Science meets schools (2023-2025)

Students observe the influence of climate on plants

"Science Meets School" was an initiative launched by the Science Department of the Province of Lower Austria, in which 6 Nature Parks participated. The aim was to give schoolchildren the opportunity to directly experience and learn about the impact of climate change on nature.

This Lower Austria-wide project was developed by a project team from the Lower Austria Nature Parks Association, 6 nature parks and their associated nature park schools, the LACON company and Geosphere Austria.

As one of the 6 selected nature parks, we planted around 30 regional hedge plants along the road in front of the school and in the school campus courtyard in late autumn 2023, together with pupils from the three nature park schools (special school, primary school and secondary school). 

Starting in spring 2024, the pupils regularly observed leaf sprouting and leaf fall, flowering and fruit ripening, and measured temperature, sunshine duration and precipitation. The research work on the hedge ("outside") was reviewed and analysed in class ("inside"). 

During the project we gave technical and organisational support to the participating classes and accompanied them to the final event on 20 May 2025 at the "Haus der Natur" in St. Pölten, where the results were presented.

The "Wissenschaft trifft Schule" project was funded by the Science Department of the Province of Lower Austria and the Lower Austrian Nature Parks Association.

Further information (in German) is available from the Lower Austrian Nature Parks Association.