Taking up the chance to learn about the forest out in nature, 6,436 pupils and teachers from 312 class groups set off in September on specially prepared educational forest hikes, or expeditions, organised by JSC "Latvijas valsts meži" (LVM). The expeditions for Year 6 classes were held for the ninth year running across eight regions of Latvia. Out in nature the pupils were met by experienced LVM staff, whose daily work involves planning, logging, thinning and other duties.

The “LVM Forest Expeditions” are an exciting adventure in the forest, where at 10 discovery stations pupils get to know the forest management cycle, look at the forest from a forestry perspective together with LVM experts, and complete a series of practical tasks, such as measuring the height of trees, determining the age of a stand, spotting the presence of wood in everyday objects and learning about forest pests. One of the pupils' favourite tasks is, as always, building a wooden bridge together without using any additional fastenings.

Jānis Folkmanis, Head of Logging for the LVM Zemgale region, says:

“First, at the “Tending the Forest” station, we showed the children clearly why the trees in that particular stand need thinning, namely so that the remaining spruces receive enough sunlight and nutrients. The pupils then had to choose specific trees that needed to be felled and to justify their choice. Since an essential part of tending is felling, delimbing and cross-cutting the trunks, we explained and showed which machinery is used to do this, taking care to emphasise the various safety rules that must be followed as well.”

Participants say that what they value most about the “LVM Forest Expeditions” is the chance to explore the forest through hands-on activity and team tasks, the new knowledge gained about forest management and tending, and the way the tasks tie in with science subjects and encourage them to get out into nature.

Likewise, in this school year schools have access to STEM and civic participation school bag funding for transport to the “LVM Forest Expeditions” at the permanent sites in Tērvete, Vijciems and Kalsnava, as well as to research sample plots. The State Education Development Agency has assessed these educational activities as meeting the standards of quality learning content and has included them in the European Social Fund project “STEM and civic participation activities for a broader educational experience and career choice”.