The Save the crucian carp project was supported by the European Union's Next Generation EU Fund.
Since 1 January 2024 we have been implementing the project "Involving youth in the conservation of critically endangered fish species as part of water retention measures in the landscape".
The aim of the project is to engage and develop key competences of primary school pupils and teachers in climate change affecting native fauna. The project will provide environmental education to pupils who will be involved in the identification, reintroduction of species (crucian carp, sunbleak) and monitoring of suitable habitats. Project implementation period: January 2024 - November 2025. The expert guarantor of the project is RNDr. Marek Šmejkal, Ph.D. Biological Centre of the CAS, the project ambassador is Mgr. Vladimír Kořen, the presenter of the Czech Television show "Nature's Wonders" and teacher of the 3rd Primary School "U Říčanského lesa" in Říčany. We will gradually bring news and videos from the activities implemented in the project.
Environmental education for pupils
As part of theoretical education, lessons (2 x 45 minutes) were held in winter 2024 with pupils from six partner primary schools – ZŠ U Říčanského lesa; ZŠ Komenského, Trutnov; ZŠ Želetice; ZŠ Volgogradská, Ostrava-Zábřeh; ZŠ Staré Město; ZŠ Bojkovice. The lectures dealt with biodiversity and its decline, with an emphasis on freshwater ecosystems. The issues of climate change and invasive fish species and their impact on our native fish species were presented, with a focus on the critically endangered crucian carp and sunbleak. The pupils also learned about ways to protect these species and biodiversity in general. The pupils were then involved in a discussion and learned how to construct food webs through an educational game with magnets representing species living in a pond.
Site monitoring
In June 2024, pupils from the same primary schools (see above) were involved in mapping pre-selected locations in the vicinity of their schools. Each class was given a monitoring kit (i.e. a rucksack filled with the necessary monitoring equipment) and a „Hunting Day“ worksheet. First, abiotic parameters were measured. Then the pupils were tasked with identifying the animals and plants living there. This task was conceived as a competition, and the winning team won T-shirts with the project logo. The pupils really enjoyed this exercise and had the opportunity to develop a positive attitude towards biodiversity conservation.
Repatriation of critically endangered fish species
Common crucian carp (and, in the case of the primary school in Říčany, common sunfish) were repatriated to selected locations in the vicinity of schools. At the primary school U Říčanského lesa, common crucian carp were released into the school pond set up for this purpose and into two pools near the school. A suitable pond was found near the primary school in Trutnov, where crucian carp already occur, and pupils had the opportunity to participate in its management. Crucian carp were also planted in the ponds of the primary schools in Želetice and Staré Město, Frýdek-Místek district. Pupils participated by measuring and weighing the fish.
Repeated monitoring of sites
In June 2025, all sites where repatriation or management had been carried out were remapped. The pupils assessed their current condition and determined whether the fish that had been released had successfully reproduced and whether the species composition of animals and plants had changed. They recorded the results in a prepared „Biodiversity Monitoring“ protocol. The fish planted at all sites are doing very well; they have adapted well to their new environment, are actively reproducing, and their populations are growing steadily, indicating the success of the repatriation measures and the favourable condition of the monitored ecosystems.
Pupils from another primary school (Dobrovského Lanškroun Primary School) also took part in the repatriation of common crucian carp, successfully releasing their farmed fish into ponds near Říčany.
Awareness
As part of the awareness campaign, several events were held with the aim of informing the general public about the impact of anthropogenic changes on the landscape and the associated loss of biodiversity, while also showing that schoolchildren can actively participate in protecting and saving endangered species.
For Fishing Fair (20–23 February 2025)
An interactive activity with magnets was prepared for the children, during which we discussed how a pond changes when invasive silver crucian carp invade it. The children observed how the invasive species affects the food chain and the lives of other fish and plants in the pond. Another part of the activity was finding the differences between common crucian carp and silver carp, where the children learned to recognise native and invasive species by their appearance and characteristics. The children proved to be very skilled in both activities, and at the end, they all received diplomas and stickers with the „Save the Crucian Carp“ logo as a reward for their active participation and efforts to learn about nature conservation.
Children had the opportunity to participate in competitions and win various prizes, such as T-shirts, bottles, badges, pens, knives, and caps, all bearing the „Save the Crucian Carp“ logo. The competitions motivated children to actively participate and also allowed them to win prizes reminding them of the importance of protecting native fish species.
Instructional videos
Several teaching materials were also created as part of the awareness campaign. Four materials were prepared for the educational needs of other pupils. instructional videos focused on environmental education and awareness about climate change and biodiversity loss.
Metodika pro ZŠ učitele a jejich žáky
V rámci další osvěty byla vytvořena metodika projektu popisující možnost zařazení do výuky environmentální vzdělávání a osvětu o změně klimatu prostřednictvím konkrétního tématu záchrany ohrožených druhů. Obsahuje také úvodní přehled o globálním úbytku sladkovodní biodiverzity způsobeném antropogenními změnami a o možnostech její podpory. Metodika zároveň slouží jako praktická příručka pro vybudování fóliového jezírka na zahradě a pro chov ryb v něm.
Education about native and invasive fish species in the Czech Republic at the LMŠ Třísov nursery school
At the nursery school, children were introduced to native and invasive fish species in the Czech Republic through a short talk and a display of live fish. The children learned to recognise which fish belong in our waters and which can have a negative impact on local ecosystems. They actively participated in games in which they sorted fish and caught wooden fish using homemade fishing rods. The children learned why it is important to protect native species and care for the aquatic environment.
Závěrečná konference pro učitele
V září 2025 proběhla závěrečná konference projektu pro učitele na 3. základní škole U Říčanského lesa. Součástí byla přednáška Dr. Šmejkala a Mgr. Kořena, praktická ukázka chytání ryb u školního rybníčku a následná diskuze. Konference bylo možné se zúčastnit osobně či online formou přes Microsoft Teams.
