Ocena programów kształcenia z zakresu rekreacyjnego użytkowania lasu przez absolwentów średnich i wyższych szkół leśnych zatrudnionych w Lasach Państwowych

The study presents the assessment of forest curricula in terms of their content related to recreational use of forests based on the opinions expressed by the graduates of secondary schools and universities that are employed in the State Forests National Forest Holding. The e−mail survey was conducted in a group of 386 randomly selected employees of the State Forests representing regional directorates in Białystok, Katowice, Krosno, Radom, Warszawa and Zielona Góra. Analyses took into account exclusively the responses provided by graduates of secondary and higher schools of forestry (n=362). In order to examine whether there were statistically significant differences between the responses provided by those who completed secondary schools (SS) versus higher education (HE), the findings were subjected to Χ² test. This method was also used to find out if there were age−related differences in the responses. The results show that, regardless of the type of the completed school of forestry (SS – 14%, HE – 86%) vast majority of the graduates thought that the knowledge related to recreational use of forests which they had acquired in course of education was insufficient (61% for SS, 64% for HE) or indeed non−existent (6 and 8% respectively). The results show no statistically significant differences between the responses relative to the type of completed school (Χ²=0.9813, df=2, p=0.05) or the respondent age (Χ²=12.7462, df=8, p=0.05). The findings of the study support opinions related to the need of reforming curricula in schools of forestry at all the stages of education. The level of knowledge related to the recreational use of forests contained in the curricula of schools of forestry was assessed similarly, regardless of the graduates' age. Despite the more and more extensive research into forest−based recreation, and the growing interest of the public in this type of leisure, for four decades the curricula have not been visibly amended to include the relevant contents. Given the above, forest science curricula, both at the secondary and university level, should be supplemented as soon as possible with issues related to recreational use of forests.