Aim of the project

The ambition and objective of the project “Foresters raising public environmental awareness” is to promote the interest of inhabitants of Levice and Salgótarján region in the unique natural values of the borderland by means of original educational and cognitive objects in the given borderland with the emphasis on youth, which shall significantly contribute to the support of tourism.

For ages, the foresters at both sides of the frontier have been aware of the fact that interest in and relation to cultural and mainly natural values of a man significantly affect knowledge and publicly accessible information. However, they sensitively perceive the misunderstanding or unawareness of the importance of sustainable forest management from the side of wide public. There is the lack of premises for environmental education and forest pedagogy in the given borderland. Therefore, in addition to the promotion of the natural values of the borderland, LESY SR and IPOLY ERDŐ decided to outline this territory as a forest ecosystem and the importance of sustainable forest management while conserving it for future generations.

The newly built educational centres, demonstration objects, educational paths and forest pedagogues shall get forest closer to the target groups on the area exceeding 10,000 m2. The Forest School of Levice shall attract on the area exceeding 4,100 m2 with its innovative concept, it shall be located directly in the city and in addition to visual observation and cognition elements, it shall introduce also the possibility of practical skill development. The Visitor Centre and the Forest School of Somoskő shall supplement the network of the facilities of similar character in Hungary on the area of more than 5 900 m2. The suitable position of the location – the ruin of Šomoška castle and Salgó, adjacent Geopark Novohrad-Nógrád, high forest coverage and TK Karancs-Medves form the conditions for a successful functioning and all-year round utilisation of the complex.