Nature awareness: Discover the secret heroes of nature!

Nature awareness in the Neflental: discover the secret heroes of nature!

Spring is stirring in the Neflental valley. Fresh leaves are budding everywhere and the wind carries the scent of violets through the air. Pink periwinkle jumps barefoot over the lush green fern meadows of periwinkle. The wind caresses the three-metre-high eagle ferns, which rustle gently like a green sea. Small wooden houses with herb gardens on the roofs hide among the giant fern stalks, and goats and chickens frolic in their enclosures everywhere.

The secret task in the violet glade

On a particularly sunny morning, Rosa Periwinkle suddenly hears a soft humming sound. The sun's rays fall in narrow strips through the tall fern foliage and paint bright spots on the ground. The humming gets louder. She follows the sound and discovers a narrow path behind a group of flowering fern stalks. It leads to the hidden violet glade.

The violet glade lies hidden and is covered in a carpet of purple violets and yellow crocuses. An ancient statue made of grey stone stands guard in the middle of the clearing, its face overgrown with moss. The statue's eyes shine as tiny rays of sunlight hit it like sparkling lights. Rosa Periwinkle immediately realises that this place is something very special.

The little heroes awaken

While Rosa Periwinkle marvels at the beauty of the violet glade, she notices the bustling activity on the ground. Hundreds of tiny ants are carrying pieces of leaves and calyxes. A furry bumblebee buzzes over the carpet of violets. An earthworm nimbly disappears into the damp earth. So many little creatures are at work here to ensure that everything grows and thrives.

Rosa Immergrün watches with alert eyes as a bee flies from flower to flower. It diligently collects nectar and helps to pollinate the flowers. The earthworm loosens the soil with its burrows. The ants build their paths and help to crush fallen plant parts. "They are nature's secret heroes!" exclaims Rosa Immergrün enthusiastically.

A discovery with friends

In the afternoon, Jojo, Lila and Mosi, other gnomes from the village, walk across the meadows to Rosa Immergrün. Together they sit down among the fragrant violets. Sun, wind and the buzzing of insects envelop them.

Rosa Periwinkle shows the other gnome children the ant trails and the tiny burrows of the earthworms. They watch a bumblebee sunbathing. Mosi asks: "Why are they so important even though they are so small?" Lila thinks for a moment and then answers: "Imagine if there were no more bees or earthworms. Then no violets or crocuses could grow. The meadows would no longer be so colourful and full of life."

Everyone thinks about what they can do to protect the little helpers. They carefully collect twigs lying around so that no one tramples on the ant trail and leave the flowers standing so that the bees have enough food. Rosa Periwinkle says: "We can be careful not to disturb nature. We can help the secret heroes by treating them with kindness and care."

The promise of the fern meadows

In the evening, the violet glade glows in the colours of spring: violet, sunny yellow, leaf green and pearl grey shine in the last light. The statue in the centre seems to be smiling. Rosa Periwinkle and her friends place their hands on the cool moss and whisper a promise. They want to protect the secret heroes of nature, because without them the Neflental would lose its magic.

So the children go back to their herb gardens on the roofs. The fern meadows rustle gently in the evening breeze. And deep in their hearts, they all know that everyone can be a hero if they look after nature and help its little inhabitants.

What do we learn from this?

Many things in the Neflental are only possible because small and seemingly invisible creatures work together. Every bee, every ant and every earthworm helps flowers to grow, the grass to stay lush and the meadows to be alive. If we look closely and pay attention, we can discover secret heroes everywhere. Be attentive, be kind to nature and protect its little inhabitants - because the world needs you as a hero.

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