Environmental education

Children at summer camp learning to identify common trees and flowers.

Helping people of all ages to enjoy, understand and care for creation is an important part of A Rocha Czech’s programme. Primarily focused on East and South Bohemia, our educational programmes include talks and lectures in schools, community centres and churches throughout the country.

Clubs for young people

Weekly nature clubs are run by Pavel and Radka Světlík and many volunteers in Česká Skalice, Dobruška and Prachatice. The young people enjoy a wide range of indoor and outdoor games and activities, learning identification and fieldwork skills and getting involved in bird monitoring and other practical conservation projects. Many take part in weekend trips and summer camps.

Schools programme

A Rocha Czech is working with primary and secondary schools to develop ecology as part of the national curriculum. In 2004, at the request of the local government and with its financial support, we produced an environmental education manual, written from a biblical perspective. Entitled “Spies in their own land” it is a beautifully illustrated, practical guide, encouraging children to spy on wildlife. See our article (application/msword, 42.0 kB, info)about this.

Special events

Specimen from A Rocha fungi exhibition at Nachod

This toadstool was part of a special fungi exhibition organised by A Rocha Czech.

A Rocha Czech has organised a wide range of events with an emphasis on learning about and caring for wildlife: a fungi exhibition in Prachatice, World and European bird festivals in North Bohemia, Dawn Chorus Day, World Environment Day and Earth Day. In two separate weeks during the early summer we monitor birds and other species with several organizations in the Natura 2000 sponsored Special Protected Area of the Eagle Mountains. We also organize special, creation-care church services around church holidays.

For several summers we have organized, with American teachers, an English language summer school with ecological and biblical themes.