As the cold weather approaches, it becomes important to hold educational meetings on helping birds in winter. Questions such as when to start feeding birds, what materials to use for feeders, and what to put in them become the focus of discussions among both children and environmentally conscious adults throughout the fall. Natalia Stetso, an eco-trainer affiliated with the Interreligious and Civil Environmental Forum of Eastern Europe, a volunteer of the Ecological Commission of the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Eparchy, and a teacher at Velykoroztitsky Primary School, recently took part in this important conversation by organizing a thematic session for preschoolers.

During the session, Ms. Stetso shared insights into which birds choose to stay in Ukraine during the winter and elucidated on ways people can assist them in coping with the challenges of the cold season. She emphasized the importance of not preparing food for birds and shed light on the dietary preferences of one of the most common winter residents, the great tit. Surprising the children with the revelation that great tits enjoy lard, a topic not previously discussed in their classes, Ms. Stetso fostered a newfound awareness of the diverse dietary needs of local bird species.

Mrs. Stetso facilitated the decorating process more easily by supplying templates and fall leaves collected on prior hikes. She finished the class with a didactic game that allowed the children to use what they had learned in a fun and participatory way to measure their understanding.

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).

Informational Service of IRCEF