Gaining Experience in Close-to-Nature Forest Management in Switzerland

A study visit to Bern took place from September 7 to 9, 2026, attended by ten members of the SilvaTech4Trees project team. The trip aimed to facilitate the exchange of experience and the acquisition of practical knowledge regarding close-to-nature forest management and the use of marteloscopes.

At the Bern University of Applied Sciences, participants were welcomed by the Swiss project partner, Prof. Christian Rosset. Through an expert lecture, he introduced them to the functioning of marteloscopes and the approaches to close-to-nature forest management practiced in Switzerland. Theoretical insights were subsequently put into practice directly in the forest.

Using the martelage.sylvoteque.ch mobile application, participants planned interventions directly within the forest stand and were able to compare their decisions with those of other participants. The differing perspectives on tree selection and proposed interventions sparked extensive professional discussion and demonstrated the value of marteloscopes in practical training and the search for optimal forest management solutions.

Project Manager Peter Balogh also presented the activities carried out by the Slovak partners and outlined the future direction of the collaboration. In conclusion, he emphasized that the study visit was not merely an opportunity to gain insight into Swiss practices, but above all a forum for the mutual exchange of experiences, professional insights, and inspiration that could be applied to future project activities in Slovakia.

SilvaTech4Trees project activity featuring seniors from Spišská Belá

The end of summer in the forests near Spišská Belá was a time for seniors and their grandchildren to come together. On August 20, 2026, the “Into the Forest with a Forester” event took place at the Fľak site. It was organized by the Spišská Belá Municipal Forests in cooperation with the National Forest Centre as part of the SilvaTech4Trees project, supported by the Swiss-Slovak Cooperation Programme.

Participants engaged in forest education activities, a forest-themed quiz, and a discussion on forest ecosystem services. The seniors reflected on the many benefits the forest provides, identifying water as the most significant service, followed by the forest microclimate. Through videos of recent floods, they also gained insight into the importance of a healthy forest in retaining water, slowing runoff, and trapping debris.

The program also featured a practical demonstration of a logger working with a draft horse—a sight that evoked memories for many participants of the times when they themselves had worked or taken on seasonal jobs in the forest.

This pleasant gathering demonstrated that the forest is not merely a source of ecological and economic value, but also a place for memories, experiences, relaxation, and intergenerational connection. We thank all the seniors for their energy, smiles, and stories, and we look forward to meeting again in the forest.

The SilvaTech4Trees project activity in Spišská Belá introduced forestry to special education students through an experiential approach.

On June 12, 2026, another “Into the Forest with a Forester” event took place in the Spišská Belá Municipal Forests (at the Šarpanec site) as part of the SilvaTech4Trees project—focused on nature-oriented management approaches and modern technologies to support biodiversity.

This time, the participants were students from special schools in the Spišská Belá area. Forest educators from the National Forest Centre prepared a varied program filled with experiential learning, physical activity, discovery, and the joy of spending time in nature.

In the forest classroom, the children were introduced to forest pedagogy and explored the forest using all their senses through hands-on activities. They tried their hand at leaf rubbing, assembled their own forest models, learned about a forester’s tools, and practiced perceiving nature with attention and sensitivity. During an auditory recognition game, they listened to the sounds of forest wildlife; a visual game tested their powers of observation; a tactile activity involved identifying natural materials; and an olfactory game challenged them to distinguish between scents that belong in the forest and those that do not.

The students learned that trees grow from seeds and discovered together the wide variety of objects made from wood. They also discussed rules of conduct in the forest in a playful way—covering points such as not simply taking wood from the forest, exercising caution when lighting fires, and behaving considerately so as not to disturb the forest’s inhabitants unnecessarily.

The program included physical activities utilizing trees, which tested the children’s strength, agility, and coordination. Games like “Lizards and Eagles” and “Cats and Sparrows” brought plenty of laughter and joy, allowing the children to get active while enjoying time together in nature. A beautiful conclusion to the event was the group song “Slovakia My Home, My Fatherland,” accompanied by the children playing wooden musical instruments.

Moments like these remind us that forest education is not merely about imparting knowledge; above all, it is about creating positive experiences that help foster a connection to the forest, nature, and the world around us.