Forestpedagogy in Finland

Sirpa KärkkäinenFinnish Forest Association13.10.2010

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National Forest Program and PEFC

According to the National Forest Program and Forest Certification System (PEFC) the regional networks have to•make local programmes to increase the knowledge of forests among children and youngsters •set the targets and the actions at the local level

Goals of forestpedagogy are reached through a wide network

• Associations of Biology and Georgaphy Teachers

• Association of Promary School Teachers and Kindergarten Teachers

• National Board of Education• Central Union of Agricultural

Producers and Forest Owners• Finnish Forest Industries Federation• Finnish Forest Research Institute• Forest Centres• Forestry Developement Centre Tapio• UPM, Stora-Enso, Metsäliitto

• Metsähallitus – State Forest Enterprise

• Hunters’ Central Organisation• Central Association for Recreational

Sports and Outdoor Activities• Representatives of Environmental

Education• The Association of Finnish Wood

Industry Technicians and Engineers• The Finnish 4H Federation• Environmental organisation Luonto-

Liitto• WWF- Finland

Activities for schools are free of charge

Exampes of Activities for schools • forest days for individual school

classes and schools • forest weeks for schools of individual

towns, municipalities • excursions to the forests and mills

Examples of Activities for teachers • forest courses • congresses• courses in forestry for students

studying in the Faculty of Education

Materials for teaching

The 9 th Forest week in Helsinki

A concept for a forestday

• The theme is Rotation of Forest• It’s difficult for teachers to teach

• 1000 pupils with their teachers in 4 days • They spend 3 hours in the woods• Transport is provided by

companies , forest owners and the Finnish Forest Foundation

To the forest!

In the School before the Excursion

The pupils and the teachers get familiar with the theme. We have sent them

• a booklet with exercises• a game like Alias. The words to be

explained are connected to forestry and woods.

The pupils start to prepear in small groups a presentation. They think questions they want to find answers during the excursion. We ask the pupils to fill up a questionnaire in Internet

• to test their knowledge before the trip

• to find out what are their feelings of the forest trip in beforehand

A Guided tour in the woods

The Guides are

•forest students from the University of Helsinki and Novia University of Applied Sciences •Nature guide students from a Vocational school HYRIA

Surprisingly many of the daily life products contain wood - Forest Industries, Students

• Ec

• Exhibition• Quess which of the products does not contain wood?

How and when does a tree grow?- students

How old are this trees?

The forest is tended from the very beginning

• During the tour pupils and teachers meet many kinds of people, who work in the forest

• City of Helsinki – forest department

Thinning task - Forest Centre

• The principles of thinning • The trees are marked by

letters• Choose the trees you would fell.• The letters of those trees

will form a name of a famous band

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Collecting data for the groupworks

• Photos• Video clips• Interviews • Find answers

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Regeneration felling – UPM, Stora Enso, Metsäliittois the most facinating

checkpoint Take time: how fast the

harvester fells, limbs and cuts a tree?

Planting trees - Guides

• Is also one of the most popular activities

• An important message is, that after felling trees the forest owner has to take care of the afforestation. It’s easier to remember when you also do it.

Biodiversity- a Forest is also a home for invisible, small organisms and …

• - WWF -Finland

…and big organisms – Hunters asociation

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At the end of the day • Making a souvenier from the

trip – 4H • THE BEST is to have a picnic

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A happy Guest returns to the School…

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…and the the theme continues

•finnish the presentations in the groups•make an exibition in the school

•We give a poster which helps to remind the tour in the forest •We ask the pupils to fill up a questionnaire in the Internet

• to test their knowledge after the trip• to find out what are their feelings

after the forest trip

Young people’s Perceptions of Nature, Forestry and Forest linked Work

An Interview Survey ( 14-17 year old boys and girls)

Conclusion: Very basic knowledge is needed • They think that dectruction of forests is

reality in Finland and Europe • They have a very narrow understanding

o what wood and chemicals of wood are used for

o what kind of occupations are linked to forests and woodbased products

o the importance of forest in our well beeing and health

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Metsä puhuu- Forest speaks

A communications project for promoting the reputation of

forestry and its attractiveness as a profession in

Finland

Social media a fresh way to be in contact and discuss www.metsapuhuu.fi

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Videos in Youtube of young people, whose work in a way or other is linked to the forests

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Slogan

Using forests will save the world!