2009

Champions of the Forest Contest Awarded an Expedition Tour to Norway

During the Forest Contest Finals in Tērvete Nature Park, the 3 top school teams from all over Latvia were identified who will set out for a nature expedition to Norway in August. To win the championship of the Forest Contest, the teams of students and teachers in a day had to demonstrate their knowledge, prowess and expertise in multiple fields related to forest.

During the Finals, the participants not only had to answer different tricky questions on forest and forest industry but also get involved in discussions with several protagonists of the Tērvete Nature Park: Mother Wood, Mother Elf, Missus Skinflint and the Little Witch on a number of questions as whether the park is also a forest, what is the cleanliness level of the Tērvete River, what is height of pine trees in Tērvete, how to build an ecological house and what is the quickest way of finding death-cups while orienteering in Raganu sils. At the closing of Finals the students together with teachers presented their adventures, contributing to Mamadaba Diary. Moving in the crowd, the studio of environmental documentaries Vides filmu studija filmed the participants. Māris Olte, natural scientist, took interviews.

The first 6 places of the Forest Contest 2009 were distributed as follows:

Pupils Megija Rauza and Pauls Bārbals, teacher Mudīte Bodža of Degumnieki Elementary School

Pupils Inga Guļbinova and Kristaps Mežvinskis, teacher Gunta Beloraga of Bērzaune Elementary School

Pupils Artūrs Ostrovskis and Dace Bergmane, teacher Olita Tutiņa of Zemīte Elementary School

Pupils Santa Loseva and Māris Teivāns, teacher Ināra Kleinberga of Zaķumuiža Elementary School

Pupils Toms Kārlis Miezis and Madara Brūvele, teacher Daiga Galauska of Ventspils Secondary School No. 4

Pupils Paula Ķirse and Kristaps Bērziņš, teacher Sanita Miltoviča

of Kuldīga Secondary School No. 2

All participants received backpacks and hiking sticks as gifts sponsored by the sports’ goods sales company “Hi-Tech”.

Altogether, 164 papers by 108 teachers of all Latvia were submitted this year to the Forest Contest. The 6 best works made the Semi-finals and the winning teachers with their classes went on educational excursions to Mammadaba sites during which the participants of Finals were identified:  the most keen-witted girl and boy of each class.