Forest Youth Games in Jena

As part of this year's Forest Youth Games in Jena, Head of Department Johannes Schleußner and Head of Department Kathleen Lützkendorf, together with Olaf Schubert from the Jena City Forestry Office and Desiree Jakubka, Regional Managing Director of the Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald (SDW) Thüringen e. V., joined numerous supporters on site to get an idea of the event. Together, the group completed the route in the Landgrafen forest area and learned about the planned stations and the educational content of the project.

The Forest Youth Games offer third-grade pupils the opportunity to get to know the forest habitat in a playful and practical way. At various stations, the children learn interesting facts about native tree species, sustainable forestry, the protection of nature and the environment and the importance of the forest for the climate and society. Active hands-on activities combine the experience of nature with environmental education.

During the tour, Johannes Schleußner and Kathleen Lützkendorf emphasized the importance of such educational opportunities for young people. The Forest Youth Games make an important contribution to raising children's awareness of nature and environmental issues at an early age and introducing them to the diverse functions of the forest. Olaf Schubert presented the individual stations and the organizational process. Desiree Jakubka emphasized the long-standing cooperation between the German Forest Protection Association, the Jena City Forestry Office, ThüringenForst and other partners, which makes the event possible.

The 2026 Forest Youth Games will take place in the Landgrafen forest area and are supported by numerous regional stakeholders such as the Landgrafenverein mining association, the Nature Conservation Foundation and the Jena Hunters' Association. Several school classes from Jena are expected to take part in a varied and educational day in the forest. The aim of the event is to awaken enthusiasm for nature and raise awareness for the responsible use of natural resources. More than 500 children have already been able to take part in this year's Forest Youth Games in Jena. This was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Zeiss Förderfonds, Sparkasse Jena and other supporters of the Forest Youth Games.

An important partner of the Forest Youth Games is the German Forest Protection Association (SDW). The SDW is one of the oldest forest protection organizations in Germany and has been committed to the preservation, protection and sustainable development of forests since 1947. In addition to practical nature conservation measures such as tree planting and forest protection projects, the organization is particularly involved in environmental education and forest education. The aim is to sensitize people of all ages to the importance of the forest as a habitat, climate protector and place of recreation. The Forest Youth Games have been one of the SDW's best-known educational programs for many years. Together with forestry offices, local authorities and other partners, the organization gives children an experience-oriented approach to nature. Pupils learn about the forest, its flora and fauna and the diverse tasks of forestry in a playful way at a variety of stations. The focus is not only on imparting knowledge, but also on teamwork, experiencing nature and promoting a responsible approach to the environment.