Foresters towards life long learning for better forest management

This project is implemented in the framework of Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine ENPI CBC Programme 2007-2013, Priority 4: Support people to people cooperation, Measure 4.1 Institutional co-operation

The overall objective is to develop tangible conditions for life long learning of forestry practitioners of the border regions of Ukraine and Slovakia via improvement of on-job training system and establishment of practical institutional co-operation among the training institutions and forest administrations.

Locations of the Project are: Slovakia: Presov and Kosice self-governing regions, Ukraine: Zakarpattya region
Applicant (Main Partner)
Non-Governmental Organization «FORZA, AGENCY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CARPATHIAN REGION», Ukraine
Project Partners
National Forest Centre - IFCE Zvolen, Slovakia
Total duration of the Project is 30 months:  june 2012 – October 2014
Total eligible cost of the Project: EUR 336.313,86
Specific objectives
SO 1. To have effective cross border institutional cooperation and exchange of practical modern professional knowledge on trainer/teacher as well as on practitioner level.
SO 2. To have the sufficient number of fully capable trainers in UA available to carry out courses in the life long learning program in close to nature silviculture and multifunctional forest management.
SO 3. To have attractive advanced training courses in close to nature silviculture and multifunctional forest management in sufficient number available and fully used by the target groups (forestry practitioners).
SO 4. To reach the public understanding of the essence and benefits of multifunctional forest management and close to nature silviculture.

Target groups:
TG1. Forestry practitioners – forest engineer staff and forest managers from target territories
TG2. Trainers in field of silviculture from target territories in UA
TG3. Engineer specialists and managers of the regional forest administrations
TG4. Forest owners (only SK)
TG5. General public of target territories of the project

Estimated results 
eR1. Established practical collaboration and partnership among on-job training institutions and forest enterprises of target territories 
eR2. Improved training programs for on-job training of forestry practitioners 
eR3. Sample plots for training and demonstration established in both countries
eR4. Training manual on close to nature silviculture and multifunctional forest management developed and published in Ukrainian and Slovakian 
eR5. New skills and knowledge for trainers of on-job training on close to nature silviculture anchored in UA
eR6. Increased professional level of forestry practitioners and forest managers 
eR7. Raised awareness of the foresters and public in the target territory on issues of multifunctional forest management and close to nature silviculture 
eR8. Replicable experience of on - job training within improved programs at the territory of other districts in UA and SK

Main activities
WP 1: Institutional cooperation for improvement of professional knowledge exchange, training programs, materials and facilities
WP 2. Professional skills improvement for trainers and forestry practitioners on multifunctional forest management and close to nature silviculture
WP 3. Awareness raising on issues of multifunctional forest management and close to nature silviculture. Dissemination and cross-border exchange
WP 4. Project management and administration