This month, teachers who are interested in environmental education are invited to sign up for participation in a 12-hour further education course (A) on sustainable forest management, which will be held in the spring. During the school holiday in the spring, participants in the training will embark on an exhibition to a forest and “MeKA”.

”DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE OF TEACHERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ON SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT” 12-hour continuing education programme (A)

Time and venue: The training course will be provided students in attendance on either of three days from March 13 through March 15, 2012 (participants may indicate the preferable day in their applications), with the first part of the course taking place at the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Institute (Meþa un koksnes produktu pçtniecîbas un attîstîbas institûts, MeKA), whereas the other part is an expedition into a forest! For more information about the course, please see the pdf document in attachment.

Application: Any secondary education teacher may apply for the course by filling out the application (attached) and sending it to the e-mail sigita.tunkele@e-koks.lvuntil March 2, 2012. A list of confirmed training participants will be sent to all applicants by e-mail by March 7. Participation and catering costs are covered by joint-stock company “Latvia’s State Forests”. A bus will be waiting for the participants at 30 Kristapa Street in Riga. The number of participants is limited, which is why preference will be given to:

• Teachers who can better substantiate (in the application) the connection between the training course and the subject they teach
• Teachers who have not participated in courses or camps organised by the joint-stock company “Latvia’s State Forests” in the past
• Teachers who give lectures to larger audiences

Planned training schedule:

7.55. Bus leaves from 30 Kristapa Street in Riga (offices of the joint-stock company “Latvia’s State Forests”); educating film “Laika jautâjums” (Question of Time) will be screened in the bus during the ride

8.50. Arrival in Jelgavâ, 41 Dobeles Street (Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Institute); tea, coffee

9.00. Lecture/discussion – Forest resources in Latvia and the dynamics thereof

9.45. Lecture/discussion – Forest management in the climate change context

10.30. Snacks, tea, coffee

10.40. Lecture/discussion – Added value and innovations in woodworking

11.20. Tour of MeKA research laboratories

12.20. Lunch

12.45. Homework assignment – educating animation “Meþs cilvçkiem” (Forest For People)

13.00. Bus leaves to the forest; educating film “Kur piedzimst meþs?” (Where Is the Forest Born?) screened during the ride

13.30. Field excursion in Zemgale Forestry of the joint-stock company “Latvia’s State Forests” – Forest Management and Nature Protection in Practice

16.00. Bonfire and snacks in the forest

17.00. Bus leaves for Riga

18.30. Arrival in Riga, at 30 Kristapa Street

This is already the third time such training is organised for teachers: 132 teachers from all over Latvia attended the first training course during the autumn recess in 2011, and 145 teachers in January 2012.

For more information about the past training courses, see HERE. The training course is offered by the Further Education Centre of the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Institute in conjunction with the joint-stock company “Latvia’s State Forests” and Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”. The training programme is harmonised with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia. Programme manager is Lîga Zute-Abizâre, e-nail: l.zute@lvm.lv, phone: 67805432.

See you in the forest!

Information prepared by:

Lîga Zute-Abizâre,

LVM Communication Projects Manager