This morning our mascot Dona led the children of Sada y sus Contornos Elementary School on their visit to Chelo by the River Mandeo. Bucking the trend, it didn’t rain and we enjoyed a lovely day in the country.
The schoolchildren got out of the bus in Queiris and Dona met them half-way, leading them to the nature classroom. There they were divided into two groups for talks by a CEM environmental monitor, who spoke about the river life, flora and fauna, the water cycle and the importance of keeping the river and its banks clean.
While the children were in the classroom, the adults walked to the bridge at Teixeiro, always preceded by Dona; they got to see the river fauna and learned the name of the plants that are in bloom at this time. Some of the observed species are protected, such as the Narcissus cyclamineus, reported as vulnerable in the Galician Catalogue of Endangered Species. They also saw invasive alien species that pose a threat to the ecosystem, among them flowers such as the crocosmia or trees like the black wattle. On their return they collected all the rubbish they found, in order to leave the natural area cleaner than when they arrived and so raising awareness of the need to engage in nature preservation.
The children were delighted to meet Dona. She has spent several months telling them her adventures on our website, taking the opportunity to talk about the flora and fauna of the region, encouraging them to preserve nature and posing them all kinds of questions. Although the students have written her many e-mails that she answers one by one, this was the first time that they could run with her. At Fragas do Mandeo we understand that pets are the best way for children to come into contact with nature, facilitating their understanding of animal behaviour and helping them to develop both physically and emotionally.
The school organised this visit to Chelo within the framework of the Voz Natura project carried out to make known our region’s biodiversity, supporting Fragas do Mandeo in preserving it by means of land stewardship.
Thanks to the teachers of the college, the staff of CEM, the Environmental Guard Carlos Serantes and to the volunteers who joined us, the children enjoyed an unforgettable day getting to know the woods by the River Mandeo.
