This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This product reflects the views only of the author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

This project is supported of the Lifelong Learning Program of the European Union (LLP). It is a multilateral Comenius project. Comenius is a sub-program to LLP. According to the objectives of LLP and Comenius we will try to:

Contribute to the development of quality lifelong learning and to promote high performance, innovation and a European dimension in systems and practices in the field ( LLA Obj A ). Help young people acquire the basic-life-skills and competences necessary for their personal development, for future employment and for active European citizenship ( COM-SpObj-b ) Enhance the quality of European dimension of teacher training ( COM Op Obj 5 )

Background 2006 Workshop in Estonia about how organisations in different countries working with education about the forest in primary and secondary school can cooperate. Participants from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Germany, Norway and Sweden Some of the participants from the workshop in Estonia and some new countries met in a workshop in Latvia to create a project idea together. The aim of the project was to increase the education about sustainable development including social, ecological and economic values and to improve the communication between foresters and the public. Participants from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czech rep., Slovakia and Sweden. A network was formed and a framework for an application to the community was created.

Background cont March. The application was sent in but in autumn 2007 our application was rejected Nov. During a conference “Dialogue between the Forest Sector and Schools” in Finland we decided to further develop our project idea. A teaching methodology had been developed in Finland which we found should suit us perfectly and which ought to be spread to other countries March. A new application was sent in and this time we succeeded Dec. The project started!

Aims and objectives Increase the knowledge about economical, ecological, social and cultural values of forest among compulsory school teachers. Spread the so called Case Forest methodology in the consortium countries, which will facilitate the teaching about sustainable development. Find out how the methodology works in different countries and which adjustments of the methodology have to be done. Improve the communication between foresters and the public.

Aims and objectives By using the methodology in schools we hope that: The children will be more interested in forests and forest related topics. They will also increase the creativity and joy of learning. The children's ability to evaluate and make their own decisions about how forest should be used will increase. The teachers will use other learning arenas than the classroom such as forests, forest museums and forest industries and involve people working with forests in the education.

Short term target groups People involved in the consortium. Teachers participating in the teacher courses appr. 96. Other people in the organisation they represent. National “forest in school” networks and the international networks, LEAF and European network Waldpaedagogik. These teachers will inform other teachers in the school where they work.

Long term target groups Children in all countries. Hopefully all teachers involved in the courses arranged within the project will try the methodology at least once in their classes. That’s up to pupils. More teachers in every country. New courses about the adjusted Case Forest methodology will be held. More children in every country. If the methodology will be successful there is no limit on how many pupils who can benefit from the project.

Project members Bulgaria University of Forestry Estonia Estonian Forest Industries Association State Forest Management Center Estonian Biology and Geography Teachers´ Ass. Finland Finnish Forest Association University of Joensuu, Savonlinna Dep. of Teachers Latvia Stora Enso Lithuania Kaunas College of Forestry and Environmental Engineering The Czech Republic Forest Management Institute Slovakia National Forest Centre Sweden Swedish Forest Agency Umeå University Sweden Swedish Forest Agency Umeå University 8 countries 12 organisations

Project leader Project leader Marja Gustafsson, Swedish Forest Agency Phone: Project web pages: Project management

The project group We represent education and forest sector, public and business sector. We have long experience of working with forest pedagogic. Bulgaria Nicola Stoyanov, University of Forestry Teachers: Angel Ferezliev, Professional school of Forestry Radoslav Milchev, University of Forestry Estonia Krista Keedus, State Forest Management Center Erik Konze, Ott Otsman (from June 2009) and Andres Talijärv until June 2009, Estonian Forest Industries Association Asta Tuusti, State Forest Management Center Teachers: Urmas Lekk, Pärnu Adult Gymnasium, Pärnu Little Freeschool Leelo Lusik, Are Basic School

The project group cont. Finland Sirpa Kärkkäinen and Suvi Pessala, Finnish Forest Association Jorma Enkenberg and Henriikka Vartianinen, University of Joensuu Savonlinna Dep. of Teachers Education Teachers: Sirkku Myllyntausta, Viikki Primary School Tuija Peuhkuri, Viiki Primary School Latvia Lelde Vilkriste, Stora Enso Teachers: Evija Majore, Centre of new friends in Jurmala, Sloka Basic School Dita Grigore, Karla Baumana Vilkenes Basic School Lithuania Asta Doftarte and Laimute Jakaitiene, Kaunas College of Forestry and Environmental Engineering Teachers: Ceslova Pociuniene, Aukstadvaris Secondary School Laima Lainskaite, Dariaus ir Girenas gymnasium

The project group cont. Czech Republic Ivana Kolinska, Forest Management Institute, Czech Rep. Teachers: Vaclava Snoknousova, Secondary School in Cesky, Czech Rep. Radomil Zatka, Forest management Insitute, Czech Rep. Slovakia Ludmila Marusakova, National Forest Centre, Slovakia Teachers: Miroslav Slotta, Lubica Bielikova, Primary School in Zvolen, Slovakia Sweden Marja Gustafsson, Katarina Ekberg, Lena Åbom and Henry Stahre, Swedish Forest Agency Erika Nilsson and Birgitta Wilhelmsson, Umeå University, Forest in School Teachers: Thorbjörn Alsing, Gärdesskolan Highschool Bollnäs Raine Olander, Gärdesskolan Highschool Bollnäs

Methods Start meeting in Estonia. Starting to learn to know each other. First introduction to the Case Forest methodology Workshop in Finland. Course about the Case Forest methodology. Whole project group and also two teachers from every country. Planning the teacher courses in every country. Program, teaching manuals etc. Testing the methodology. Teacher course in every country, 10 teachers per course. Evaluation of teacher courses. Adjustment of Case Forest methodology to fit in each country. Writing country reports. Final meeting in Bulgaria. Report from each country and sharing experiences with each others. Decision about how to continue to cooperate, maybe new project ideas? Dissemination of results. Conclusions and writing of final report

Activities/outputs Teacher courses in all countries Start meeting in Estonia Workshop in Finland Final meeting in Bulgaria

Communication plan - internal and external, dissemination of results Quality plan – evaluations, reports etc. Activities/outputs cont. Country reports Teacher manuals Progressive and final reports Webpages DVD

Time-Schedule Start in December 2008 End in December 2010

Total project budget euro of which funded by: the Community: euro (75%) members of the project consortium: euro (25%) Project budget