A Unique Eco-Education Project Begins in Kamianka-Buzka for Students in Grades 3–7

The Kamianka-Buzka community has launched a unique eco-educational project for students in grades 3 to 7 — “Green Hands: Let’s Preserve Forest Ecosystems through Energetic and Thoughtful Learning and Action.”

The goal of the initiative is to cultivate children's environmental awareness, teach them to treat nature responsibly, and introduce them to sustainable forest care practices through hands-on, experience-based learning.

The project is implemented by the NGO “Forest Initiatives and Society” with the support of Swiss Krono LLC, the Kamianka-Buzka City Council, and three local schools:

📍 Lyceum No. 1 named after Ivan Franko
📍 Lyceum No. 2 named after Hryhorii Tiutiunnyk
📍 Lyceum No. 3

🌳 A Trip to the National Forestry University and Trees That “Speak”

The first event — a visit to the Wood Museum — is sure to remain in memory for a long time. The children walked along the paths of the dendrological park, viewed a panoramic scene of Lviv from the ninth floor of the university building, and explored the unique Wood Museum.

The most emotional moment was a surprise gift — wooden whistle keychains that showed how wood can “speak” and make sound. The joyful whistling filled the museum in a way it had never heard before!

🛠 Next Hands-On Activity: Nesting Boxes for Tits

As part of the second event, students from the three Kamianka-Buzka schools teamed up with Associate Professor Taras Kharachko from the National Forestry University and Ihor Skolskyi, Director of the Roztochchia Nature Reserve, to make wooden nesting boxes for tits (a type of small bird).

The children not only learned how to work with simple tools and materials but also discovered why it’s important to help birds throughout the year. One of the most exciting parts was painting the birdhouses — each one became special and one-of-a-kind.

The third event, titled “Give a Bird a Home,” involved hanging the finished nest boxes on trees near the students’ schools and homes. Now, they can admire their creations every day and observe the potential new feathered residents of these brightly decorated "bird condos."

📚 “Green Hands” Project in Numbers:

🔸 Reaches approximately 150–180 students from grades 3 to 7
🔸 Includes 16 interactive eco-educational activities
🔸 Involves growing their own trees, participating in reforestation, and installing feeders and birdhouses
🔸 Combines theory, practical skills, and elements of forest therapy

This project doesn’t just teach — it awakens curiosity, care, responsibility, and a love for the living world. The children’s “green hands” become a symbol of a greater mission — protecting nature through mindful actions from a young age.

The project “GREEN HANDS: Preserving Forest Ecosystems through Energetic and Thoughtful Learning and Action — Forest Education Initiatives” is implemented by NGO “Forest Initiatives and Society” with the support of Swiss Krono LLC and the participation of Lyceum No. 1 named after Ivan Franko, Lyceum No. 2 named after Hryhorii Tiutiunnyk, and Lyceum No. 3 in Kamianka-Buzka.