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Teaching the teachers
A basic part of the LIS programme is providing infor-
mation to teachers about the many possibilities for
using the forest in learning. To begin with, the origi-
nal LIS wood carving course was offered to teachers
as continuing education by the University of Iceland‘s
Education Department, taught by Forest Service staff.
This developed quickly and was augmented by the
experiences of teachers already participating in LIS.
The programme is now taught as a masters level
course at the University and several students have
chosen to write their masters theses on LIS-related
subjects. This cooperation between the Forest Service
and the University of Iceland has become one of the
cornerstones of the LIS programme and is essential for
introducing LIS ideas and methods to teachers. The
University now has its own ‘neighbourwood’, where
future teachers are doing their learning in a woodland
environment.
Developing projects
Another aspect of LIS is the development and sharing
of a large number of learning projects, which cover
all disciplines and vary appropriately with the age of
pupils. Some can be completed during one trip to the
forest, while others take months or even years. To
begin with, several projects or ideas for projects were
put forth by Forest Service staff, but they are increas-
ingly being developed by the teachers. Increasingly,
the projects are interdisciplinary in nature, setting
goals that require diverse steps or skills to complete.
Teachers can modify the learning projects to suit their
LIS is based on two main premises: firstly, the ‘neighbourwood’
concept – a forest or afforestation area within a short walking
distance from the school – and secondly, the importance of using
the forest as an outdoor classroom for all subjects, not just to
learn about the forest itself (woodworking or science) but also
arts, mathematics, languages, history and more. The forest is an
environment to enhance all types of learning. Add to this the prin-
ciple of sustainability, well known to foresters, and it means that
the school takes responsibility for the forest and its use of it, with
minimal assistance. A representative of the Forest Service is often
necessary as a go-between to facilitate initial contracts between
schools and forest owners and is on hand to introduce the teachers
to the possibilities in their forest, but is only occasionally involved
directly with the pupils.
To date, 35 schools have participated in the LIS project, or about
15 per cent of the primary schools in Iceland. Most of these schools
are in the city of Reykjavik, but village and rural schools in all parts
of Iceland also participate. At first glance it might seem difficult
to find ‘neighbourwoods’ close to schools in the city, or indeed
anywhere in a sparsely wooded country such as Iceland. However,
they need not be large in area and the trees need not be tall or of
any particular species. They do, however, need to provide shelter
in windy Iceland. The forests used by LIS schools include groups
of trees recently planted in the corner of the schoolyard, private
woodlots and plantations, municipal amenity plantations, forest
society plantations and parts of two national forests. Depending on
the location and ownership of the forest, it is important to promote
cooperation between the school and the forest owner or manager.
Sometimes permission is needed to plant or cut down trees, and
there may be a need for tools or a person to operate a chainsaw. A
very good example is the involvement of the City Parks Department
of Reykjavik with several city schools.
LIS promotes and encourages development and sharing of many learning projects covering a range of diciplines and ages