Nature education improves understanding of the European bison’s role in the ecosystem and increases acceptance of the species among communities in the reintroduction area. In the long term, these efforts help create the conditions needed for coexistence between people and bison. In the education and awareness-raising activities carried out by Rewilding Romania in the Țarcu Mountains, teachers are often our partners and play an important role in providing pupils with information about bison, biodiversity and how ecosystems function.
In this context, in April 2025, Rewilding Romania organized a training course for teachers from Armeniș, Teregova and Cornereva, delivered by SCHUBZ – Center for Education for Sustainable Development. The training aimed to raise awareness and equip teachers with practical methods and tools to explore topics related to biodiversity, species reintroduction, and natural processes interactively.
The three-day course had a strong practical component. Teachers tested interactive and experiential methods they can use both in the classroom and outdoors. Activities such as “The Food Web”, “The Forest in the Classroom”, “The Clue Game”, “Owls and Crows” and “The Lynx’s Journey” provided practical examples of how topics related to species, habitats and relationships within ecosystems can be explained to pupils in an accessible and participatory way.
The course also included outdoor education activities. During an educational hike, teachers tested methods based on observation, exploration and species identification. They considered how to adapt these methods for activities with pupils, including as part of Romania’s “Green Week” program. A discussion on species reintroduction also provided an opportunity to explore rewilding in the context of communities where bison are once again present.
The training also focused on integrating these methods into teachers’ regular educational activities. Participants developed their own scenarios for outdoor activities and, at the end of the course, received a collection of games and exercises they can adapt and use with pupils on school grounds or in nature. In this way, the knowledge and methods gained through the training can be incorporated into school activities and shared with more pupils.
This activity complements the LIFE with Bison project and strengthens its work on education, awareness, and community engagement in the reintroduction area. By training teachers, information about bison, biodiversity, species reintroduction and coexistence can be integrated into local educational activities over the long term. Through their ongoing work with new generations of pupils, teachers can contribute to better understanding and acceptance of bison and the principles of coexistence between people and wildlife.
