Volodymyr Kravets: Developing Communication and Negotiation Skills

As the Head of the FOREST EUROPE Sub-Commission in IFSA, Volodymyr Kravets has had the unique opportunity to engage in High-Level Policy Dialogues, Expert Level Meetings, and preparations for the upcoming 9th Ministerial Conference. He shares, “These experiences allowed me to see political dialogue and negotiations on an international level, and even participate directly. FOREST EUROPE’s strong capacity support helped us communicate our ideas effectively, leading to impactful suggestions.”

Volodymyr’s involvement has not only sharpened his communication skills but also provided insights into political trends and the demand for forestry specialists. “The skills and knowledge gained in policy development and negotiations open new opportunities and give insights into what actual work can be like,” he adds.

Lea Arbogast: Overcoming Intimidation in Political Processes

Lea Arbogast, who is currently writing her Bachelor’s Thesis on youth integration in environmental political processes, reflects on her experiences with FOREST EUROPE. “Through this event, I learned to be less afraid of political processes and the people involved. Everyone is only human and learns together, regardless of age,” she says.

FOREST EUROPE has provided a platform for youth to have an active voice in shaping their future. “They gave us the platform to have an active voice on equal ground, which is truly empowering,” Lea emphasizes.

Nikolina Mencin: Gaining Insights into Sustainable Forest Management

Nikolina Mencin highlights the knowledge she gained about sustainable forest management and the role of forests in achieving a sustainable economy. “Working with FOREST EUROPE, I learned about the importance of collaboration and skilled workforces,” she notes.

Her experience in policy dialogues and effective communication within a pan-European context has enriched her understanding of forest governance and sustainability, equipping her to contribute meaningfully to the field.

Raghav Sharma: Participating in High-Level Discussions

Raghav Sharma shares how FOREST EUROPE actively involves youth in meaningful ways. “FOREST EUROPE includes young people in Expert Level Meetings and collaborates with IFSA to gather youth perspectives,” he explains. Workshops conducted by FOREST EUROPE have gathered valuable insights from young foresters, which will be presented at the 9th Ministerial Conference.

“Participating in these high-level discussions has been an incredible opportunity for personal and professional growth. It significantly enhanced my knowledge and boosted my confidence,” Raghav adds.

Alina Lehikoinen: Building Confidence and Leadership

Alina Lehikoinen’s work with FOREST EUROPE has made her feel like a true equal in the forestry field. “This has meant opportunities for leadership while having a space to learn and ask questions without judgment,” she shares.

The inclusive and supportive environment created by FOREST EUROPE has inspired Alina to improve other working environments. “I have tried to develop my working environments in a collaborative, respectful, and encouraging direction,” she notes.

These stories from IFSA members underscore the significant impact FOREST EUROPE has on young professionals in the forestry sector. By providing opportunities for active participation, skill development, and leadership, FOREST EUROPE is helping to shape the future of sustainable forest management with the valuable input of the next generation. The entire interview with all the IFSA delegates can be found here.

As we celebrate World Youth Skills Day, we recognize the importance of such collaborations in fostering the growth and development of young professionals who are passionate about making a difference in the world.

The post World Youth Skills Day: Insights from IFSA Members on Working with FOREST EUROPE first appeared on FOREST EUROPE.

What’s on the agenda?

We will present survey results on Novel Green Forest Jobs and the ongoing work of the Expert Group on Green Jobs. We will shine a spotlight on the success stories of female professionals who transitioned from traditional forestry programmes to Novel Green Forest Jobs. Explore their journeys while discussing how and why they made the switch, the challenges they faced, and the opportunities they found.

Why you shouldn’t miss this webinar!

The best part of the webinar is that our all-female panel features accomplished women from diverse fields in the (novel) forest sector.

Through the webinar, we will raise awareness on the topic and increase visibility on how the forest sector is providing Novel Green Jobs!

Don’t miss this insightful discussion; register now.

