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Summer camps in Val Troncea in the story of the Guides

Sept. 5, 2024

The Young Park Ranger week organized by the Cozie Alps Protected Areas in the Val Troncea Natural Park has now reached its third edition. Following the success seen during the summer of 2023, the outdoor summer camp formula, managed by the official Guides of the Cozie Alps Parks, was expanded in 2024 with the proposal of two weeks: from July 15th to 19th and from August 26th to 30th. Up until now, we have recounted the first two experiences through the voices of the children, specifically interviewed to gather their opinions and evaluations. This time, we have tried to hear from Elena Bianco Chinto and Massimiliano Pons, the two Guides who took care of 25 charming kids aged 7 to 12 in July and 12 of the same age in August, organizing games, educational activities, and nature excursions for them.

What is your assessment of the two weeks you organized during the summer of 2024?
Elena – "They were two very positive and enriching experiences. From games to educational activities about the Park's animals, from meetings with the Park Rangers to monitoring streams and wetland areas, we hope to have offered children a variety of stimuli and entertainment."
Max – "I would add the excursions to the Troncea Refuge with wildlife observation through binoculars and the activities developed in the Young Ranger project of Life WolfAlps Eu, among the particularly outstanding moments of the two weeks. And I also emphasize the effort we dedicated, especially when we had 25 kids."

Compared to the activities with schools that you organize for the Cozie Alps Parks throughout the rest of the year, what have you learned from the Young Park Ranger weeks?
Elena – "Certainly, the importance of group management because it is something teachers deal with when we accompany school groups. Instead, taking care of children from 9 am to 4 pm for 5 consecutive days gives you a nice responsibility but also the opportunity to deepen relationships."
Max – "The need to entertain the kids for such a long time leads you to find somewhat original solutions, for example by conveying educational content through games. And then the possibility to establish confidential relationships also because some children participated in all 3 weeks that I organized."

What is the activity that you think the children liked the most?Elena – "I believe the one about water, which had a nice scientific component in observing macroinvertebrates and a leisure aspect when the kids played with their feet in the stream."
Max – "I also saw them very intrigued by the Park Ranger who uses a tracking dog for monitoring wildlife. Even though it's not up to me to say, it seems that children and parents have always been very satisfied."

Will you repeat the experience next year as well?
Elena – "Definitely yes!"
Max – "This is already the second year I'm doing it... there's no such thing as two without three!"