A legacy that obliges

My parents, Frank and Irene Wenzel, began the work on Ørnereservatet in 1976. But for my father, the fascination with birds of prey began much earlier. As early as 1953, when he was only 14 years old, he was passionately studying the lives of birds of prey, with observations and photographs that later became the basis for his first book, Musvågen (The Buzzard).

From those early years until his death in 2015, he held an unshakeable conviction that nature education should be built on seriousness, passion and deep insight.

For him, it was never enough simply to excite an audience. The excitement had to lead to understanding. It was about giving people insight into how nature fits together and passing on the knowledge and experience he had spent a lifetime building.

When I took over Ørnereservatet in 2015, I therefore did not just take over a business, but also a life's work and a tradition of education that obliges.

And I can only say he was right. Perhaps even more so today than back then.

In a time when our attention is constantly interrupted, and concentration has almost become a scarce resource, we have a special responsibility to give the next generation something other than yet another quick impression.

We must dare to expect that both children and adults can listen, immerse themselves and be curious. Not because we should return to the teaching methods of the past, but because the ability to concentrate, understand and wonder is a basic condition for learning.

My father's mission was to bring people closer to the reality of nature through knowledge, experience and commitment. That ambition has not gone out of date.

On the contrary, it may be more necessary than ever.