APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE FROM FOREST RESEARCH TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE - ACTUAL PROJECTS

Forest ecosystems provide many important functions. As such, they represent a primary counterfort of the life environment for the people. Warranty of sustainable development of forest ecosystems under global changing conditions is a serious challenge addressing equally the general society as well as the scientific institutions. Meeting this challenge requires also young-generation-oriented education aimed at sustainable life style, which is an encounter especially suitable for implementing forestry-education-related modern methods, designed for implementing the knowledge from science and research in the environmental education of children and young people.

We give examples of educational programmes working with activation methods and forms of experience learning and project-based tuition accomplished directly in the natural environment of an arboretum (Arboretum Mlyňany – Institute of Forest Ecology SAS) and in an urban park (a common project of research institutions and municipality). Two actual successful and well-functioning projects illustrate how to link research and education. The first educational programme is a special tuition performed in the environment of an arboretum (Mlyňany Arboretum of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, managing the largest collection of non-native trees and shrubs in Slovakia, representing also one of the richest collections in the Central Europe). This programme comprises three components: an interactive classroom „Realm of trees “, a creative workshop and an expert-guided visit to the arboretum. This approach enables active participation for the whole group of children (students) alternating the particular activities. The second project is the result of cooperation between forest research institutions and municipality. This project consists of educational and experience-oriented activities with interactive elements, performed in a forest park. The projects do not only provide knowledge about trees, forests ecosystems and their vulnerability. They also address the emotional aspect and serve for training faculties and for promoting holistic development of the young people personalities.