An eco-scout camp called “Guardians of Nature” has been organized in Shirvan National Park

On May 5-6, an eco-scout camp titled "Guarding Nature" was organized in Shirvan National Park by the IDEA Public Union and the Azerbaijan Scouts Association.

The purpose of the camp, held within the framework of IDEA’s eco-scout program, was to educate young people about Azerbaijan's rich nature, endemic flora and fauna, to promote nature conservation, to teach them to use the resources provided by nature efficiently and responsibly, and to encourage proper behavior in the wild and recreation without harming the environment.

A total of 60 young people aged 18-30, who had ecological education or experience in this field and were distinguished by their ecological activism, joined the camp.

With the participation of the volunteers, an eco-tour was organized in the territory of Shirvan National Park, and the youth learned interesting facts about the rich biodiversity of these areas. Later, the young participants observed gazelles living in the park, gaining extensive information about their lifestyle, distribution areas, role in nature, and reintroduction.

During the camp, which took place in a national park home to a total of 230 bird species, observations of resident and migratory birds were conducted at Lake Gizilgaz, the main refuge for migrating birds, in honor of International Migratory Bird Day.

A trip to the Bendovan mud volcano, located within Shirvan National Park, particularly attracted the interest of the young participants. Discussions were held with the youth about the activity and significance of volcanoes in our country and their characteristics.

During the two-day camp, various practical trainings, competitions, and contests on ecological topics were held for the youth. They also participated in hiking, discussions on interesting ecological topics, environmental games, and activities such as parkour games.

At the end of the camp, the participants collected and sorted waste during a cleanup action in the national park.

It should be noted that the IDEA Public Union’s “Eco-Scout” project was launched in March of last year. The aim of the project is to engage young people in nature conservation, to study and protect wildlife in depth, and to motivate them to participate in useful ecological activities in society.

Considering its contribution to ecological education, reducing and gradually eliminating human-caused damage to nature, and fostering ethical behavior toward the environment, it is planned to hold "Guarding Nature" eco-scout camps in other national parks of the country as well.