The Lower Dniester National Park, located in southern Odesa, welcomed visitors in a special way before Easter. The sun broke through the clouds after days of bad weather, birds sang, and the first flowers, having endured frosts, reached for the light. On this day, a spring cleanup occurred — part of the nationwide Cleanup March organized by the charity "UAnimals". The event was also attended by a journalist from 048.ua.

The UAnimals charity provided volunteers with transportation from Odesa, necessary equipment, and refreshments. Participants included residents of the village of Nadlymanske, students from the local lyceum, park employees, and 12 volunteers from Odesa. Despite the snowy weather the day before, everyone who came believed that the goal would be achieved.

"When you intend to do good — even nature becomes an ally," said one of the volunteers.

Before starting the cleanup, participants listened to an important briefing. A rescuer from the State Emergency Service explained what dangerous finds to beware of in natural areas and how to act if suspicious objects are discovered. Thanks to this information, volunteers set out on their route informed and attentive to every step.

The route ran along the shores of the Karagol Bay, where an eco-trail is planned to be established in the future. Volunteers walked slowly, collecting glass, plastic, tires, and other remnants of human negligence. In total, over a ton of trash was collected in just 3-4 hours.

People of various ages participated in the cleanup. One of the youngest participants was eight-year-old Sviatoslav, who collected two bags of trash by himself and shared his impressions:

"Today I want to help nature and see some living creatures. I found a lot of trash, and I saw many birds — swallows, a pheasant. I would tell the people who litter to be kinder to nature, and if they forgot — to come back and throw it in the trash can."

His mother, Karina, shared that the family recently moved to Odesa from Kharkiv. Before settling here, they also volunteered in Lviv:

"My son has been helping since he was five. I looked for volunteer events myself — I wanted to contribute to a good cause. It's important for children to see and feel that they can change something."

After a long day of work, the volunteers were treated to a small feast — fragrant Dniester tea "from Uncle Vasya" brewed from reeds using a special recipe, cookies, and warm conversations against the backdrop of beautiful spring landscapes. Park staff, along with Sergey Kurochkin, a candidate of biological sciences and ornithologist, conducted a mini-excursion to the water for all interested, sharing insights about the local flora and fauna.

The event in Lower Dniester Park was part of a larger initiative — on April 12, 247 volunteers came out to clean up in five national parks across Ukraine. A total of 16 tons of trash were collected. These tons are not just numbers, but saved homes for wild animals and a chance to restore natural areas. This day on the bay's shore served as a reminder: caring for nature is not just about big projects. It's about the specific actions of each of us, and even an eight-year-old child can set an example for adults.