Today, in the afternoon, with the awarding of certificates for the successful completion of the Young Rangers Camp program and the lowering of the camp flag, Virovitica-Podravina County has gained 32 young rangers, future nature guards, as part of the project activities carried out by the Public Institution through the major European LIFE project 'Preserving and Restoring Floodplain Forest Habitats along the Mura-Drava-Danube Rivers,' LIFE22-NAT-AT-LIFE RESTORE for MDD, acronym LIFE RESTORE for MDD.
The certificates were presented by Vladimir Ajhler, Chief Nature Guard of the Public Institution for Nature Protection VPŽ, Karlo Fičko, Nature Guard I, Vladimir Juhaz, Head of the Bio Research Station, Dora Šušak Kereta, Senior Specialist – Interpreter of Protected Natural Areas, and Tatjana Arnold Sabo, Director of the Public Institution.
The program that the young rangers successfully completed included, on the first day, the distribution of equipment and the raising of the camp flag, an introduction to the exhibits and features of the Drava Story Visitor Centre, a presentation on protected nature areas in VPŽ and ranger duties, a bicycle ride along the Drava River to learn about the area's biodiversity, a workshop in collaboration with HGSS on safe behavior in nature, how to use search dogs in rescue operations, and how to provide first aid, art workshops with the Creative Association Unikat, as well as learning about myths and legends of nature's forces and reading the legend of Bugi and Janu by the campfire.
On the second day, camp participants visited the Orlovo Selište site in the Municipality of Lukač, where the main project activities of the Public Institution, in collaboration with Croatian Waters, will be carried out as part of the LIFE RESTORE for MDD project. They learned about various plant and animal species found in the area and the project goals, visited the Križnica Visitor Center, and ended the field portion at the DANArab Equestrian Club in Vukosavljevica, where they learned about horse breeding and care and took a small riding lesson. The second day's program concluded at the Visitor Centre The Drava Story with a workshop on setting up camera traps and stargazing with a telescope.
The third day started with a presentation on the Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve, followed by a tour of the educational trail, bird watching, and collecting samples that were examined in the bioresearch station at the visitor centre using magnifying glasses and microscopes. Concurrently with the activities at the bioresearch station, nature guards presented the camp participants with images captured by the camera traps. The program concluded with a knowledge check and fun games for the participants in the park of the Visitor Centre The Drava Story.
The project is co-financed by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
