The winning teams of the final stage of the second “I also take part in Natura 2000” contest from II-IV grades on the 6th of June were rewarded with a one day trip to Sovata and Praid. A total of 24 children, 7 teachers and 2 staff from Milvus Group visited the Bear Lake and the surrounding lakes, the Salt Mountain and the Butterfly House from Praid.
Click for more photos from the excursion.
Finalists from the V-VIII grades this year had a big surprise: the camp was organised in Milvus Forest School from Rigmani (Mureș county). Between the 28 July and 2 August 21 pupils were invited to live in Milvus Forest School for 6 days.
One objective of this camp was to reward the hard work of the teams during the long contest. Another objective was to get acquainted with another Natura 2000 site: Dealul Târnavelor – Valea Nirajului.
Just as in previous years, this year’s camp had a complex programme: the children got familiarized with the common amphibians and reptiles of the area, they built painted nestboxes, live trapped small mammals, analysed owl pellets and got familiarized with bird nets and the importance of bird ringing.
The participants had the chance to play traditional games as rounders, archery. They played games with orientation after smelling, hearing and touching. These games help children to develop trusting and empathetic attitudes.
On the third day of the camp children had the opportunity to experience how is it feel to swing 4-5 meters above the ground. This was possible with the help of the guides from Salvamont Mureș. In the nearby forest they tied ropes on trees for climbing, tyrolean traverse and slackline.
Two trips we organised over the course of the camp: one to the Niraj Valley, where Nagy András Attila from Milvus Group presented the method of researching fish and other species which live in the river. On the way everyone searched for the footprints of bear, badger, roe deer, red deer and wild boar, while Szabó Anna, a botanist from Apáthy István Association, presented the specific plant species of the area. The other trip was to Sânsimion, where they visited the Village Museum and the Rehabilitation Centre of Milvus Group.
The trip and the camps was organized as part of the “For nature and local communities – the bases for a Natura 2000 integrated management in Hârtibaciu – Târnava Mare area” project, co-financed by the European Union Regional Fund (SOP), implemented by WWF Romania in partnership with ADEPT Foundation, Mihai Eminescu Trust, Environmental Protection Agency Sibiu and EcoTur Sibiu (http://natura2000transilvania.ro/).
