During another event at the Vynohradiv Ecocenter, a real aerial adventure was in full swing! Together with IRCEF eco-trainer Svitlana Sheresh, the children set off on an imaginary journey on the “Wings of Knowledge” to the world of birds of prey listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. They were met by three feathered heroes: a wise eagle owl, a proud golden eagle, and a quiet but observant barn owl.
Each bird “told” about itself: how it lives, what it eats, and where it lives. The children listened carefully and compared which bird has a stronger beak, which has wider wings, and which has paws that are more adapted to hunting.
To better remember, the students completed interesting tasks in the handouts from IERS: they solved riddles about birds, helped the birds get out of confusing labyrinths, colored the contours, compared body parts, and answered quiz questions.
Thanks to this activity, the children learned not only about their appearance, but also about the important role of birds of prey in nature: they understood that these animals help regulate the number of rodents and maintain ecological balance. The students learned to distinguish between bird species, respect the life of wild animals, and realized why it is so important to protect those that are under threat of extinction.
During the activity, the children also reflected on man’s responsibility for God’s Creation and the importance of a caring attitude towards all living things. Communicating with nature, observing birds, and learning about the world around them are important elements of nature therapy that contribute to children’s emotional well-being, the development of mindfulness, and the formation of a harmonious connection with the environment. Such meetings help not only to gain new knowledge, but also instill respect for nature and the desire to preserve it for future generations.
The event was held as part of the project “Birdwatching as an element of nature therapy”, implemented by the Interreligious and environmental civil forum of Eastern Europe (IRCEF) (headed by Oleksandr Bokotey) in cooperation with the Commission on Ecology of the IRCEF and the nature protection departments of the Churches with the partner support of the Archdiocese of Bamberg (Erzbistum Bamberg), project leader Nataliya Kulya.
IRCEF Information Service