Additional information

Webinar’s agenda.

Speaker’s bios.

Previous Roots to the Canopy” webinar series are available here.

The post Shaping tomorrow’s workforce: Novel Green Forest Jobs and the transition from tradition first appeared on FOREST EUROPE.

To ensure that these webinars reach a wider audience and benefit more people, some of them are turned into courses and modules found on the TreE-Learning platform.

Click the link to access the course! https://ifsa.net/courses/what-is-forest-education-up-to-in-africa-and-europe/

More information about the webinar is available here: https://foresteurope.org/there-is-a-need-for-people-to-understand-the-value-of-conservation-and-nature-prof-dr-james-kungu/  

The post “What’s forest education up to in Africa and Europe?” Course is now available online on IFSA’s TreE-Learning platform! first appeared on FOREST EUROPE.

To mark this important day, FOREST EUROPE hosted students and lecturers from the Tropical Forestry Master’s Programme (International Forest Governance & Multilateralism-Chair of Tropical and International Forestry) who were on an International Forest Governance Course Excursion to international organizations in Bonn focusing on forests and climate. They learned how FOREST EUROPE as a Pan-European voluntary high-level political process contributes to the development of common strategies to protect and sustainably manage forests while also offering a platform for intergovernmental dialogue and cooperation. Our institutional structure is made up of 45 European states and the European Union as signatories, while observers comprise of 14 countries and 45 organizations. Roundtable Meeting (RTM), Working Group and Advisory Group are some of the tools used for strategic debate while Expert Group and Workshops or Webinars are for technical debates. 

Thomas Haußmann also highlighted the significance of FOREST EUROPE’s policies on forests which have a far-reaching impact even at the international level. Some examples presented include the definition of the pan-European concept of Sustainable Forest Management in 1993, the guidelines, criteria and indicators for Sustainable Forest Management. The five editions of the “State of Europe’s Forests” (SoEF) report have provided comprehensive information on the status and trends in forests and forestry in the pan-European region, based on the criteria for SFM with the current edition (SoEF 2020) produced in collaboration with the FAO and UNECE.  Since its inception, Forest Europe has developed 22 Ministerial Resolutions, 2 Decisions and 2 Declarations.  

The next question in the students’ minds was how they as youth could be involved in FOREST EUROPE’s activities. Since the International Forestry Students Association (IFSA) is one of our partner organizations, the students could be Head of the FOREST EUROPE Sub-Commission (one of the IFSA official positions under the International Policy Commission). Forest Europe also organizes webinars and workshops targeted at students e.g. Forest Education in Africa and Europe Workshop. The Youth Forest Policy Days was also another novel project where Forest Europe partnered with IFSA to expose students to the international forest policy process by bringing experts on relevant topics, such as sustainable forest management, deforestation, landscape restoration and forest finance, to share their knowledge while also providing real-life examples of their work. The students can also join any of the three sub-groups in Work Stream 3 (Analysis, Transition and Communication/PR) or participate as observers in our events.  We also provide content for the TreE-Learning Platform by IFSA and the latest course by FOREST EUROPE is available here.  The Grow Green Jobs Campaign showcased endless new job opportunities in the forestry field for young people interested in working in the sector. We are exploring more ways of bringing the youth on board including in the next Ministerial Conference in 2024.  

Another question the students were eager to learn more about was the desired skill set of a forestry professional required by our institution. Juliet Achieng informed the students that the importance of subject-specific skills, human relationships, leadership and other generic competencies, communication, research and data management and general academic competencies have increased over the last ten years and will continue to be important to the near future. More information is available from these studies: Green Forest Jobs in the Pan-European Region, Trends in forest-related employment and tertiary forest education, Global Assessment of Forest Education and the Global Outlook on Education.  

We at FOREST EUROPE appreciate the interest of the students in our work! 

The post FOREST EUROPE celebrated International Education Day 2023 and raises awareness among students with its different initiatives first appeared on FOREST EUROPE.