Students in Liesing: Adventure in discovering nature!

Students in Liesing: Adventure in discovering nature!

The students of the Ehrenbrunngasse elementary school in Vienna recently took advantage of the exciting opportunity to experience the newly renatured Liesing up close. As part of a project sponsored by the Donau-Auen National Park, the children explored the impressive flora and fauna along the river bank under the guidance of two supervisors.

Particular attention was paid to the vivid discoveries the children made. They were able to observe jellyfish larvae, dragonfly larvae and water scorpions and learn how important such creatures are to the ecosystem. The renaturation of the river brings numerous advantages: sand banks, dead wood and stone banks not only provide habitats for many animal species, but also rest areas for visitors to the Liesing. The new environment allowed students to enjoy nature during their snack time on beautiful new benches.

A lesson about renaturation

This excursion was not only an exciting journey of discovery, but also served environmental education. The basics for the renaturation of ecosystems are a central element of current curricula, as umwelt-im-lehren.de shows. Students studied the destruction and subsequent restoration of ecosystems. Through various simulations, they learned how important it is to protect and preserve natural landscapes. These training courses not only aim to strengthen judgment skills, but also promote awareness of sustainable strategies.

In order to make the topic more tangible, similar projects could also be carried out in other schools in Vienna. Because education is the key to an environmentally conscious future. The example of the Ehrenbrunngasse elementary school could inspire other educational institutions to take similar paths.

Educational success and migration

Along with the importance of environmental education, the transition from primary to secondary schools is also often discussed. Children from immigrant families in particular often experience challenges here. According to an empirical study published in the Fachportal Pedagogy, it shows that these children have lower chances of attending high school, but can still benefit from their parents' higher level of education.

This dimension of education makes it clear that projects like the one on the Liesing not only benefit nature, but also the social skills of the students. Not only do you learn about the importance of the environment, but you also build self-confidence and social skills. It is time for more schools in Vienna to implement such valuable environmental education projects that promote both natural and social knowledge.

The experiences on the Liesing are exemplary of a holistic educational strategy that will produce the next generations as both environmentally conscious and socially competent citizens.