The Thurauen Nature Centre is a programme of the PanEco Foundation on behalf of the Canton of Zurich. For more than 10 years, the nature centre has been the gateway to the largest floodplain conservation area in the Swiss Plateau – and therefore the place to go for any information about the Thurauen floodplain, revitalisation and the conservation area. On our guided tours, at our events and through the rangers in the area, we raise awareness among visitors about the protection of the floodplains and about a sustainable lifestyle.
What we want to achieve
Long-term preservation of intact ecosystems and biodiversity in Switzerland – especially floodplains and their inhabitants – and a society that lives sustainably.
What we are doing
Nature centre
The Thurauen Nature Centre is the place to go for any information about the Thurauen floodplain conservation area, the renaturation of the Thur and various excursions in the area. The nature centre’s interactive exhibition with the adventure path through a small floodplain forest informs visitors about the floodplain conservation area and its inhabitants and raises awareness about their protection.
Environmental education
We teach people about biodiversity and the need to protect floodplains as well as about renaturation. In addition, we make our visitors appreciate nature and, through lasting experiences, we help ensure considerate interaction between people and nature. To achieve this, we offer a wide range of guided tours in the centre, excursions to the Thurauen floodplain and public events for different target groups.
Thurauen floodplain ranger service
Our rangers are out and about in the Thurauen floodplain almost every day – both in the area of the Canton of Zurich and the Canton of Schaffhausen. The ranger team gives information about the renaturation project and about flora and fauna to people looking for recreation and checks compliance with the protection ordinance.
Successes
- Almost 7,000 visitors come to the nature centre every year: they book a group tour, visit our exhibition or take part in a public event.
- More than 1,400 schoolchildren visit the nature centre every year. More than 60 school classes book a school offer with us every year – from project weeks and workshops to excursions in the area. 3 Junior Ranger groups are also regularly out and about in the floodplains. This brings many children and young people into contact with nature so they become aware of the need to protect it.
- 2,000 hours per year are our rangers out and about in the Thurauen floodplain. Thanks to their tours of the area, we are in contact with the population and help ensure compliance with the nature protection ordinance. This gives species such as the little ringed plover and the kingfisher a chance to find a habitat in the Thurauen floodplain.
- 30 interns became competent environmental education specialists thanks to our training. In around 40 training blocks, the biologists, environmental engineers and environmental scientists learn the basics of effective environmental education, and on numerous guided tours and excursions they put the knowledge into practice.
Outcomes
Floodplains are the ecosystems with the highest biodiversity in Switzerland. They also provide valuable services to society, for example by mitigating flood peaks, regulating the climate and providing a popular place for recreation and leisure. However, most of Switzerland’s floodplain areas were damaged or destroyed in the 19th century by river corrections such as fortifications and straightening. Many animal and plant species disappeared as a result. As a result of the 1992 floodplain protection ordinance, Switzerland’s most valuable floodplains are now under protection and are being enhanced. This also includes the Thurauen floodplain. With an area of around 400 hectares, it is the largest floodplain conservation area in the Swiss Plateau. The Thurauen floodplain is not only a valuable conservation area, it also provides an ideal starting point for environmental education.
Many children rarely come into direct contact with nature. Lasting experiences of nature have become rare, so children rarely feel part of nature. But an old maxim says that you only protect what you love. This is where we come in. As a recognised extracurricular place of learning, we help people experience nature. We infect children and young people with our enthusiasm for animals and plants. In this way, we encourage them to recognise the value of nature and inspire them to use our resources sustainably. In addition to offering guided tours, project weeks and workshops, the nature centre’s school programme also includes teaching materials and a teaching aid on the topic of floodplains.
Awareness of environmental problems and ecological relationships is also low among the adult population. Many people have lost touch with nature, and awareness of the value of floodplains is minimal. The exhibition and the guided tours offered by the nature centre are therefore designed to give visitors an active connection to nature and to demonstrate the value of the floodplains. We help raise their awareness of ecological, social and economic relationships as well as nature and encourage them to act responsibly.
With its 400 hectares, the Thurauen floodplain is not only a valuable floodplain conservation area for many endangered animal and plant species, it is also an important local recreation area for many people. Our ranger team works in this area of conflict between protecting nature and its use by humans. The nature centre’s rangers monitor compliance with the floodplain protection ordinance and, as THE local nature experts, are important sources of information. The nature centre is therefore committed to providing information about the Thurauen floodplain area and raising awareness among its visitors in order to preserve nature in all its diversity and promote sustainable development in the region.
Simon Fuchs
Manager of the Thurauen Nature Centre
