TREEgital – digital knowledge transfer about forests for schools

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalization in education. The TREEgital project is taking advantage of this trend to use digital tools to impart forest knowledge in schools. It explores the forest as a living, recreational and economic space and emphasizes its role in protecting the climate and biodiversity. Key topics are biodiversity, climate change, and career guidance in green industries, all within the framework of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). In addition, TREEgital teaches pupils digital skills.
Digital educational products for schools have been developed, such as the augmented reality app “Öswald - App in den Wald!”, which improves learning by overlaying virtual elements with real environments, and YouTube career guidance videos focusing on STEM topics. In the “TreeCast” video podcast, forest experts discuss topics ranging from climate change to soil health. The social media series “Ask the Expert” provides insights into the professional world of forest research.