PROJECT TOGO - 
OUR SCHOOL Forests

The first phase includes all measures to get to know the project, to introduce it to schools, children, teachers, parents and finally the entire village community. First preliminary questions on the possible implementation of the idea will be answered together. This includes, among others:

• Finding suitable and interested schools in the region
• Detailed project presentation in the partner schools
  

• Agreement with the schools
• Inspection of all individual conditions such as
  
  
  • Place?
  • Time?
  • Water?
  • Previous knowledge?
  • other already available materials ?

Building on the findings, the syllabus will be timed.

Learning the correct handling of plants is the main topic in the practical part, the third phase of the school forest project. This includes:

• Theory:
  
  • Materials for work
  • Seeds: where can you find it, what is its quality and how to deal with the seed
    
  • Creating patches
  • Seed
  • Irrigation
  • Isolation young plants
  • Harvesttime (veggies)
• Practice arboretum:
  
  • Defining the area and prearrangements
  • Establishing tree nurseries
  • Seed
  • Irrigation
  • Isolating young plants
    
  • Spreading the plants on the areas, their care and monitoring
    
• Practice vegetable garden:
  • Defining the garden and prearrangements
  • Creating patches depending on the kind of planted vegetable
  • Seed
  • Isolating young plants
  • Care and irrigation
  • First harvest, depending on vegetable, after already two month
  • Establishing places for composting biomass

In phase 2, the children and all stakeholders involved in the project will create an awareness of the interrelations of the environment, using the example of their immediate surroundings. This includes above all the sustainable use of resources and the consequences of exploitation. The children should be made aware of the importance of nature for survival and enjoyment of it. Contents of the 2nd project phase:

• Definition and role of nature
  
  • Waterbalance
  • Mikroclimate
  • Biodiversity
    
• Development of nature in the last ten years
  
  • State former vs. today
  • Which changes were there and which ones will come?
  • How do you assess these and how can you react to them?
  • Prior available knowledge?
  • Other already available materials?
• What are the causes of the changes?
• What role does humans play in this?
  • Forest fires
  • Industry
  • Urban development
  • Garbage/ plastics
  • Industrial agriculture
• What are the consequences?
  • Degradation
  • Pollution (Air/ Water/ Soil)
  • Climatechange
  • Famines
  • Wars
• Possible Solutions
  • Environmental protection and environmental awareness
  • Afforestation
  • Conscious use of existing resources
  • Adaption to the change
  • Interaction nature <-> human (Who needs whom?)
    

Phase 4 of the  project consists in ensuring the continued and ongoing care of the forest as well as the vegetable gardens, even beyond the completion of the actual school forest project. The aim is to integrate into regular school operations.