2013

Teachers commence new school year with environmental education courses

What is happening in the forest industry? Almost 100 teachers from the vicinity of Liepāja and Ventspils, where JSC “Latvia’s State Forests” in conjunction with the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava” and the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Institute organized continuing education courses “Development of Professional Competence of Teachers in Environmental Education on Sustainable Forest Management”, learned the answer during the winter break, January 3-4.

Course participants became familiar not only with the past 100 years of changes in Latvia’s forests, but also discussed the latest trends in wood processing and use at regional and global levels. All of the  enthusiasts also had a chance to visit the region’s largest wood processing companies and witness the processing of Latvia’s “green gold”.

On December 4, Liepāja teachers were welcomed at the wood processing company “Erke Ltd”, the Liepāja Cogeneration Plant, where electricity is produced from woodchips alongside heat, and the Port of Liepāja, which ensures wood exports to many countries worldwide. On December 5, Ventspils teachers visited the innovative manufacturer of wooden materials “Dendrolight Latvija Ltd”, went for a tour at the manufacturer of wooden doors and windows “Arbo Ltd” and one of the largest sawmills in Latvia, managed by “Kurekss Ltd”.

 The courses are organized by JSC “Latvia’s State Forests” within the framework of the environmental education programme „Learning about Forests”. The National Centre for Education has supported the programme since 2005. Each year, participants can learn more about forests not only in courses, but also in various competitions – the Mammadaba Master Classes and the Forest Olympiad, where teachers and pupils become true friends of forests – they plant and tend forests, learn from nature in nature and for nature. More detailed information: www.mammadaba.lv/skolam.

Information prepared:

LVM Communications Department, phone 67805432.