V Celju uspešno izvedeno tretje transnacionalno srečanje partnerjev Erasmus+ projekta GreenPath.
11. in 12. maja 2026 je v Celju potekalo tretje transnacionalno srečanje partnerjev Erasmus+ projekta GreenPath: Promoting Youth Leadership in Forestry and Environmental Entrepreneurship, katerega cilj je spodbujanje mladih k aktivnemu vključevanju na področju gozdarstva, varstva okolja in zelenega podjetništva. Srečanje je združilo partnerje projekta, strokovnjake s področja gozdarstva ter mlade udeležence iz različnih držav.
Dogajanje se je pričelo že v nedeljo, 10. maja 2026 z ogledom priljubljene Poti med krošnjami na Rogli, kjer so udeleženci spoznavali gozdne ekosisteme in biotsko raznovrstnost z drugačne perspektive – iz krošenj dreves. Sledil je ogled panoramskega stolpa, interpretacijskih točk o gozdni ekologiji ter senzorične poti, kjer so udeleženci preko izkustvenega učenja raziskovali naravno okolje, različne gozdne materiale ter izvir reke Mislinje.
Prvi uradni dan srečanja je bil namenjen projektnemu delu, usklajevanju aktivnosti ter razvoju novih vsebin projekta GreenPath. Partnerji so pregledali dosedanje rezultate projekta, načrtovali drugo fazo aktivnosti ter razpravljali o nadaljnjem razvoju kariernih vsebin in mreženjske platforme za mlade. Poseben poudarek je bil namenjen razvoju t. i. Career Opportunities RoadMap in vključevanju različnih deležnikov s področja gozdarstva in okolja.
Vzporedno je potekala tudi posebna delavnica za mlade udeležence, kjer so aktivno soustvarjali ideje za novo platformo, namenjeno povezovanju mladih s strokovnjaki, organizacijami in delodajalci na področju gozdarstva ter okolja. Mladi so v skupinskem delu razvijali pripravo prototipov in ideje o tem, kako naj platforma deluje, komu bo namenjena ter katere funkcionalnosti naj vključuje. Predlagali so možnosti za mentorski sistem, objave kariernih priložnosti, organizacijo dogodkov, sejmov in aktivnosti mreženja ter načine, kako mlade spodbuditi k aktivni uporabi platforme. Svoje ideje so ob zaključku predstavili projektnim partnerjem.
Pomemben del srečanja so bile tudi predstavitve različnih organizacij in dobrih praks s področja gozdarstva ter varstva gozdnih ekosistemov. Udeleženci so spoznali platformo Ocupforest, ki predstavlja sodobno spletno okolje za promocijo poklicev v gozdarskem sektorju, izobraževalnih vsebin ter povezovanja med mladimi in strokovnjaki. Platforma spodbuja prepoznavnost gozdarskih poklicev ter mladim približuje možnosti zaposlovanja in razvoja kariere na področju trajnostnega upravljanja gozdov.
Predstavljen je bil tudi center CTFC Solsona (Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia), ena pomembnejših raziskovalnih institucij na področju gozdarstva, biodiverzitete in trajnostnega upravljanja naravnih virov v Španiji. Posebej zanimiva je bila predstavitev skupine Forest Ecosystem Conservation Group, ki deluje znotraj centra in se ukvarja z raziskovanjem ohranjanja gozdnih ekosistemov, biotske raznovrstnosti, vplivov podnebnih sprememb ter razvojem trajnostnih pristopov za varstvo gozdov.
Pomemben del programa je predstavljal tudi obisk Zavoda za gozdove Slovenije, kjer so gostili gozdarske strokovnjake iz Turčije ter partnerje projekta GreenPath. Udeleženci so podrobneje spoznali delovanje Zavoda za gozdove Slovenije, trajnostno upravljanje slovenskih gozdov ter vlogo stroke pri ohranjanju gozdnih ekosistemov. Poseben poudarek je bil namenjen raziskovanju možnosti mednarodnega sodelovanja v okviru evropskih projektov in programov, kot je Horizon Europe, ter drugim oblikam povezovanja na področju gozdarstva in varstva okolja.
Med obiskovalci so bili predstavniki Generalnega direktorata za gozdarstvo Turčije, Zbornice gozdarskih inženirjev Turčije ter Regionalnega direktorata za gozdarstvo v Ankari. Srečanje je omogočilo izmenjavo strokovnih znanj, dobrih praks ter razpravo o izzivih in priložnostih na področju trajnostnega upravljanja gozdov in vključevanja mladih v gozdarski sektor.
Projekt GreenPath namreč povezuje partnerje iz več držav in soustvarja platformo za mreženje mladih, ki jih zanimajo poklici v gozdarstvu in okolju. Cilj projekta je mladim omogočiti stik s strokovnjaki, delodajalci in organizacijami, ki delujejo na področju varstva narave, trajnostnega razvoja in zelenega podjetništva. Takšna srečanja odpirajo vrata novim znanjem, mednarodnemu povezovanju ter krepitvi vloge mladih pri soustvarjanju trajnostne prihodnosti.
Drugi dan srečanja je potekal predvsem na terenu v Mestnem gozdu Celje, ki predstavlja primer dobre prakse urbanega gozda in prostora za okoljsko izobraževanje. Udeleženci so spoznali delovanje Zavoda za gozdove Slovenije ter trajnostno upravljanje gozdov v Sloveniji, predstavljen pa je bil tudi poklic gozdarja in možnosti zaposlovanja na področju gozdarstva.
