«Чыйрак жаңгак-2022»: ореховый лес в руках подрастающего поколения

Chyirak Zhangak-2022: a walnut forest in the hands of the younger generation

23 schoolchildren from the Bazar-Korgon and Aksy districts of Jalal-Abad oblast took part in the Chyirak Zhangak-2022 summer school.The winners of the essay competition "What should I do to conserve the walnut forest?", announced among local schools as part of the Kyrgyz-German Walnut Forest and Grassland Conservation Project, got the opportunity to attend the intensive training and take a rest in the Arstanbap sanatorium.

The curriculum was developed by specialists of the CAMP Alatoo PF together with teachers Nursaida Bazarkulova and Veruzat Yusupova. They are master trainers in teaching the methodology of education for sustainable development and biodiversity conservation, and authors  of the manual of the same name.  The teachers prepared and conducted lessons for children; in the course of the lessons they discussed in detail the meaning of each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the causes of the greenhouse effect, its impact on people and the environment, the difference between climate and weather, the skills to adapt to changes caused by climate and weather phenomena. The lessons were structured in such a way that information about complex terms was conveyed in the form of an intellectual game in plain language and complemented by visual content.

A separate session was dedicated to forests growing in Kyrgyzstan and their current state. Expert Zakir Sarymsakov in his theoretical part of the lecture introduced the schoolchildren to the types of forests, the statistical data on their area, and the main factors which threaten the existence and restoration of forest areas.  In practice, during an excursion to the forests of Arstanbap, the children saw with their own eyes what happens to the forests and why the long-lived trees die. Exercise "Tiers of the forest" helped schoolchildren understand the structure of the forest, the importance and function of each green plantation in the life of the forest. The students tried to find as much information as possible about the trees and shrubs and remember their names in Latin.

What is the use of forest for humans? The schoolchildren answered this question by using street art. Everyone chose or came up with a drawing and depicted it using natural material. The territory of the boarding house turned into a small gallery of works made on the ground from leaves, twigs, flowers and stones. The guests looked at the compositions and walked carefully around them, trying not to step on them or destroy them.

In addition, the children showed their talents in drama. They prepared mini sketches about the role of animals and birds in human life. The amusing but sincere performances expressed the children's attitude towards "our little brothers" and showed their knowledge of the usefulness of animals and birds both for humans and for nature.

To sum up the results of the school, the participants were asked to develop projects on addressing natural resources  issues in their villages. It turned out that the most common and painful topic for everyone was rubbish. Aidana Anarbekova, a schoolgirl from Gumkan village, proposed to fight against rubbish by creating awareness and educating her peers, conducting cleanliness days and various eco-actions in the village. "First of all, we need to start with our parents. If they don't litter, then their children will also keep clean and treat the environment with care," shared Ilzira Akimova, a student from the Oogan-Taala village.

Other problems identified were deforestation, increase of livestock population and emergence of a large number of pharmacies in the villages. According to the schoolchildren, it is better for local people to use medicinal herbs grown in the walnut forest in times of illness than to be treated with artificial preparations, and to spend more time in nature and breathe fresh air.

To reinforce their voices and attract the attention of adults, the children decided to use social media to spread messages about the importance of conservation of the forests and nature in their home region.