What do vultures, bees, tits and ground squirrels have in common?
At first glance, perhaps not very much. Yet each of them played an important role in the environmental education activities carried out by the Milvus Group during this school year.
As the school year comes to an end, we look back with great pleasure on the many experiences, encounters and discoveries we shared with children. Through our programmes, we not only introduced them to fascinating wildlife species, but also explored the relationship between people and nature, and why it is so important to understand and protect the environment around us.
Throughout the school year, we organised regular environmental education activities for around 140 children, while nearly 700 pupils took part in our occasional programmes held in several towns across Mureș County. Once again, our aim was to inspire as many children as possible to appreciate nature and embrace the values of nature conservation.
Our activities were not confined to classroom walls. We believe that nature is best understood by experiencing it directly, which is why we organised numerous outdoor programmes. We learned about wetlands and their wildlife, collected nature “treasures” during walks, identified animal tracks and other field signs, organised a memorable bird-ringing activity, and uncovered the secrets of the forest through a detective-style forest bathing experience.
Various conservation topics were brought into focus throughout the year. We discussed the importance of vultures, the essential role of pollinators, the lives of urban and woodland birds, and the European ground squirrel, whose conservation remains a priority. The species was also promoted through special events: in Salonta, participants had the opportunity to learn about it during a Children’s Day celebration, while in Arad we introduced this remarkable animal at the anniversary event of the Mureș Floodplain Natural Park.
We were also delighted to take part in the Lynx Festival in Brașov, where we organised an interactive activity for children. Through hands-on games and challenges, participants discovered how animals navigate without maps or GPS, relying solely on their senses of hearing, sight and smell.
Another important milestone this year was the arrival of a new colleague to our environmental education team. Thanks to this addition, we will be able to respond to even more invitations and reach a greater number of classes and communities in the future.
We would like to thank all teachers, educational institutions and children for their trust, enthusiasm and the time we spent together. We hope that the experiences gained throughout the year will help nurture a generation that is more responsible, more aware of environmental issues and more connected to nature.
Although the school year is now officially over, we are not slowing down. In just a few days, our week-long summer activity programme will begin. Participants can look forward to exciting activities and nature-based experiences, and we will share a detailed account of the adventures and discoveries once the programme has come to an end.
