press release, February 20.11.2025, XNUMX

On the trail of nature – New companion booklet to the mushroom exhibition at the NaturparkHouse of the Biological Station, Recklinghausen District

The NaturparkThe Biological Station of the Recklinghausen district presents in cooperation with the Naturpark Hohe Mark A new companion booklet to the current exhibition on the fascinating topic mushrooms. Under the title “On the trail of nature – The network of the forest” The booklet invites children and families to immerse themselves in the mysterious world of mushrooms.

The new accompanying booklet is already the fourth the popular series on the exhibitions in the Naturparkhouses in Naturpark High Mark. The two main characters are back again. Kira and JonasTwo young naturalists are tasked with creating a poster on the topic of "networks" for school. In the process, they discover that mushrooms are the best networkers in the forest – and stumble upon the mysterious "Wood Wide Web".

Fungi play a central role in the ecosystem – they connect plants, trees, and animals in an underground network, ensuring that the forest functions as a community of life. "Our so-called Wood Wide Web is a wonderful example of how closely everything in nature is interconnected," explains Heike Kalfhues , an employee of the Biological Station and the project's expert advisor. "Children, in particular, are amazed when they learn that trees communicate with each other via fungal networks and, for example, exchange nutrients."

However, the booklet also points out potential dangers: not every mushroom is harmless. Anyone wishing to collect mushrooms should, of course, definitely seek advice from experts.

“Kira and Jonas are representative of the childlike curiosity with which one should discover the world,” says Author Sandra Rodenkirchen, which published the booklet on behalf of the Naturparks High Mark who wrote it. “With puzzles, tasks and exciting information, I want to motivate children to go outside themselves, look closely and experience nature as a living network.”

The booklet is aimed at children aged approximately six to twelve . It offers a combination of read-aloud and interactive stories , conveys knowledge in a playful way, and vividly illustrates how versatile and important fungi are in the natural cycle.

“With the accompanying booklets, we want to meet children where their curiosity begins,” says Marianne Teltrop from Naturpark Hohe Mark, “because those who understand the connections in nature also develop the desire to protect them.”

The project was funded by the Münster district government through the Nature Conservation Funding Guideline (FöNa) of the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.