Free Educational Field Trip for Teachers and Educators: Explore the Educational Programmes of the DINA Large Carnivore Centre and the Mašun Forest Educational Trail

INVITATION TO A FREE PROFESSIONAL FIELD TRIP

Explore the Educational Programmes of the DINA Large Carnivore Centre, Forest Pedagogy, and the Mašun Forest Educational Trail

The Pivka Tourism Institute, the Slovenia Forest Service, and the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana invite kindergarten teachers, primary and secondary school teachers—especially those who incorporate nature, environmental education, and sustainability topics into their teaching—to join a free professional field trip organised as part of the LIFE Safe Grazing project on Wednesday, 26 August 2026.

Participants will discover ways to integrate topics related to large carnivores, human–wildlife coexistence, and forest ecosystems into educational activities, while also exploring examples of good practice that can be applied in the classroom. The field trip will take place at two locations: the DINA Large Carnivore Centre in Pivka and Mašun, approximately a 30-minute drive from Pivka via the village of Knežak.

Location 1: DINA Large Carnivore Centre

During a guided tour of Slovenia's unique educational centre dedicated to large carnivores, participants will learn about the biology and ecology of wolves, brown bears, and Eurasian lynx, as well as the challenges and solutions of human coexistence with these species. The educational programmes offered by the centre and their potential use in teaching will also be presented.

The visit will continue with a forest pedagogy workshop, where participants will actively experience selected methods and activities related to large carnivores and forest ecosystems, while exploring practical examples of how these approaches can be used in school lessons and other educational settings.

Location 2: Mašun

The second part of the field trip will take place in Mašun. Through the programme "Forest Pedagogy in Practice: Exploring the Mašun Forest Educational Trail and the Exhibition Large Carnivores and Their Forests at the Mašun Forest House", participants will discover examples of natural heritage interpretation and educational activities carried out in a forest environment.

The programme is expected to last approximately 7 hours.

Participation is limited to approximately 60 participants, and attendance is free of charge. All participants will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the field trip.

Advance registration via the online application form is required. Registrations will remain open until all available places have been filled.

We warmly invite you to join us and encourage you to share this invitation with colleagues and others who may be interested.