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The finals of the “LVM Forest Game 2019” for the first time took place during the “Forest Days of Latvia”, where 10 finalist teams from different places of Latvia on the large stage in front of thousands of people presented their homeworks – creative performances, demonstrated their knowledge and skills to know their way around the LVM Nature Park in Tērvete, in a map and tasks specially created for them. This year the main prize – an expedition to Austria was won by team from Irlava Elementary School, who could not hide their tears of joy and happiness, because in the previous three years the winning in the game was really close.

“The key of luck and success is a good teacher, who can motivate, understand and inspire. We are very lucky with our teacher and our team. This time we really set our minds on the victory. This year is ours!” soon after the announcement of results, with tears of happiness, said the team of Irlava Elementary School.

In the previously prepared homeworks teams presented their vision about the theme “Young forest stand”, including in the task five elements that are so very important to the forest – water, fire, air, soil and human. Even though the theme was one, performances were very different and colourful: one team connected the processes in forest with Latvian folksongs, other – with modern music, however, one team created their story without words, like an original performance of improvisation dances with self-made music.

“Teams surprised! So creative and interesting homeworks only made harder the work of judges, who used the maximal value of points in the score table rather often. It brings joy and gives satisfaction about the work that has been put into the education of children and teachers,” says Anda Sproģe-Vāvere, the organizer of LVM Forest Game.

This year teams in the finals were evaluated by the board of judges, which included – Dagnija Lazdiņa from Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Inese Liepiņa from National Centre for Education, Kristaps Ceplis from association “Zaļās mājas”, Pauls Beķeris from JSC “Latvias finieris”, Laura Slišāne from “Rīgas meži” Ltd., Līga Abizāre and Anda Sproģe-Vāvere from JSC “Latvijas valsts meži”.

While in the forestry part of the LVM Nature Park in Tērvete – Kurbads Land – the largest forest industry event of the year “Forest Days in Latvia” was in full action, the Fairytale part of the LVM Nature Park in Tērvete held exciting final competition, where each participant had to go through tasks of nimbleness, knowledge and endurance – for example, to identify the main factor of growth that affects the increment of pine wood, to saw a fixed amount of timber, to identify the houses of birds that nest in Latvia, to identify seeds of coniferous trees and “presents” left by animals.

“LVM Forest Game 2019” – creative tasks and orienteering

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The collaboration partners of “LVM Forest Game” had prepared special tasks. The “Rīgas meži” Ltd. invited children to set in motion water cycle in forest and with natural materials bring water from one point to another. In the stop of trail run “Stirnu buks” children had to outrun one of the main runners. This task highlighted the unity of a team and will to work together.

After spending three hours of active running, working and fulfilling tasks, children arrived to finish full of joy and were ready for the most important event of their day – the big awards ceremony.

The winners of this year are Irlava Elementary School’s team with teacher Kaspars Reihmanis, the second place was won by Carnikava Elementary School’s team with teacher Arnita Kampāne, the third place went to the youngest team from Rūjiena Secondary School with teacher Līga Āboltiņa-Žīgure. Other seven teams were also awarded, because like the host of the event in the final said – “You all are winners, because you are here!”. Teams from Nīkrāce Elementary School, Ventspils Secondary School No.4, two teams from Jelgava Spīdola State Gymnasium, Sigulda Elementary School No.1, Aizpute Elementary School and Ventspils Pārventa Elementary School.

The aim of the LVM Forest Game is to promote creative and healthy studying outside the Latvian school premises – in nature, and also to teach children an understanding about Latvia’s largest renewable resource – forest. The LVM Forest Game is organised by the LVM in collaboration with the National Centre for Education in the framework of the International Environmental Education Programme's “Learning about Forests”.

Collaboration partners of contest – JSC “Latvijas Finieris”, trail run “Stirnu buks”, Latvian Orienteering Federation, association “Zaļās mājas”, Forest Department of Ministry of Agriculture, National Centre for Education,and  Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”.