Nordhorn is a waterfront town, and its city center is actually an island. The Vechte River has always played a major role in the lives of Nordhorn residents and also provides a habitat for many plant and animal species. The project ” Vechte-Ranger” was developed by the zooschool of Tierpark Nordhorn in cooperation with VVV-Stadt- & Citymarketing Nordhorn e.V. to take participants on a two-hour journey of discovery around Nordhorn's city center and Lake Vechte. From the boat, they will learn fascinating facts about Nordhorn's eventful history and the river as a lifeline, a habitat, and also a source of danger. The participants can independently discover the flora and fauna in and around the water using binoculars and scooping nets and become more aware of their environment and its protection.
As an extracurricular learning center, our teaching approach thrives on experiences with animals and nature. Children learn with all their senses through direct animal contact, hands-on experience, and sometimes even getting active themselves, for example by net scooping in the Vechte River. This program allows them to actively explore their surrounding - next to, above and under water. By just looking at the Vechte, most would not expect the diversity of life below the water surface – from daphnia to leeches, water beetles, river mussels and dragonfly larvae. But this diversity - or lack of - can also indicate the condition of the river. Participants get to experience "their" river on a deeper level and become knowledge multiplicators by spreading what they have experienced and discovered while joining the "Vechte-Ranger".
The Vechte-Rangers' program is child-friendly and primarily aimed at school classes. In addition to using simple language, we use many exhibits (e.g. nutria fur, models of waterfowl-feet, dragonfly exuviae) to literally give the children something to touch. In our experience, this leads to a more sustainable learning experience.
However, adults also take advantage of the program and are just as enthusiastic as the small ones when it comes to searching for live under water using scooping nets. To date, the “Vechte-Ranger” has set sail over 60 times.
By teaching the participants about the river as an ecosystem as well as past, present and future threats and simultaneously encouraging them to explore it themselves, we want ro raise awareness for the nature that is "on our doorstep". By building a personal connection to the river, we want to encourage them to take responsibility in the protection auf nature in general and the river that has been and still is important for their hometown. We also want to encourage sustainable thinking and the development of green skills and competences: In the past the river Vecht was highly influenced and polluted by the textile industry. Nowadays the water quality is much better, but not great. There is still a lot to be done and everyone can notice and change and help to protect nature.
The development and implementation of the program in the first year was financed by the funding program „Perspektive Innenstadt!“ by the state of Lower Saxony (Land Niedersachsen).
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