IUFRO event in Brasil again with a touch of forest pedagogy
At IUFRO event in Germany in 2017 the first time in the 125 years of the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO) Forestpedagogy was a topic on the agenda of IUFRO´s world congress!
From 29th of September to 5rd of October 2019 another IUFRO happened – in Curitiba, Brasil. More than 2200 forestry-scientists debated on main theme “Forest Research and Cooperation for Sustainable Development”.
Our poster “The Forest of Experiments – promoting forestry science in Slovenia” was presented in section Delivering and communicating forest science for people and a greener future. Its editor was jenniferhayes@fs.fed.us.
She also wrote a short view on the IUFRO sub session:
“I think one critical skill is for scientists to be able to use simplified (non-technical) language so they can summarize, in 30 seconds or less, why what they do is important.”
Read more:
Our FP poster was displayed digitally in a poster session featuring roughly 1,000 scientific projects. Posters were timetabled for display in the poster hall, and we had 6 minutes to talk about your poster during one of the 5 lunchtime poster sessions.
Short report:
The Forest of Experiments – promoting forestry science in Slovenia
Authors: Urša Vilhar, Boris Rantaša, Špela Planinšek, Marjana Westergren; Slovenian Forestry Institute and Slovenia Forestry Service
Slovenian Forestry Institute prepared a "Handbook for learning and play in the forest" for everyone who wants inspiration or starting point for creating new, interesting activities that will bring people in nature to gain knowledge and experience. With interesting and fun content Slovenian forest researchers, joined under brand Forest of Experiments, wants to bring an incomprehensible scientist into the world of popular science, where both children and adults will listen and learn with curiosity.
The Handbook contains innovative activities for learning through play that will bring people of different ages (children and teachers) closer to the forest science. Activities are divided into four chapters: Trees, Forest animals, Water and Genetic diversity. Slovenian researchers have designed the activities according to the principle of "flow learning", with a certain sequence of steps: the excitement of enthusiasm, the focus of attention, the direct experience and the sharing of inspiration. Content is adjusted to follow the learning program of kindergartens and schools.
The Forest of Experiments is designed with the help of passionate young researchers, working on different research, demonstration or applied projects in Forestry institute. Our opinion is that it is the utmost duty of any scientist, expert or person with knowledge to spread this knowledge in an ethical way and for the betterment of human society.
As people gather new experience, they connect, upgrade and expand their interests while developing a positive attitude towards nature in future – just try it!
Some questions and downloads appeared during presentation (Korea and Africa were the most exotic ones for us).