIUN and is an expert with IRCEF, provided young environmentalists with a unique opportunity to explore the avian life along the Uzh River in Uzhhorod. This excursion allowed schoolchildren to engage in a fascinating and educational activity – birdwatching. The children used binoculars provided by the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies to study several bird species that live along the embankment, including their favorite pigeons. They were also treated to the sight of a large group of sparrows heading towards Pidzamkovy Park. The students were captivated by the presence of mallards and mute swans, gently floating across the river banks with their gorgeous cygnet. The youngsters had an excellent view of the birds thanks to the binoculars, which allowed them to attentively observe their activity.

During their discussions, the students noticed the imminent challenges that birds would face as winter approaches. As a result, they considered several approaches to assist the feathery friends in surviving the winter season. They discovered that feeding seeds in bird feeders was the easiest and most efficient way. These feeders, which may be made at home or purchased ready-made, serve an important role in helping birds survive the harsh cold of winter. The students engaged in educational games thoughtfully developed by specialists from the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies, with invaluable support from the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU). These games were designed to reinforce and solidify the knowledge they had acquired during their field trip. The youngsters were enthralled by the wide variety of birds they observed throughout their field trip and promised to be more cautious and mindful of these birds during the extremely cold winter months, pledging to aid them and continue their observations.

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 Kremin,
Head of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection at PADIUN and IERS expert