Forest in School

Experience and knowledge

www.skogeniskolan.se

• A national program conducted by schools and the Swedish forestry sector

• Started in 1973

• In accordance with the national curriculum for the Swedish comprehensive school

• Combines theory and practice

Outdoor activities

• Increase interest in and knowledge about one of the most important industry in Sweden

• Arrange study visits to show teachers and students the forest, forestry and forest industry in action

• Our funding comes from the forest sector in Sweden, including the wood industry, universities, the forest owners associations, land owners, research centres, the Swedish forestry Commission.

• We work closely with schools, some of them have school forests which is a deal between a land owner and a school granting the school access to a forest or a part of it.

• We integrate our information and material with the Swedish school curriculum.

• Planting trees is a long-time activity in Swedish schools and something that has been done in a beautiful manner with the help of LEAF. Today, we are starting all over again showing schools the different activities LEAF is offering.

• Appr 65% of Sweden is covered by forests, the productive forest land is 56%

• Forestry is crucial for the national economy• The spruce and pine are the most common trees• Sweden is the 3rd largest exporting nation of wood and forest

products in the world. We provide 10% of the world’s sawn timber, pulp and paper.

• The growth is larger than the felling, and our Forestry Act requires owners to replant after forest felling.

• The Swedes love “forest walking”! Our Allemansrätt – the right of public access in the countryside, gives us the right to, for example, walk freely, pick berries, gather mushrooms, to camp, etc.

• Regulated hunting is important to the Swedes.• One third of our country is defined as reindeer grazing land,

important for our Sami population.

• Forest companies

• Organizations

• Researchers

• Agencies/authorities

• Schools

Contacts are found throughout Sweden

Nationwide network

Target groups

• Teachers • Teacher students• Directors of schools

Pupils

• An area marked off, at the school’s disposal for outdoor education

• This is where theories can be tested in practice

• The landowner gives permission to the school to use the forest/part of forest and allows fireplace, windshelters and to cut some trees. A little more than our Allemansrätt (Right of common access) allows.

• There are about 1025 registrered schoolforests today

The School forest

Material and communication channels