The Green School in the Botanic Garden is a new educational institution, unique within Germany. With financial support from the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Education, Science, Youth, and Culture, from Johannes Gutenberg University, and generous private donors, the Botanic Garden built a modern training and classroom facility last year. Since the spring of this year, it has been in operation, conveying knowledge to a broad spectrum of visitors. Focus is on a program aligned to school curricula from a didactic and content point of view. Action-oriented and interdisciplinary educational courses are designed to spark children's and young people's enthusiasm for nature and science and to promote interest in scientific study. Continuing education courses for teachers are also offered by the Green School. This further extends Mainz University’s networking with schools in the region.
One of the main goals of the Green School is raising awareness about the importance biological diversity for our life on the planet. Given climate change and the global crisis in biodiversity, this is an important societal challenge that goes beyond the university’s and committed partners’ core activities.
To realize all the projects planned at the Green School, it is important that the facility has powerful, modern stereo (binocular) microscopes. They are needed to aid identification of plants, insects, and other small living organisms. They are also to be used to explore plants' anatomical adaptations, to observe floral biological structures, and to conduct exciting experiments, e.g., with carnivorous plants.
The first three microscopes have now been purchased with the money made available by the Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose Foundation. We are very grateful for the generous support offered by the Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose Foundation. Demand for these Green School courses is currently high, proving that our commitment is paying off and having a lasting effect in Mainz and in the region