Education

Choose Forest is a member organization which main purpose is to ensure that forest-based industry and society has sufficient, correct, and high-quality competence, for value creation and sustainable resource management.

Choose Forest will achieve this by: Ensure forestry education in Norway at all levels that are important to the industry. Work actively with reputation building of forestry towards relevant recruitment arenas for forest education, and towards the advisory apparatus in the educational system. Be a liaison between the industry, institutions, administration, students and universities. A co-operation forum between the educational institutions and industry, industry and administration related to forests and outfields. Ensure the quality of studies / education at all relevant educational institutions, by providing input based on society and industry needs.

Choose Forest is financed by members of the industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Skogbrukets Landsforening and NHO Mat og Drikke, as well as funds from forestry's various project funds.

Never has the world had greater need for sustainable solutions. Think wood is an industry initiative from several companies and organizations within the Norwegian forest and wood industry. Together, we want to show how forests and trees can contribute in the fight against climate changes. Since its inception in 2019, the project has developed a number of articles and films, which easily and engagingly show what kind of products can be made of wood. Everything that is currently made of oil can in principle also be made of wood – and that with far lower emissions. The overall goal of the initiative is to show people why forests and wood are an important part of the climate solution. If we are going to achieve the UN’s sustainable climate goals, consumers, businesses, and politicians must actively choose renewable resources, such as wood, over non-renewable resources like petroleum and coal. Wood is the future. Not only as a resource, but as a green job creator all over Norway.

The platform "Je me forme pour mes bois" was initiated by CNPF in association with Fransylva and the training program FOGEFOR. The aim is to provide online pedagogical content and a training offer (field workshops, day events, videos, etc) to the forest owners and forest teachers. The pedagogical content is divided by themes, in order to cover all the tasks that forest owners must go through: assess the forest production potential, protect it and manage it via cuttings and other forestry works, sell wood, develop new services in the forest, carry out administrative tasks. The content is also divided into three levels of difficulty, depending on the user's profile and experience with forest ("discover", "learn", and "take action"). The site also contains videos and forest owners interview videos, as well as additional resources (books, journals, etc) to go further on certain topics.

Established 75 years ago, Solør VGS Sønsterud has since been a national leader in training for forestry operations. The campus is currently part of Solør VGS with around 500 students aged 16-18 years and 135 employees. Teaching takes place both indoors and outdoors and allows pupils a practical approach to forestry. The curriculum follows the yearly season with planning, forest culture and logging. 

Drones are used as a supplement to teaching, where they film objects and stock as a basis for work in teaching. This is to visualize select challenges or to show before/after an activity. When training operation of forestry machines, drones allow students and teachers to see the work from a birds-eye perspective. Used correctly, this may lead to increased learning both for those who observe, but especially for those who are observed and who get to see themselves at work. The time every pupil can spend operating forestry machines is limited, it is therefore important to make good use of the time available. By filming every student operating a forestry machine, the learning outcome will be increased for the students by allowing them to see themselves and get positive and constructive feedback. Drones allow prioritization of areas for improvement.

Established 75 years ago, Solør VGS Sønsterud has since been a national leader in training for forestry operations. The campus is currently part of Solør VGS with around 500 students aged 16-18 years and 135 employees. Teaching takes place both indoors and outdoors and allows pupils a practical approach to forestry. The curriculum follows the yearly season with planning, forest culture and logging.
Drones are used as a supplement to teaching, where they film objects and stock as a basis for work in teaching. This is to visualize select challenges or to show before/after an activity. When training operation of forestry machines, drones allow students and teachers to see the work from a birds-eye perspective. Used correctly, this may lead to increased learning both for those who observe, but especially for those who are observed and who get to see themselves at work. The time every pupil can spend operating forestry machines is limited, it is therefore important to make good use of the time available. By filming every student operating a forestry machine, the learning outcome will be increased for the students by allowing them to see themselves and get positive and constructive feedback. Drones allow prioritization of areas for improvement.

The online School of Forestry has been established in collaboration between the Norwegian Forest owners' associations, the State Forest, and the Forestry Extension Institute. The aim is to jointly develop the course content to increase the level of forestry expertise in all stages of forestry. The courses are open for everyone, although the target group are the organisations' employees. The system allows each organisation to make individual additions and adaptations to the courses. Several courses will be presented on the platform, mainly in the topics of silviculture, planting and soil preparation. The course content may be used by all organisations, with their own individual additions and adaptations.

Skogkurs is intended to be the common body for competence in business development and management of forests and other land resources. Through its activities, Skogkurs will contribute to increasing competence among actors in the forestry industry, and disseminate forest and nature knowledge to schools and the public. Skogkurs has 36 member organizations. “Active forestry” is a nationwide offer with courses aimed at forest owners, forestry workers and forestry operators. The courses are also relevant for other groups that use forestry tools, either professionally or in their spare time. The courses provide practical guidance, have a small group size and skilled authorized instructors. These are short, targeted, locally adapted courses that are given close to home or in the workplace. The teaching program “Teach with the Forest” offers lessons from kindergarten to higher learning educator programs.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food contributes significantly to the financing of the activities. About half of the development projects where Skogkurs has project management are partly funded through one or more of the forestry's own funds. Adult education funding, funding from the Norwegian Environment Agency and project funding from other partners also make important financial contributions to Skogkurs' activities.