Mendel University in Brno (MENDELU) has opened an educational trail in Mongolia called “Forests for Life.” This event took place a year after marking the first tourist trail in Mongolia using the Czech trail-marking system. The trail follows a section of the blue-marked Dugui Tsagaan route in Bogd Khan Uul, located on the outskirts of the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, a popular destination for hikers in Mongolia. The completed project is the result of ongoing successful collaboration between the university and the Mongolian Walking Association.
“Opening an educational trail about forests in Mongolia has been a dream of our team for several years. Now, thanks to our collaboration with the Mongolian Walking Association and financial support from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have finally achieved it,” explained Václav Pecina, the author and expert guarantor of the project.
The educational trail consists of two sections. The first section is a classic trail lined with eight information boards that introduce hikers to the functions of forests, their importance for life, and issues of forest protection and care. The second section is a learning zone for children, featuring facilities for outdoor learning and games prepared in collaboration with the company Lesní svět. “These are their classic games and educational elements, but they have been adapted to the Mongolian environment and biodiversity,” Pecina added.
“Half of the population lives in the capital city and has limited contact with nature, which leads to a rapid loss of connection with it. Environmental education and programs aimed at children and the general public are therefore supported in Mongolia as essential for the future. For this reason, the event was connected with the opening of a children’s hiking club under the Mongolian Walking Association. As a result, over 200 children, who became club members, attended the trail’s official opening. In addition to daily hiking, the trail is also planned for use by local schools and the Bogd Khan Uul Protected Area Management for educational events in nature,” stated the project’s expert guarantor.
Students contributed to the creation of the educational trail alongside experts. “The design of this educational trail is the subject of a bachelor’s thesis by a student from the Forestry program at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology at MENDELU, who visited Mongolia last year to collect materials for the trail’s preparation. Two talented alumni from our summer schools at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences also contributed to the preparation of the Mongolian texts. They are now beginning their doctoral studies at MENDELU, and we hope that our collaboration with them on environmental education in Mongolia is only just beginning with this project. I consider our ability to successfully involve students in our activities and bring their ideas to life a great achievement and a motivation for all participants and future collaboration enthusiasts,” added Pecina.
The Czech Republic’s Ambassador to Mongolia, Jan Vytopil, attended the trail’s official opening, along with U. Enhtaivan, head of the Department of International Cooperation of Mongolia’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and E. Tsogbadral, head of the Bogd Khan Protected Area Management. The trail was developed as part of the “Forests for Life Educational Trail in Bogd Khan Uul” project implemented by the Mongolian Walking Association with support from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ulaanbaatar.
For more information, contact: Ing. Václav Pecina, Ph.D., Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, MENDELU, +420 731 920 599, vaclav.pecina@mendelu.cz