Forest Explorer Day — NABU Bergenhusen
Nature discovery afternoon for children aged 6 to 12 at the Michael Otto Institute
About Forest Explorer Day NABU
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Research, Not Entertainment
The Forest Explorer Day is not an entertainment program, but genuine nature education in a small format. The focus is on the question of what lives in the autumnal forest — and how to find it: Using magnifying glasses and identification keys, children hunt for soil insects, collect leaves for comparison, identify fungi, and interpret animal tracks in the soft autumn soil. The concept is: discover for yourself, document for yourself, ask questions for yourself. Trained nature educators from the institute, who place every observation in a larger ecological context, provide supervision.
Organizer — One of Germany's Best Bird Conservation Institutes
The Michael Otto Institute at NABU in Bergenhusen is one of the most important research facilities for meadow birds and wetlands in Germany — known primarily for its work on the decline of the Northern Lapwing, Curlew, and Eurasian Oystercatcher. Integrated into the research program is educational work: Throughout the year, the institute offers several themed explorer days (Water Explorer Day, Bird Explorer Day, Forest Explorer Day), each focusing on a different ecosystem. Bergenhusen is located in the southern Schleswig-Flensburg district in the Eider-Treene-Sorge lowland — one of the most ecologically valuable wetlands in Central Europe.
Parents Stay Outside
The Forest Explorer Day is a children's program, not a family event. Parents can drop off their child in Bergenhusen and pick them up after three hours — or use the waiting time for a walk in the nearby Stapelholmer Heide. Group size is limited, so advance telephone registration is mandatory.
Forest Explorer Day NABU — edition 2026
Three Hours of Exploration in the Autumn Forest
The 2026 edition falls right in the middle of the Schleswig-Holstein autumn holidays — the ideal season to experience the forest in its transitional phase: fungi sprout, leaves fall, insects seek winter quarters. The children are divided into small groups and work with explorer kits provided by the institute.
What is Taught
Basic ecological concepts such as habitat, food chain, and ecosystem are not lectured, but explained through concrete finds. Finding a marten track reveals that it is nocturnal and what prey it seeks. If a child cannot identify a mushroom, they learn to take a photo and make a description — and not to taste it.
Programme Forest Explorer Day NABU 2026
Friday, October 23, 2026 — Schedule
- 2:00 PM — Meet at the Michael Otto Institute, Goosstroot 1, Bergenhusen. Welcome and division into explorer groups
- 2:15 PM — Distribution of explorer kits with magnifying glass, hand lens, identification key
- 2:30 PM–4:30 PM — Guided exploration in the adjacent forest area: soil insects, fungi, animal tracks, deciduous trees
- 4:30 PM — Snack break and joint review of findings
- 5:00 PM — Pick-up by parents
Register through the institute: by phone at 04885-570 (Mon–Fri 9 AM–12 PM) or by email at [email protected].
Highlights Forest Explorer Day NABU 2026
- Three hours of guided nature discovery in the autumn forest
- Small groups — pedagogical supervision guaranteed
- Magnifying glasses, hand lenses, and identification cards are provided
- Integration into the research program of the renowned NABU Institute
Prices Forest Explorer Day NABU 2026
10 EUR per child. Registration required, places limited.
Practical information — Forest Explorer Day NABU
Getting There
By car via the A7 (exit Owschlag) or the B202, then follow signs for Bergenhusen. Address: Goosstroot 1, 24861 Bergenhusen — Parking available directly at the institute. By train to Owschlag or Schleswig, then bus/taxi (no public transport connection in Bergenhusen).
Registration
By phone at 04885-570 (Mon–Fri 9 AM–12 PM) or by email to [email protected]. Places are limited — early registration recommended.
What to Bring
Weatherproof clothing, sturdy footwear, small backpack with snacks. Magnifying glasses, cups, and identification cards will be provided by the institute.
Price
10 EUR per child.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Forest Explorer Day NABU al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Where it takes place Forest Explorer Day NABU
Michael-Otto-Institut im NABU — Bergenhusen
Goosstroot 1, 24861 Bergenhusen