Young Nature Guards Chemnitz
Welcome to the Young Nature Guards (JuNa)
Children and young people can experience, discover and learn to protect nature with the "Young Nature Guards". They are part of the "Young Nature Guards Saxony" programme, which aims to recruit the next generation of nature conservationists. Along the way, they are accompanied and trained by experienced environmental educators and conservationists. Would you like to find out more about the "Young Nature Guards Saxony" programme? Take a look at thevideo clip!
Here are a few examples of what you can expect when you join the "Young Nature Guards":
- Building and cleaning nesting boxes, feeding stations or insect hotels,
- Discovering and researching insects, amphibians and birds in forests and meadows,
- Identifying plants and fungi,
- Observing animals,
- learning about and exploring biotopes,
- handicrafts and creative activities with natural materials,
- Nature and adventure-based educational excursions,
- Nature conservation lectures with experts and nature conservation volunteers,
- the "Day of the Young Nature Guards",
- a great Chemnitz NATURE Discoverers working group with like-minded children and young people interested in nature,
- regular events
- ... and of course much more.
The contact persons and project coordinators for the city of Chemnitz are Benjamin Franke & Linda Heinrich from the BUND Chemnitz regional group.
In addition to managing the "Chemnitz Nature Discovery Working Group" at the municipal nature conservation centre in Chemnitz and setting up a nature conservation network, the two coordinators are available as contacts for the project and as advisors for the initiation of further sustainable environmental education programmes in the city. Clubs and organisations interested in participating in the project are welcome to get in touch. We would of course also be delighted to receive support from other nature conservation organisations to enrich the project.
The positions are financed by the Free State of Saxony and are intended to help train more young people in voluntary and professional nature conservation and to establish an environmental education network.
Young nature wardens in the Chemnitz NATURE Discoverers working group
In 2019, the Chemnitz Nature Discovery Group was founded at the Chemnitz City Nature Conservation Centre with the aim of facilitating regular extracurricular environmental education programmes. This became part of the Saxony-wide Young Nature Guards project in 2021. Since then, the Chemnitz NATURE Discoverers have also been Young Nature Guards and their educational content is based on the curriculum of the JuNa project. Since 2022, the City of Chemnitz's environmental department has been cooperating with the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), Landesverband Sachsen e. V. in the implementation of the project. The BUND regional group (RG) Chemnitz has taken over the coordination of the "Young Nature Guards" project in the city of Chemnitz and the management of the Chemnitz NATURE Discoverers working group, including environmental education.
The AG Chemnitzer NATUREntdecker aktuell
There are currently 20 children (as of July 2024) between the ages of 6 and 13 registered in the Chemnitz NATURE Discoverers working group and they regularly take part in the varied weekly events. The main meeting point is the Chemnitz Nature Conservation Centre with its natural garden area. In line with the JuNa motto "Experiencing and preserving nature together", participants learn about local nature, the green corners of Chemnitz and various nature conservation organisations. The aim is to pass on the knowledge of natural interrelationships and species expertise of the older conservationists to the younger ones. The working group also takes part in practical nature conservation activities such as planting trees or harvesting apples. Games, fun and creativity are not neglected at the events. They are supported by numerous volunteers and professional nature conservationists as well as the staff of the Chemnitz Lower Nature Conservation Authority.
Who can take part and where should I go?
Children and young people between the ages of 6 and 17 who are interested in nature and its protection are cordially invited to join the working group at the Chemnitz Nature Conservation Centre. The working group meets every Friday from 15:30 to 17:00. All children and young people with an interest in nature can take part. A new basic course with children aged between 6 and 10 is planned for the 2024/2025 school year. Current information, contact details, past events and opportunities to join in can be found here on the website of the BUND Chemnitz regional group.
By the way, there are JuNa groups all over Saxony. You can find out what they are up to and where they are active on the "Young Nature Guards of Saxony" website or on Instagram.
Event reviews
events
By the way
The "Young Nature Guards Saxony" programme aims to get children and young people interested in nature conservation and train them to become "experts", both young and old. Perhaps they will later even become active as nature conservation helpers? They are needed everywhere. They observe nature, provide information about it and are an important part of nature conservation in Saxony. For example, nature conservation assistants also provide support with mapping tasks or take over the management of special conservation areas.
Location
Chemnitz Nature Conservation Centre
Adelsbergstraße 192
09127 Chemnitz