2018

Teachers Study during the Summer

In June, more than 170 teachers mastered forest wisdom in one-day continuing education courses offered by JSC "Latvia's State Forests" (LVM). They learnt about topicalities in forest education and gained experience on how to creatively engage students in forest research, linking nature-based learning with practical examples.

The first courses took place at LVM Customer Centre in Dundaga on 6 June, bringing together nearly 80 teachers from the Mother Nature embassies – schools that actively participate in LVM environmental education programmes: Carnikava Primary School, Ozolnieki Secondary School, Riga Specialised Primary School No. 3, Riga Estonian Primary School, Talsi State Gymnasium and Ventspils Secondary School No. 4. On this day, the teachers got acquainted with the topicalities in forest education in discussions with Dagnis Dubrovskis, Professor at the Forest Faculty of Latvia University of Agriculture, as well as acquired practical training in forest works in LVM North Kurzeme region forests and at SIA "Kurekss" sawmill in Ventspils.

Similar courses were held in LVM Kalsnava Arboretum on 19 June, bringing together more than 90 teachers. On this day, teachers from Bauska Elementary School, Aizpute Secondary School, Ezernieki Secondary School, Rēzekne Catholic Secondary School, Kaunata Secondary School, Rēzekne Secondary School No. 3, Daugavpils Secondary School No. 13, Rēzekne Polish State Gymnasium, Valka Jānis Cimze Gymnasium discussed the topicalities of forest education with Dagnis Dubrovskis, Professor at the Forest Faculty of Latvia University of Agriculture. The rest of the day was devoted to creative activities in the Arboretum's Green Backyard School, acquiring different practical ways of exploring the forest.

JSC "Latvia's State Forests" offers continuing education courses for teachers, who integrate forest in the study process. The professional development courses have been coordinated with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia and are developed in cooperation with the Centre for Further Education of the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Institute, the Forest Faculty of Latvia University of Agriculture and the Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava".

One-day continuing education courses "Improvement of Teachers' Professional Competence in Environmental Education on Sustainable Forest Management" take place during school holidays. The priority for participation in these courses is given to those teachers who are involved in LVM environmental education programme.

The three-day continuing education courses "Promoting Students’ Cognitive Activity and Creativity in the Process of Learning about the Forest" takes place during the summer as a three-day active recreation camp for the most active teachers involved in LVM environmental education programmes. This year, the camp will take place in LVM Recreation and Tourist Centre "Ezernieki" from 25 to 27 July, and 55 teachers will take part in this event.

Every year, LVM in cooperation with the National Centre for Education and the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund encourages both students and teachers to learn from nature. Starting from pre-school kids and ending with university students and educators - everyone has an opportunity to go to Latvia's state forests and supplement the knowledge acquired at school with practical tasks in nature. Every year, more than 20 000 children, school students and teachers learn about the forest in the diverse school programmes offered by LVM. For more information please visit www.lvm.lv/skolam.

Since its foundation in 1999, Joint Stock Company "Latvia’s State Forests" implementing sustainable forest management has paid one billion euros to state and local government budgets. LVM's economic activities are carried out by maintaining and recovering forests, taking care of nature conservation, recreation opportunities and increasing timber volumes, as well as investing annually in expanding the forest land and developing forest infrastructure - renovation of drainage systems and forest road construction. The volume of timber in the forests managed by LVM increases by 12 million cubic metres annually.