Children in Gifhorn build raccoon-proof nesting boxes for the forest!

Children in Gifhorn build raccoon-proof nesting boxes for the forest!

The Fly Agaric daycare center in Gifhorn has two reasons to be happy at the end of June 2025: 100 raccoon-proof nesting boxes were handed over to the district forester of the Lower Saxony State Forests. This great project, which encourages the little ones to make their own contribution to environmental protection, was supported by the “Good Forest Foundation”, which provided the nesting box kits. This foundation is committed to ecological silviculture and forest nature conservation and thus supports important environmental projects in the region.

The children from the Fly Agaric daycare center were committed to the cause. Under the guidance of educator Sebastian Lüsse, they set about putting the kits together. “It was a real challenge, but the children showed good skills,” explained Lüsse. The little ones had to arrange components, hold wooden panels together, hammer in nails and turn screws. Forester Dennis Glanz supported the campaign by giving the children three finished nesting boxes and demonstrating how they are attached to trees.

Thanks to a lot

The relevance of such projects becomes particularly clear when one looks at the challenges posed by raccoons. These nest robbers are enjoying increasing influence in Germany and pose a threat to many bird species. It is estimated that over 1.5 million raccoons live in Germany, which originally come from North America and are now considered an invasive species. This is a development that the “Stöckmann Foundation” is also taking up. In her project, she aims to develop protective devices for nesting boxes in order to better protect the birds' eggs and nestlings.

The Gütersloh/Bielefeld Biological Station documents the behavior of these animals with the help of wildlife cameras. It examines how raccoons learn new techniques to overcome protective devices. These findings are crucial for further developing effective protective measures and offer valuable help in creating nest boxes that are protected from predators.

What makes a good nest box design?

But what does a suitable nesting box look like? Ideal boxes are built raccoon-proof, with a special porch or overhang that makes access difficult for nest robbers. According to experts, nesting boxes should be hung at least two meters high to protect their inhabitants. In addition, metal plates in front of the entrance hole and special defensive measures such as cat repellent belts and water jet repellers can be used to keep predators away.

The daycare center director, Lisa Perner, was pleased with the commitment of her protégés and emphasized that the children had a lot of fun with this construction project. “It is important that the little ones learn how to protect nature,” said Perner, who underlined the importance of such initiatives.

The remaining 17 nesting boxes will be hung in the Giebel forest area between Parsau and Rühen in order to contribute to the preservation of the local bird populations. By networking education and environmental protection, those responsible are able to teach children not only manual skills, but also an awareness of nature.

Future-oriented projects like these help to promote the ecological balance in our region and make children aware of the challenges of nature conservation. “We have to do something now to ensure that our nature is secured,” Perner concluded.

For further information about the nesting boxes and their protective measures, those interested can visit the website Stöckmann Foundation and Spring aid go.