Children’s University – Environmental education for the next generation

It was the last Children’s University session of the season, and we wanted the children to have a particularly good time! The topic of the lecture – biotope networks – was therefore presented in a playful and, above all, animal-focused way.

At the start of the session, there was a child-friendly introduction to the question of what biotopes actually are, which animals live here in which biotopes, and why good ‘green bridges’ for animals are needed in a landscape shaped by human activity. 

The follow-up question – how exactly do you go about creating such biotope networks? – was explored together with the children. Using three local examples, the children worked hard to brainstorm ideas, vote on them and, above all, bring them to life: they recreated a hedge for the dormouse, a flower meadow for the bumblebee and – and this was the highlight of the session – a fish ladder spanning the entire lecture theatre for the brown trout. In doing so, they learnt how habitat networks help animals to connect their habitats and, ultimately, discovered what each and every one of us can do for the environment. Through learning experiences like this, we aim to make the next generation aware of the impact of human activity on natural systems, whilst at the same time encouraging them to protect the environment and highlighting possible solutions.

We are delighted that the young people from Mittweida took part with such curiosity and enthusiasm, and that the Children’s University team embraced our ‘animal-themed’ ideas with such passion :)