In October, as part of Wood Circle Education—organized by the Federal Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK)—the results of the Elaboration Wood project were presented. The project is an educational lab in which, since 2023, more than 100 experts from across Austria have been collaborating to develop innovative teaching and learning materials on forests, wood, climate, and the bioeconomy.
Education for All Age Groups
By 2026, in cooperation with around 20 partner institutions across Austria, tailored education programmes will be developed spanning all school levels—from kindergarten to upper secondary (Sekundarstufe II). The aim is to convey topics such as wood, forests, and sustainability in an age-appropriate and practice-oriented manner. Upon completion of the project, all teaching materials will be made available to educational institutions free of charge.
- Early Childhood Education: With the package Holz:Elementar!, children playfully discover wood in their everyday lives and solve creative tasks.
- Primary Education: The Wood Learning Workshop fosters practical skills and inquiry-based learning.
- Lower Secondary: Digital games such as Blütenfeuerwald combine puzzle-solving with knowledge about climate change, sustainable forest management, and forest science.
- Upper Secondary: Materials such as the Holzbox support cross-curricular, project-based learning.
Education for a Sustainable Future
In the coming months, teaching materials will be finalised, the digital learning platform further expanded, and roll-out in schools prepared. The goal is to establish a robust foundation so that knowledge about forests, wood, and the bioeconomy is firmly embedded in Austria’s education landscape over the long term. The project is led by Thomas Schnabel of Salzburg University of Applied Sciences.
The content coordination is undertaken by Stefan Leitner of Holzbau Austria and Petra Seebacher of proHolz Styria, while pedagogical–didactic leadership is provided by Katharina Bancalari of Wald Bildung Management.