(DHA Photo)
Türkiye’s first “Forest School” opened its doors to students in the northern province of Bolu for the new academic year, bringing primary education into a natural setting.
Built on a 30-decare area on the way to Abant Lake National Park, the ministry project aims to teach children about nature and forest conservation.
Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydın and Bolu Regional Forestry Director Celal Kanbur attended the opening program, where 40 students from Kültür Primary School participated in seven workshops.
The stations include Design, Soil, Bug Hotel, Observation Point, Ecosystem, Forestry and Forest Protection.
Students filled pots in the Soil Workshop and observed insect life cycles in the Bug Hotel, while learning about the forestry organization’s work and the importance of conservation.
Instructors also explained firefighting methods using small-scale models.
Following the educational sessions, children spent time in recreation areas featuring a playground, a forest sounds track, an amphitheater and a fairy tale house.
The school is the first and only of its kind in Türkiye, Aydın told reporters after touring the facility.
“This is a school where 40 to 50 students will gain practical experience at the same time every day,” he said.
The project will host students between 4 and 12 years old under the motto “Discover, Experience and Share,” bringing the classroom directly into the forest to teach fire sensitivity, he said.
Türkiye has steadily expanded alternative education models to increase environmental awareness among youth.
Such government initiatives align with the broader strategy to protect green spaces following severe forest fires in southern and western regions.
