Game as an element of forest education: representatives of NUBiP of Ukraine joined the International Workshop in Slovakia

The Second International Workshop of the project «Forest Dilemmas: Game-Based Scenarios for Environmental Awareness», implemented with the support of the International Visegrad Foundation, was held on the basis of the forestry faculty of the Technical University in Zvolen (Slovakia).

The meeting brought together partners of the international consortium from Central and Eastern Europe. The National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine was represented at the workshop by Andrii ODRUZHENKO, a PhD student at the department of forest inventory and forest management, and Yaroslav KOVBASA, a senior researcher.

For two days, the participants kept on working together on the development of educational game scenarios dedicated to topical issues of forestry. The main focus was on how to present complex management decisions in a clear and interactive format, without losing their scientific validity.

The proposed game approach should help students and the general public better understand the relationship between the ecological, economic and social functions of forests. By participating in simulated situations, players will be able to make decisions about managing forest ecosystems and track their possible consequences.

The participants paid special attention to discussing the differences between the scientific understanding of forestry and its perception by the public. The partners exchanged experience in communicating complex forestry issues, agreed on approaches to further development of scenarios, and identified the next stages of project implementation.

The full-time format of the workshop contributed to an active professional dialogue, exchange of ideas and strengthening cooperation between universities and scientific institutions of partner countries. The participation of representatives of NUBIP of Ukraine in the project expands the possibilities of international cooperation and promotes the introduction of modern interactive approaches to the dissemination of knowledge about forests and their management features.