INSPIRING YOUNG CONSERVATIONISTS

Bringing Nature to the Classroom

UVO volunteers Peggy Van de Vyver and Janet Hoskin with students of Our Lady & St Michaels RC primary school, Abergavenny

In a world where children are increasingly disconnected from nature, osprey presentations offer a bridge back to the wild. They spark curiosity, build empathy, and empower students to care about the ecosystems around them. Whether through dramatic hunting footage, live nest cams, or stories of migration, ospreys remind us that the natural world is full of wonder - and worth protecting.

So with that very much in mind Usk Valley Ospreys (UVO) volunteers took great pleasure this summer in delivering their specially-crafted presentations to groups of children at five local primary schools (Llangorse, Sennybridge, Llanfaes & The Priory School, both of Brecon, and Our Lady & St Michaels, Abergavenny). These events were designed to inspire and engage the students with the wonders of osprey life and hopefully beyond.

Ospreys are one of the most captivating birds that students can be introduced to - dramatic hunters, long distance travellers, and powerful symbols of river and coastal conservation. A school presentation about them can engender awe, create environmental awareness and pride in local wildlife. There’s a moment in every great school presentation when the room shifts - when curiosity sparks, eyes widen, and students lean forward. Few creatures ignite that moment quite like the osprey.

The fact that ospreys are natural performers makes the job of presenting to an audience of school children satisfyingly easy. The birds’ unique hunting technique - hovering, folding their wings, and plunging feet first into the water - always evokes a group gasp! Students love learning that an osprey can lift a fish almost its own weight and carry it aerodynamically by turning the fish head first. Similarly, when they see that a young osprey can fly thousands of miles from Wales to Senegal on its first migration, they understand resilience in a new way, turning science into adventure.

UVO volunteer Janet Hoskin talks osprey hunting technique

Live nest cams have also transformed and revolutionised school presentations. Watching chicks hatch, grow, and take their first flights give a sense of connection that textbooks have trouble matching. Students learn how technology can help protect wildlife as well as educating the next generation.

So it’s not difficult to see how a school presentation can score highly on just about every level: inspiring young conservationists, demonstrating that wildlife is not distant or abstract, opening up opportunities to become involved in local community wildlife projects. For schools especially in regions connected to river ecosystems such as here in the Usk Valley, osprey presentations are becoming a cornerstone of environmental education. They build empathy, wonder, and a sense of responsibility for the natural world.

UVO wishes to show their appreciation and thanks to the teachers and children of the schools involved for their foresight and interest in the presentations.