Secondary Vocational School of Forestry Banská Štiavnica

Our forestry school is located in a historic building that has served for forestry education since its establishment in 1892. We organize numerous events for the public every year, with the forestry day being one of the most visited. Our falconers find wide application both domestically and abroad. The tradition of graduation ribbons originated at our school. We also maintain the tradition of farewell before the academic week. The trumpeters are an integral part of forestry events and our school. The Secondary Vocational School of Forestry in Banská Štiavnica currently represents a modern educational institution focused on educating and training future managers in the fields of forestry, hunting, nature conservation, and landscape ecology. The school is located in the building of the former forestry academy, in the beautiful environment of the Botanical Garden, which is part of the school campus. It has very good material-technical and spatial conditions for educational activities and quality personnel support. The school also includes a dormitory with a dining hall and school forests, which serve for practical training of students in forestry operations. Teaching takes place in a four-year program culminating in a graduation exam. Education is conducted in the form of theoretical and practical training. At the beginning of the study, the content of vocational education is primarily focused on preparatory subjects (forestry zoology, forestry botany, forest environment science, etc.). Later, students focus on the study of main, profiling forestry subjects (forest cultivation, forest harvesting, economic management of forests, forest and nature protection, economics and management of forestry, etc.). Professional training is conducted in the form of practical exercises, educational practice, professional operational practice, and individual operational practice. As part of practical training, students acquire skills necessary for performing their future profession and verify the theoretical knowledge gained in practical conditions. The school also prepares students for studies at specialized universities. The focus on forestry operations is for studies at faculties with a forestry focus, and the focus on landscape ecology is for studies with regard to biology, natural sciences, and ecology. In 2019, the school celebrated the 100th anniversary of graduation education and the 210th anniversary of forestry education in Banská Štiavnica. Over time, it has developed into a prestigious educational institution, for which it was awarded an international rating of "A" in 2004, meaning a top institution with international experience from the IES International Education Society. This rating confirms that the combination of modern approaches with rich traditions is the best way to maintain the highest quality. In conclusion, mottos instilled by educators to their students: "Being a forester is not just a profession, it is a mission to cultivate, enhance, protect our forests and preserve them for future generations." "A forester is not just a person in a green uniform; they are someone who gives the forest not only their knowledge, work, and time but also their soul and heart."