Get out of virtual worlds and into nature!
Experience nature with all your senses: Since 2009, the Austrian Federal Forests (ÖBf) have been actively promoting nature education and environmental education with the WILD.LIVE! program. It includes a wide range of nature tours for all age groups throughout Austria. Now there are three new city locations and a WILD.LIFE! Mobile, which brings the forest into the city.
"As Austria's largest natural area manager, competent nature education and forest pedagogy are important to us. There is great interest in our offer: in 2023 alone, almost 25,000 children, young people and adults got to know the forest and nature better as part of our WILD.LIVE! program to get to know the forest and nature better again," says Andreas Gruber, CEO of Bundesforste.
Bundesforste will continue along this path in 2024 and create three new WILD.LIVE! locations in the Upper Austrian Salzkammergut, in Carinthia and in Tyrol.
WILD.LIVE! Chorinskyklause in Upper Austria: nature meets history
One of the three new WILD.LIVE! locations is in the Salzkammergut. In the surroundings of the Chorinskyklause near Bad Goisern, a former timber drift, the Federal Forests have been combining knowledge transfer and forest education in a historic location since last year. During the nature tours, participants can immerse themselves in the history of the Chorinskyklause and visit the revitalized Klauswärterhaus, as well as explore the surrounding forests, which are managed in a near-natural way. The offer is aimed at kindergarten and school children as well as adults and groups of senior citizens. For example, guided tours around the hermitage are regularly organized for residents of a retirement home in Bad Goisern and for an Alzheimer's aid association in Bad Ischl. In total, around 1,400 people took part in the ÖBf nature tours at the Chorinskyklause in 2023.
WILD.LIVE Ossiacher Tauern in Carinthia: Diverse forest experiences
The Ossiach forest district in Carinthia offers a special nature education program: The focus here is on the forest of the future and active forest management for a future-proof forest. The diverse offers range from hikes and practical activities to playful learning experiences for all age groups and make it possible to experience and understand the forest in a new way. Special emphasis is placed on people with disabilities. Appropriate forest tours are planned for them, which appeal to all the senses and contribute to their well-being. In future, the starting point for the guided nature experiences will be the WILD.LIVE! Ossiacher Tauern site not far from the Tauern pond will serve as the starting point for the guided nature experiences.
WILD.LIVE! at the Steinberghaus in Tyrol: forest theme trail with adventure stations
Another location will soon be opening in Tyrol: with the WILD.LIVE! offer at the Steinberghaus, the Austrian Federal Forests are creating an attractive starting point for educational forest tours and individual nature experiences near Westendorf in the district of Kitzbühel. In the middle of an idyllic forest area, an informative themed trail on sustainable forest management runs around a wooden pavilion. Visitors can also discover a total of seven adventure stations such as a barefoot path, a climbing net and forest loungers. At the opening ceremony on June 18, interested parties are cordially invited to discover the themed trail on a guided tour.
The forest on wheels: Newly designed WILD.LIVE! Mobile
In addition to the nature tours and WILD.LIVE! locations, the Austrian Federal Forests also offer a mobile nature education service with the WILD.LIVE! Mobile, the Federal Forests also offer a mobile nature education service: this is an innovatively designed trailer, which is based on the principle of an interactive showcase system and tours throughout Austria. Since this year, the WILD.LIVE! Mobile has been shining in new splendor. Based on a modern design concept, young and old have the opportunity to take a close look at the forest in a playful way - from various animal specimens to insect showcases and a wood collection, the forest theme can be "grasped" here in the truest sense of the word. From the Vienna Woods to Tyrol, the ÖBf WILD.LIVE! Mobile is used around 20 times a year at trade fairs, events or in school playgrounds.
WILD.LIVE! Nature education offer
The WILD.LIVE! program is designed to bring people closer to nature in times of smartphones, computers and virtual worlds. With a mixture of information and adventure, knowledge and excitement, the specially trained WILL.LIVE! nature educators tell stories about nature and what we can learn from it. Standard tours for kindergartens, schools and social institutions are reduced to free of charge. For special tours, company outings, corporate events and tours in protected areas (such as the Kalkalpen National Park, Donau-Auen National Park, Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve and the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area), special conditions apply. The current range of guided tours can be requested from the forestry and national park operations of the Federal Forests.
