Committed to nature

The Eberswalde Zoo is located in the middle of the Nonnenfließ / Schwärzetal nature reserve in the forest town of Eberswalde. The trees of the beautiful mixed forest are part of the zoo grounds. It blends in harmoniously with the landscape and has a very special charm. Protecting this nature is an important concern.

Water supply

To conserve precious drinking water, a small water treatment plant was built at the zoo. It supplies all the water ditches and, for example, the penguins and otters; even the drinking water for the zoo animals is filtered groundwater drawn from the zoo’s own soil. A looped pipeline supplies all the animal enclosures with firefighting water.

Environmental education

Environmental awareness is a top priority at the zoo, so that especially young animal enthusiasts can gain a lasting perspective all by having fun and playing. Special offers are equally made for senior groups, clubs and groups with severe disabilities.

The ZooSchool with two permanent ZooSchool teachers looks after more or less 7,000 children and young people every year. The focus is set on ecological topics and questions dealing with the sensitive handling of nature and take up the quote from Albert Schweizer: “Man dominates nature before he has learned to control himself.”

Nature Without Borders – Joint Nature Education in Poland and Germany

Project Partners: Eberswalde Zoo & Wałcz Forestry Office

The Eberswalde Zoo, in collaboration with the Wałcz Forestry Office, is implementing the project “Nature Without Borders—Joint Nature Education in Poland and Germany.” The project is co-financed as part of the Interreg VI A Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania / Brandenburg / Poland 2021–2027 cooperation program.

Working Together to Protect Biodiversity

Nature conservation and species protection do not stop at national borders. That is why the Eberswalde Zoo and the Wałcz Forestry Office share the common goal of raising awareness about the protection of biodiversity and further developing cross-border environmental education.

The project is aimed in particular at students in grades 4 through 6, as well as visitors to both facilities. Through modern educational programs and shared informational materials, the project teaches participants about native animal and plant species and sustainable practices.

Measures at the Eberswalde Zoo

The Eberswalde Zoo is developing digital audio guides that take visitors on a tour of the zoo in German or Polish. The guides provide information about selected animal species, their habitats, threats to biodiversity, and ways to protect nature.

The audio guides are supplemented by quizzes and worksheets that can be used during a visit to the zoo and that, in particular, enable school groups to engage in active learning.

Measures at the Wałcz Forestry Office

At the “Morzycówka” Center for Forestry and Environmental Education, hybrid and digital educational programs are developed and implemented for school classes from Poland and Germany. The content is developed in collaboration with the Eberswalde Zoo and, in addition to fostering environmental knowledge, also promotes cross-border exchange and language skills.

To implement this, modern audiovisual equipment will be purchased to facilitate online events, multimedia presentations, and science demonstrations—such as those using a microscope.

A new educational trail with seating areas, information panels, and QR codes is also being created on the grounds of the environmental education center. In addition, waste sorting stations featuring brief environmental information will be set up. This will ensure that the project’s results remain accessible to visitors even after the project has ended.

Cross-Border Exchange

A key component of the project is the direct interaction between participants from both countries. Plans include a joint study trip by Polish school groups to the Eberswalde Zoo, as well as a closing conference in Poland, which will be broadcast live to the German project partner.

Sustainable Collaboration

The close collaboration between the Eberswalde Zoo and the Wałcz Forestry Office forms the basis of the project. Together, they develop educational programs, exchange experiences, and create long-term information resources. In this way, the project makes a lasting contribution to the protection of biodiversity and strengthens German-Polish cooperation in the field of environmental education.