Children build raccoon-proof nesting boxes – a contribution to nature conservation!

Children build raccoon-proof nesting boxes – a contribution to nature conservation!

The little wooden construction artists at the Fly Agaric daycare center recently took on a very practical project: They built nesting boxes for tits that were not only put together in a flash, but are also particularly raccoon-proof. At the end of June 2025, the KITA proudly handed over its results to Dennis Glanz, the district forester of the Lower Saxony State Forests, who was on site with 20 kits. These kits were kindly provided by the “Good Forest Foundation”, which is intensively committed to ecological silviculture and forest nature conservation. The Wolfenbüttel Forestry Office received a total of 100 such kits, which will now make the area a little more ecological  reveals cremlingen-online.de.

An exciting experience for the children: Under the guidance of their teachers, the various wooden panels were held together, nails were hammered in and screws were screwed in. “There was a bit of confusion at the first nesting box, but then the children really showed a good hand,” remembers educator Sebastian Lüsse. After initial difficulties, a real “building fun atmosphere” emerged. Glanz took the time to show the children how the assembled nesting boxes are then attached to trees. Three of the boxes built were left in their future location in the KITA, while 17 of the nesting boxes are now hung in the gable, a forest area between Parsau and Rühen.

### Raccoons – The dreaded nest robbers

In Germany, raccoons are an ever-increasing problem when it comes to bird nesting boxes. With their invasive nature, they endanger the breeding grounds of many native bird species. The population varies and is estimated at over 1.5 million, making the development of practical protection devices all the more urgent. The Gütersloh/Bielefeld Biological Station is therefore pursuing a project that specifically deals with the topic reports the Stöckmann Foundation. Various protective measures should be examined to protect the nesting boxes from the curious noses of raccoons.

The results of the investigations since 2019 show that there was only one successful predation attempt by a raccoon on a nest box. In addition to detailed observation of the raccoons, which is currently carried out using wildlife cameras, the techniques the animals develop to overcome protective devices are also analyzed. The aim is to create innovative solutions such as wire structures that make nesting safer for birds, as raccoons primarily threaten colony-nesting and cavity-nesting species as the Biological Station shows.

### An important contribution to nature

Everyone involved in this project agrees: The construction project at KITA Fly Agaric was not only fun, but is also a valuable contribution to nature conservation. KITA director Lisa Perner emphasizes how much the children enjoyed trying out their craft skills and doing something good for nature at the same time. Such activities not only strengthen the environmental awareness of the youngest, but are also a call to action to protect our local wildlife.