Posebno zanimanje je vzbudil obisk Drevesne hiše Celje, ki predstavlja pomembno središče gozdne pedagogike, izobraževanja in povezovanja lokalne skupnosti z gozdom. Udeleženci so si ogledali različne izobraževalne materiale, spoznali metode gozdne pedagogike ter sodelovali pri praktičnih dejavnostih v gozdu. Del programa so bile tudi aktivnosti merjenja dreves, določanja drevesnih vrst, opazovanja biodiverzitete ter razprave o vlogi gozdov pri blaženju podnebnih sprememb in vezavi ogljika.
Srečanje je bilo pomembna priložnost za mednarodno izmenjavo znanja, dobrih praks in idej med partnerji ter mladimi. Udeleženci so skozi praktične aktivnosti, strokovne predstavitve in skupinsko delo krepili razumevanje pomena gozdov, trajnostnega upravljanja naravnih virov ter vloge mladih pri oblikovanju bolj trajnostne prihodnosti.
The Third Transnational Meeting of the Erasmus+ GreenPath Project Successfully Held in Celje
On May 11–12, 2026, the third transnational meeting of partners within the Erasmus+ project GreenPath: Promoting Youth Leadership in Forestry and Environmental Entrepreneurship took place in Celje, Slovenia. The project aims to encourage young people to actively engage in forestry, environmental protection, and green entrepreneurship. The meeting brought together project partners, forestry experts, and young participants from several countries.
The activities began already on Sunday, May 10, 2026, with a visit to the popular Treetop Walk at Rogla, where participants explored forest ecosystems and biodiversity from a unique perspective – among the treetops. This was followed by a visit to the panoramic observation tower, interpretation points on forest ecology, and a sensory trail, where participants explored the natural environment, different forest materials, and the source of the Mislinja River through experiential learning activities.
The first official day of the meeting focused on project work, coordination of activities, and the development of new GreenPath project content. Partners reviewed the project’s progress, planned the second phase of activities, and discussed the further development of career guidance content and the networking platform for young people. Special attention was dedicated to the development of the so-called Career Opportunities RoadMap and the involvement of various stakeholders from the forestry and environmental sectors.
At the same time, a parallel workshop for young participants was organized, where they actively co-created ideas for a new platform aimed at connecting young people with professionals, organizations, and employers in the forestry and environmental sectors. Through group work, participants developed prototype ideas and discussed how the platform should function, who its target users would be, and which features it should include. They proposed mentorship systems, career opportunity postings, networking events and fairs, as well as strategies to encourage young people to actively use the platform. At the end of the workshop, the young participants presented their ideas to the project partners.
An important part of the meeting also included presentations of organizations and good practices related to forestry and forest ecosystem conservation. Participants were introduced to the Ocupforest platform, a modern online environment promoting forestry professions, educational content, and networking opportunities between young people and experts. The platform helps raise awareness of forestry careers and introduces young people to employment and career development opportunities in sustainable forest management.
The meeting also included a presentation of the CTFC Solsona (Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia), one of the leading research institutions in Spain in the fields of forestry, biodiversity, and sustainable natural resource management. Particularly interesting was the presentation of the Forest Ecosystem Conservation Group, operating within the centre and focusing on forest ecosystem conservation, biodiversity research, climate change impacts, and the development of sustainable forest protection approaches.
An important part of the programme was also the visit to the Slovenia Forest Service, which hosted forestry experts from Türkiye and GreenPath project partners. Participants gained deeper insight into the work of the Slovenia Forest Service, sustainable forest management in Slovenia, and the role of forestry professionals in preserving forest ecosystems. Special emphasis was placed on exploring opportunities for international cooperation within European projects and programmes such as Horizon Europe, as well as other forms of collaboration in forestry and environmental protection.
Among the visitors were representatives of the General Directorate of Forestry of Türkiye, the Chamber of Forest Engineers of Türkiye, and the Regional Directorate of Forestry in Ankara. The meeting enabled the exchange of professional knowledge, good practices, and discussions about the challenges and opportunities related to sustainable forest management and youth engagement in the forestry sector.
The GreenPath project connects partners from several countries and jointly develops a networking platform for young people interested in forestry and environmental careers. The aim of the project is to provide young people with opportunities to connect with professionals, employers, and organizations working in nature conservation, sustainable development, and green entrepreneurship. Meetings such as this open doors to new knowledge, international cooperation, and strengthening the role of young people in shaping a more sustainable future.
The second day of the meeting mainly took place outdoors in the Celje City Forest, which represents a good practice example of urban forest management and environmental education. Participants learned more about the work of the Slovenia Forest Service and sustainable forest management practices in Slovenia, while the forestry profession and career opportunities within the sector were also presented.
Particular interest was shown in the visit to the Treehouse Celje (Drevesna hiša Celje), an important centre for forest pedagogy, education, and community engagement with forests. Participants explored various educational materials, learned about forest pedagogy methods, and took part in practical forest activities. The programme also included tree measurements, tree species identification, biodiversity observation, and discussions on the role of forests in climate change mitigation and carbon sequestration.
The meeting represented an important opportunity for the international exchange of knowledge, good practices, and ideas among project partners and young participants. Through practical activities, expert presentations, and collaborative work, participants strengthened their understanding of the importance of forests, sustainable natural resource management, and the role of young people in building a more sustainable future.