LVM educational programmes this year have ended with new knowledge and discoveries

13.06.2019 14:06

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Each year when school year is over in schools, the educational programmes of JSC “Latvijas valsts meži” also goes on a summer break, the Mammadaba Embassies turn into Mammadaba Masterschools and also the winners of LVM Forest Game are clarified.

 Cukmena detektivi Rigas Privata PII Varaviksne

On this school year almost 4000 children from 129 Latvian pre-school educational institutions mastered the eco-programme “Pigman's Detectives”. As in the questionnaire of the programme the teachers of Mētriena Elementary School's pre-school group said: “Several hikes to the forest make you think, make your conclusions about the changes that happen in nature in a course of a year.” The programme gave an opportunity to go into nature and learn from it.

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More than 4000  primary school students during this year graduated the Mammadaba Masterclass, where in school year 2018/2019 they performed three master pieces – went outside to learn the customary school content in nature and forest, they created their own wood masterstroke, and also went on a forest educational excursions to LVM objects and together with the experts of the forestry field learnt forest wisdom, or by visiting one of forestry collaboration partners to get to know and learn about forest, wooden products and the wide use of them.

LVM meza ekspedicija

For the third year LVM invites 6th grade students to participate in “LVM Forest Expedition”. More than 6000 students from Latvian regions participated in expeditions organised this autumn. All through the school year in the LVM Forest Expedition 6th graders have an opportunity to go also on three permanent LVM tourist attractions – the LVM Nature Park in Tērvete, LVM Kalsnava Arboretum and LVM Vijciems Cone Drying Facility – by scheduling individually an appointed expedition time in the information centres of these objects.

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However, in the “LVM Forest Game” the 7-9th grade students made their teams to create an outdoor educational game about forest, by including also themes that are corresponding with school subject content. The video tutorials of educational games were evaluated by judges and users of social networks who voted for their favourites. In the result 10 teams were selected that met and proved their knowledge at the LVM Nature Park in Tērvete, where during the “Forest Days of Latvia” the final competition of Forest Game took place. In a fierce competition the champion title was won by team from Irlava Elementary School, which, in summer, will go on a nature expedition to Austrian mountains and forests.

LVM bioekonomikas skola

The students of secondary schools for the third year were able to prove their knowledge in the field of bioeconomics and to participate in the scholarship contest “LVM School of Bioeconomics”. Youth made posters about bioeconomics and created video messages in honour to the UN International Forest Day. 1st place and 700 euro scholarship from LVM  was received by Ieva Siksaliete from Daugavpils State Gymnasium, her video received appreciation also in the international contest. In addition to the high nominations, there were also sympathy scholarships from the supporters of contest – companies related to forestry. The JSC “Latvijas finieris”, “Rīgas Meži” Ltd. and association “Zaļās mājas”.

 

Closing ceremony events at Mammadaba Embassies

With the end of school year, the Mammadaba Embassy flags on the flag poles were ceremoniously lowered and went to historical storages of schools. This year there were four schools – Sigulda Elementary School Nr 1, Talsi Elementary School, Ciecere Special Boarding-School and Jūrmala Primary School “Atvase”. These schools had an opportunity to learn about forest more deeply, students went on “LVM Forest Expeditions”, watched birds together with ornithologists of Latvia Birds Fund, learnt more about forestry in the career days and in other various ways learnt about forests and forestry. On the last day of school the managers of four regions of LVM forest management and planning – Jānis Zitāns from Zemgale region, Vilmārs Katkovskis from Western Vidzeme region, Dace Gūtmane from Southern Vidzeme region and Andris Verners from Northern Kurzeme region – solemnly thanked schools for collaboration all through the school year and gave appreciation diplomas to directors of schools.

For being active in this school year four schools have been nominated that in school year 2019/2020 will call themselves as “Mammadaba Embassies”:

  •  In LVM Western Vidzeme region – Allaži Elementary School
  •  In LVM Northern Latgale region – Vērēmi Elementary School
  •  In LVM Southern Kurzeme region – Kalnsēta Special Boarding-School
  •  In LVM Norther Kurzeme region – Lībagi Primary School

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Now summer is ahead, children have holidays, but teachers have time to study. Very soon – from July 1 to 4, the 14th European Forest Pedagogy Conference will be held for the first time in Latvia, 98 forest education specialists from 18 different countries have already approved their participation.  In the framework of the conference also 12 hour (A) further education courses for Latvian teachers will be held. However, at the end of July teachers are welcome to 36 hour (A) further education courses at the LVM Tourist and Recreation Centre “Ezernieki”, where this year's special guest lecturer will be Prof. Gunter Pauli from Belgium.

With more than 10 years experience in work with schools, with recommendations of the National Centre for Education and internationally acknowledged forest pedagogy practice, the LVM has drafted Forest Education guidelines for Latvian general educational institutions to perform regular development and improvement of school programmes.