14 November 2024

The importance of Green Education: Insights from the Europea Seminar 2024

Teagasc Education staff attended the recent Europea 2024 course and seminar in Sopron, Hungary, which provided constructive insights into the state of green education across Europe, Graham Fallon, College Technician at the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, tells us more.

Held at the Fagus Hotel near the Austrian border, the event brought together educators and students. The itinerary included visits to the Roth Gyula Forestry School, the Erdó Háza Wildlife Park, and the Gyor-Moson forest, which is collaboratively managed with students from Roth Gyula. Participants later visited the Pan-European Picnic Memorial Park, commemorating Hungary’s peaceful role in the fall of the Iron Curtain, adding a meaningful historical dimension to the event.

These experiences underscored a significant takeaway from the seminar: the noticeable lack of urban youth participation in green sectors such as horticulture, agriculture, and forestry, particularly in Ireland.

An early approach to green education

Despite being a fundamental demographic, urban youth often face a variety of barriers that limit their engagement in these fields. These challenges include minimal exposure to green industries during their school years and a decreasing connection to nature, exacerbated by biodiversity loss and urban expansion.

Unlike many European countries where green career education begins in playschool, Ireland has not yet adopted a similar approach. Highlighting the need for early integration of green education into school curricula, to foster interest and awareness from a young age. The Botanic Gardens, located in Dublin, presents a unique opportunity for outreach, ideally situated to engage urban youth and spark their interest in the diverse possibilities within green careers.

Pictured from left to right at the recent Europea event in Sopron, Hungary are: Teagasc staff Leanne Tobin , Brian Morrissey , James Maher , Graham Fallon; along with Nicolas Negretti, General Secretary, Europea International. 

Expanding educational initiatives and incorporating horticulture into primary and secondary school curricula could significantly impact future generations. By embedding green education into the heart of learning, young people can discover the value and potential of careers that contribute to environmental sustainability. This is more than just a strategy for workforce development, it is an investment in fostering a culture where future generations value and actively engage with the natural world.

This shift could inspire young minds to not just see green careers as viable but as essential pathways to preserving and enriching the world they will inherit.

More on the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture

The College of Amenity Horticulture is located at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Dublin, thus providing students with a unique training opportunity. The college aims to train students for employment in the amenity horticulture industry.

Find out more about the courses offered at the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture here.

Also read: Apprenticeships proving popular at Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture