Milestone for hunting education: uniform training guidelines adopted
“Learning from the forest in the forest” – forest and hunting education encourages children to explore the forest in a playful way and discover connections in nature for themselves.
Vienna (OTS) – “Forest and hunting education plays an important role in imparting knowledge about the topics of forests and wild animals. Hunting education in particular provides the stable foundation for a functioning public relations work on hunting-related topics. Hunting educators playfully convey the four pillars of hunting to the youngest of our society: habitat, game, handicraft, customs and tradition as well as the valuable services our hunters provide for the environment. The fact that this important activity is now being strengthened by a standardized and certified training program is an important step into the future, ”emphasizes HUNTING AUSTRIA President Ing.Roman Leitner the importance of the milestone achieved.
Valid hunting card & forest pedagogue as a prerequisite
On the initiative of JAGD ÖSTERREICH, the experts from the Forest & Hunting Dialogue, together with experts from the Forest Pedagogue Association, developed uniform guidelines for the training of hunting pedagogues. The result is a well-founded course that can be completed as an additional training module following the forest pedagogue training. A valid Austrian hunting card is required to participate in the hunting education extension module. This ensures that the necessary previous hunting knowledge as well as the relevant practical relevance are given. The new expansion module can also be used for recertification by forest educators with a valid hunting card.
“In forest education, effective environmental education takes place through direct experience and personal discovery. We want to convey an understanding of the forest and its needs through our work. In an urban society in which knowledge of the interrelationships in nature plays a subordinate role in everyday life, we consider it right and important to offer special offers to experience nature up close. We are pleased that we have now put together a high-quality training module with hunting education, which helps to convey the entire value chain in nature even better, ”says happily Andreas Holzinger, President of the Forest Pedagogy Association.
Certified forest & hunting teacher
The training module hunting pedagogy consists of a total of 16 teaching units and aims to expand one’s own silvicultural and hunting knowledge in order to be able to explain the ecological relationships even better and to develop pedagogical skills. The content of the training includes the basics of public relations, in-depth knowledge of the values of hunting in Austria, such as the joint charter of the nine state hunting associations and the umbrella brand JAGD AUSTRIA. In addition, the “Mariazeller Declaration” and the origins and values of the forest and hunting dialogue are dealt with. Dealing with critical and provocative questions on hunting topics is also taught. “We are pleased that we have created a certified basis for hunting education based on state-approved training standards. It is very important to me to promote a mutual understanding of forest and hunting. With the supplementary training module hunting pedagogy, the necessary knowledge can now be acquired to explain an overall ecological understanding of the relationships in nature, such as the value chain between forest and hunting. I see this as a major milestone on the way to better cooperation and as a valuable addition to the promotion of the dialogue between man and nature – true to the motto ‘Learn from the forest in the forest’ ”, says happily DI Dr. Johannes Schima, Head of Section III Forestry and Sustainability in the Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Regions and Tourism, steering group of the Forest & Hunting Dialog.
Inquiries & contact:
Lutz Molter, Bakk. Phil, Brand & PR Manager, umbrella organization “Jagd Österreich”
Mobile: 0660 8216932, lutz.molter@jagd-oesterreich.at