In October 2025, 4^th-year students of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy, majoring in Ecology, Veronika Bohdan and Oleksandr Diadyk, together with a 2^nd-year master’s student, majoring in Biology and Biochemistry, Olena Shamrai, visited Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland as part of an educational and practical study trip organised by the NGO Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group.

During the trip, the participants had the opportunity to learn about the work of environmental protection institutions in these countries, discover modern approaches to the management of natural areas, and explore practices for conserving biodiversity.

In Slovakia, the students visited the National Park “Slovenský raj”, where they familiarised themselves with the natural structure of the park, the specific features of its tourist routes, and the system for protecting forest ecosystems.

In the Czech Republic, together with representatives of the Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area, they investigated the work of the nature reserve fund system, got acquainted with the activities of the ornithological bird-ringing station, as well as with the practices of restoring bogs essential for amphibian conservation. Because of excessive asphalting of forest roads, the populations of these species have begun to decline, so specialists are creating small artificial reservoirs near floodplain forests, which helps restore their breeding habitats.

The field visits also demonstrated examples of river restoration in areas affected by regulation, methods of reinforcing forest roads damaged by erosion, as well as techniques for maintaining pasture biodiversity through regular grazing. The students visited the Office of the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic in Prague, where they attended introductory lectures on the institution’s activities and its role in preserving the country’s natural heritage.

At the end of the trip, the Ukrainian students had the opportunity to learn about the work of the planned Turnicki National Park in Poland, which is part of major environmental initiatives aimed at expanding the network of protected areas in Europe.

The experience gained has become a valuable example of how European countries integrate science, environmental education, and practical natural resource management. The acquired knowledge is a significant addition to the study of educational components at the university.

The Educational-Scientific Institute of Natural and Agrarian Sciences