Wilderness education at Ukrainian schools
On 4th of September our Wild 5 started its journey among Uzhhorod educational institutions and travelled to the first School № 16.Life-size wooden Brown bear, Wolf, Lynx and Golden Jackal accompanied by informative roll-ups of the European Wilderness Society exhibition supported Wilderness and large carnivore lesson for pupils and teachers of the school.
Wilderness area
Uzhhorod is a capital of the most western region of Ukraine, called Transcarpathia, bordering with 4 EU countries. Transcarpathia is the most forest covered region of Ukraine. On its territory four big protected areas are located. Biodiversity of this area is rich and valuable therefore good knowledge about Wilderness, wild life and human & large carnivores coexistence is very important.
Wilderness knowledge
Now scholars, teachers, visitors and also parents will know more about physiological peculiarities, diet and food preferences, family life and reproduction, presence in Europe, coexistence with humans of Brown Bear, Lynx, Wolf and Golden Jackal. They will also know how to behave when encounter them and why they these carnivores are so important for nature balance.
One of the pupils, Vitalik, prepared his presentation about Brown Bear, its feathers and habits. But it was interesting for him and his schoolmates to learn, that a regulated food waste management, proper herd management, restriction of berry and forest fruit picking, and a stop to deforestation would reduce Human-Bear conflicts considerably.
Besides, it was surprise for pupils, that even if Golden Jackal, who originates from Asia, due to the climate change it is now also present in Europe and particularly in Ukraine.
Multifunctional use
To give an opportunity for broader public to learn more about Wilderness, large carnivores, European Wilderness Society and European Wilderness Network, the Exhibition will stay at school №16 for a week. Teachers also plan to use the Exhibition for their lessons. One of the opportunity is a ceramic lesson at the school ceramic workshop «Magic Jug”. It will again confirm again connection between Nature and Art.
European Wilderness Society is grateful to Tetyana Malyuk, teacher of the school for support in Exhibition delivery to the school.
Further plans
As discussed recently on the teachers conference, soon Exhibition will travel to the next educational institutions of Uzhhorod. European Wilderness Society is continuing searching for ways to support the travelling exhibition and Wilderness lessons conduction financially.