In the beautiful setting of Malga Coot in the Resia Valley, the Junior Rangers of the Julian Prealps Nature Park spent a whole day in pursuit of the Rosalia longicorn (Rosalia alpina) during their annual summer camp. The EUROPARC Federation's Junior Ranger project is an informal education programme for children and young people between the ages of 12 and 18 who live in or near a protected area. In the territory of the Julian Prealps Nature Park, the programme has been running since 2007, and is currently open to girls and boys between the ages of 12 and 14. Thus, several generations of young people have increased their connection with the protected area thanks to this project.
On 13 August 2024, accompanied by guide Marco Favalli, six Junior Rangers hiked in the direction of Casera Canin with a very specific task: finding Rosalia alpina. Along the trail, they came across beech forests, some of them with several beech trees that had been damaged by the storms of recent years. The boys must have been very thorough because they managed to find a specimen in a beech forest not far from the base. After some activities at the Casera, the group returned to the camp, where Marco gave a short lecture on Rosalia alpina. The kids took notes and drew the insect on their notepads, demonstrating their attention and interest in the subject. The result of the educational afternoon can be viewed on the Park's website, or at https://junior-rangers-rosalia-alpina-ita.my.canva.site/ .
Days like these are definitely important for increasing young people's awareness and knowledge of environmental issues. Rosalia alpina is now part of the cultural background of the Park's Junior Rangers, and we are sure they will treasure it.
