21–24 October 2024
Curonian Spit National Park Nature School, Nida
25–29 November 2024
Neringa Forest Classroom, Juodkrante
Nida Art Colony of Vilnius Academy of Arts, Nida
As part of the Neringa Municipality initiative to promote the development of an Educational Cluster that connects Neringa Gymnasium with art and cultural organisations in the Neringa and Klaipėda regions, Nida Art Colony of Vilnius Academy of Arts, in collaboration with the Curonian Spit National Park and the Old Growth Forest Foundation, is conducting the first series of outdoor educational activities. This programme focuses on exploring the dynamics of ecosystems within the forests, coastal areas, and sand dunes of the Curonian Spit, with a strong emphasis on biodiversity and understanding human impacts on nature.
This educational programme brings together teachers from Neringa Gymnasium, environmental educators, botanists, mycologists, and artists in a cross-sectoral initiative that encourages experiential learning and interdisciplinary collaboration. By connecting natural sciences and the arts, the programme provides students and participants with a holistic perspective on environmental stewardship, fostering a deeper understanding of the local landscape and its delicate ecological relationships.
The programme begins with a session led by Curonian Spit National Park educator Gvidas Laukaitis. Over the course of four days, from 21 to 24 October, students from four classes in grades 1–4 engage in outdoor explorations to learn about the unique formation of the sand dunes that define the Curonian Spit. They study the varying sizes and characteristics of sand grains, observing how natural forces shape the dunes over time. Through extensive guided walks and practical exercises such as building a model of the protective dune using sand and natural materials, the pupils experience the dunes up close, gaining an understanding of their meaning to the local ecosystem and how they interact with surrounding flora and fauna.
From 25 to 29 November, Nida Art Colony of Vilnius Academy of Arts hosts a session focused on understanding the delicate ecological processes within an old-growth forest, led by Sengirės Fondas experts: mycologist Aurelija Pluke and botanist Vilma Gudynienė. These sessions take place within the forest and are joined by artist Aistė Ambrazevičiūtė, who guides participants in translating and deepening their forest experiences by exploring the intricate forms and representations of slime moulds and lichens on a molecular scale, revealing a spectrum of unique colours and forms and allowing participants to observe and appreciate the hidden complexity of these forest organisms, transforming scientific exploration into an artistic lens on biodiversity.
Their work is supported by the environmental educator Riita (Nyyskä) Nykänen from Mustarinda Association in Finland. Nyyskä develops learning materials and introduces new approaches to outdoor environmental education supporting learning in nature, proposing teachers with new tools and strategies for engaging students with their natural surroundings.
The outdoor programme is centered around the Neringa Forest Classroom, a structure with a roof and seating platforms nestled within Juodkrantė’s old-growth forest, along the dendrological path near the ‘Sound Catcher’ installation. This classroom serves as both a continuation and the final phase of the Children’s Forest Pavilion, initially presented as Lithuania’s pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia 2023. Constructed entirely from timber sourced from the Curonian Spit, the pavilion was originally designed as an educational playscape for the biennale, with the aim of relocating it to the Neringa forests as a permanent, publicly accessible installation. This transformation allows the classroom to continue its purpose as a site for ecological and cultural education, welcoming all who wish to explore and learn from the surrounding natural landscape.
During the five days of environmental workshops, the Neringa Forest Classroom – whose structure subtly blends with the fragile forest landscape – acts as a starting and gathering point, a natural landmark from which pupils can embark on exercises that deepen their engagement with the ecosystem, immersing them in the very environment they are learning about.
Educators: Aistė Ambrazevičiūtė, Aurelija Pluke and Vilma Gudynienė (Sengirės Fondas), Gvidas Laukaitis (Curonian Spit National Park), Riita (Nyyskä) Nykänen (Mustarinda Association)
Curators: Jurga Daubaraitė, Egija Inzule, Jonas Žukauskas
Educational programme coordinator: Dovilė Lapinskaitė
Neringa Forest Classroom architecture: Jonas Žukauskas in collaboration with Antanas Gerlikas, Jurgis Paškevičius, Anton Shramkov
Produced and created by: Neringa Forest Architecture
Implemented by: Nida Art Colony of Vilnius Academy of Arts
Partners: Curonian Spit National Park, Lithuanian National Forestry, Mustarinda Association, Neringa Gymnasium, Neringa Municipality, Sengires Fondas
Project financed by: Lithuanian Council For Culture, Neringa Municipality