Podcasting Nature: Students Explore Hidden Treasures of the European Green Belt

Podcasting meets nature as lower secondary school students explore the rich biodiversity of the European Green Belt in Hohenau an der March within the BESTbelt project: “Discovering Hidden Gems: An Educational Journey for All Ages”

 

The BESTbelt project ‘Discovering Hidden Gems: An Educational Journey through the March-Thaya Floodplain Green Belt for All Ages’ continues its interactive approach with a focus on lower secondary students. 

In Hohenau an der March, a village located in the March-Thaya-Auen at the borders of Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia, students from the local new middle school explored the rich natural and cultural heritage of their European Green Belt. Once part of the former Iron Curtain, this region has transformed from a symbol of division into a thriving ecological corridor. 

Working alongside podcast specialist Doris Obrecht, the student group “German digital creative” produced a five-episode podcast series. They not only learned about podcasting as a digital storytelling tool but also engaged deeply with the key themes: history, environment, politics, economy, and everyday life.

By conducting interviews with local residents and experts, the students gained first-hand insights into the importance of this landscape and shared their perspectives with a wider audience. The podcast, now available on all standard streaming channels, has been warmly received by the local community and listeners beyond the region. It highlights not only the ecological value of the area but also the voices of the people who live along European Green Belt.

 

Listen to the podcast here (only available in German). 

 

All presented activities are part of the EU-funded BESTbelt project ‘Discovering Hidden Gems: An Educational Journey through the March-Thaya Floodplain Green Belt for All Ages’ which is implemented by AURING Biologische Station Hohenau Ringelsdorf from October 2024 to September 2026.

For more information, please contact: Verein Auring, info(at)auring.at

Project website: info@auring.at