EXPANSION OF SCHOOL FOREST

[Anchor Lead]

Worsening global warming has prompted more intense efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emission. Schools have created more school forests and strengthened carbon-neutral education to overcome this environmental crisis.

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High school students dance to a cheerful tune. Their movements are captured on paper by other students. This integrated class that combines art and dance is taking place in a school forest. Learning came more easily for the students since they started studying in the forest. It also helped stabilize their emotions and sharpen their ecological sensitivity.

[Soundbite] Ham Da-yeon(Senior, Chungbuk Arts High School) : "The multitude of trees is a source of inspiration for drawing or dancing or playing music."

There are 52 such school forests in the Chungcheongbuk-do region alone. The Chungcheongbuk-do Office of Education is encouraging schools to create forests on school grounds to teach students the importance of environmental protection and cut carbon dioxide emission in the face of a climate crisis.

[Soundbite] Kim Byoung-woo(Chungbuk Superintendent of Education(Apr. 6)) : "Climate change and carbon neutrality have emerged as education topics. We knew about the importance of environmental education before the pandemic."

The Ministry of Education is also expanding environmental education to include direct participation, instead of merely experiencing nature, to help young people realize the importance of our environment.

[Soundbite] Yoo Eun-hye(Minister of Education(Apr. 6)) : "Climate change is an issue directly related to our survival. Environmental education must be sustainable and carried out in our daily lives."

In the era of climate and environmental crises, these students are learning how to coexist with nature and care for nature in the ecological environments created in their schools.