“Dobro došli!”
Forest education helps to explore Nordic and Baltic region
8. September 2025
Long-term leader of the FCN Subgroup Forest Pedagogics – Dirk Schmechel announced his retirement
28. October 2025

„Dobro došli!“


Author: Veronika Jaloviarová, National Forest Centre, Slovakia



„D obro došli! The Croatian greeting, translated as "Welcome!", was heard at the National Forest Centre (NFC) when welcoming two teachers from the university called Veleučilište u Karlovacu - University of Applied Sciences in Croatia (www.vuka.hr). Nina Popović and Marko Ožura have contacted the Centre for Knowledge Transfer and Forest Pedagogy (CKTFP, an organisational unit of the NFC) with a request to be accepted for a Staff mobility for training within the framework of the Erasmus+ funded programme.

The aim of the mobility was to obtain theoretical information and practical experience about forest pedagogy in Slovakia, about the education of forest pedagogues. As well as to participate in two models of forest pedagogy programs for different target groups, visit forest schools and learn about the best examples of practice in forest pedagogy. The team of five forest pedagogues from CKTFP actively participated in programme implementation for foreign guests between 16 and 20 September 2025. During the five days of mobility they provided not only professional information, practical advice, or digital tools demonstration and specific aids in forest pedagogy, but they also presented Slovak forestry (forests around the area „Pustý hrad“ in Zvolen), the natural and cultural heritage of Banská Štiavnica town, the uniqueness of the Kysihýbel Forestry Arboretum near Banská Štiavnica and the LignoSilva Center of Excellence (also managed by the NFC). The most interesting were the visits to the Kamzík Ecocenter in Bratislava, the Forest School in Levice, and demonstration of the forest pedagogy program in the Adolf Priesol Park at the Technical University in Zvolen for pupils of basic school that use Montessori approach in learning.

"We think that we have a lot to do in this area, you are a great inspiration for us...," biologist Nina and forester Marko jointly evaluated the mobility. Their ambition is to use the activities of forest pedagogy during "Open days" at their home university, also to offer forest pedagogy to Croatian students as an optional subject and to prepare a lifelong program of forest pedagogy for adults. The benefit for the Croatian university and NFC is new cooperation, which will continue by the proposal of a new common project within Erasmus+ program - cooperative partnerships. "Hvala!"

551052305_724616603970947_3312237294098679324_n
550692444_1911734699373192_7655122727199138270_n

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *