A record number of participants – more than 30,000 Latvian pupils – took part in one of the environmental education programmes developed by AS “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) during the last academic year, according to the compiled participant statistics.

LVM offers both in-person environmental education lessons in state forests alongside LVM specialists and implements environmental education programmes in schools in collaboration with teachers. Lessons were attended by 6,035 pupils at the LVM Nature Park in Tērvete, the LVM Kalsnava Arboretum, and the LVM Vijciems Cone Drying Facility, while 24,325 participants were involved in LVM environmental education programmes held in schools.

In collaboration with the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund, preschools are invited to take part in the “Cūkmens' Detectives” eco-programme, exploring the issue of waste in the forest and learning about nature through all the senses. The environmental education programme ambassador, Cūkmens, became a welcome guest at nearly 300 kindergartens this year, visiting 8,600 children.

Primary and lower secondary school pupils embark on adventures as part of the “mammadaba Masterclass” and the “LVM Forest Expedition”. In these environmental education programmes, pupils learn outside the classroom and apply the skills and knowledge gained at school during hikes to explore the forest management cycle. This year, 7,477 children from 147 classes took part in the “mammadaba Masterclass”, while 5,990 children and 450 teachers completed the expeditions.

To discover learning and career opportunities in the forest sector, 8th and 9th-grade pupils are offered the chance to take part in the “Mežotājs” research competition. By mastering a digital educational game developed in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Educational Innovation Centre of the University of Latvia, young people learn about forest processes before independently conducting research on the importance of sustainable forestry. More than 700 pupils participated in the game this year.

Meanwhile, secondary school students compete in the “LVM Bioeconomy School” scholarship contest, proving their knowledge of the innovative field of bioeconomy in fierce competition. Everyone is also given the opportunity to be creative in the “LVM Forest Days” sticker design competition. Responding to the main theme of “Latvian Forest Days” – “The importance of forests in the fight against climate change” – nearly 700 competition participants sought an answer to the question “Will the forest save the world?” in their work this year.

“Schools' interest in forest environmental education continues to grow, and the most important link in working with schools is, of course, the teacher. That is why we invite educators with an interest in forests to take part in further education courses every year. Over the last academic year, more than 300 teachers learned new environmental education methods during such training, while simultaneously becoming acquainted with the experiences of both local and international colleagues in implementing the learning process outside the classroom. The next courses – an environmental education camp for teachers in collaboration with the University of Latvia – are planned for July,” says Līga Abizāre, LVM Environmental Education Manager.

With the aim of bringing young people closer to nature and promoting understanding of sustainable forest management, LVM, in collaboration with the National Centre for Education and the European Forest Pedagogy organization, has been inviting schools to explore the forest for 20 years by taking part in LVM environmental education programmes and using teaching materials developed by professionals.