Inquisitive young researchers aged 8 to 12 explored the secrets of the forest wilderness in the Kalkalpen National Park.
Science Holidays
Explore and discover in the Kalkalpen National Park
Science Holidays
Young explorers out and about in the forest wilderness of the Kalkalpen National Park
40 inquisitive young researchers aged 8 to 12 spent a week from July 14 to 18 exploring the secrets of the Kalkalpen National Park's forest wilderness together with scientists and a team of rangers under the motto "Out of the city, into the national park".
Starting from their home base at Steyr University of Applied Sciences, the young researchers, equipped with research diaries and numerous research questions in their luggage, set off on an exploratory tour into the Reichraminger Hintergebirge and the Bodinggraben. How does lynx monitoring work and how many lynx roam the area? Why is biodiversity in nature so important for human life? How does an ecosystem actually work? How does the forest regulate our climate? Why are there so many butterfly species in the Kalkalpen National Park and why are insects also important members of the ecosystem? They were able to ask all these questions to lynx researcher DI Christian Fuxjäger and the Kalkalpen National Park ranger team, among others.
They carried out numerous investigations and experiments in the open-air laboratory, explored the diversity of soil organisms under the microscope, conducted interviews with researchers, tracked lynxes and discovered numerous tracks and traces of animals. Among other things, around 20 male and female alpine longhorn beetles were discovered mating and laying eggs on a pile of deadwood logs, which is an absolutely rare event for us humans to observe.
When asked "What impressed you most this week?", answers included "... being in the forest, the many animal tracks in the forest, the great variety of different animal species, the smell of the forest, the peace in the forest, ... that such a large area is protected, ...".
Quote PL Petra Schabhüttl:
"It is important to me to convey that humans are dependent on what happens in nature. The more diverse a habitat is, i.e. the more species there are, the more intact it is and this has a direct effect on us humans. According to the motto "What you know, you protect", I would like to give the children exactly this experience. In addition to imparting knowledge, the focus is of course also on fun, exercise and togetherness. After this week, I can say that we succeeded very well."
Andreas Kupfer quote:
"Taking the future into our own hands and actively involving the shapers of tomorrow is one of the guiding principles of the KinderUni OÖ 2025. The aim is always to provide young people with opportunities to help shape, have their say and participate. This is only possible in cooperation with a network of education that is unparalleled in Upper Austria. Over 3,000 children and young people aged 5 to 15 are taking part in the children's university programs in Linz, Wels, Steyr, Hagenberg, Almtal and Ennstal again this year," says KinderUni Rector Andreas Kupfer.
