Project Learning Tree is an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)—a non-profit organization with the mission of advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaboration. We work to advance environmental literacy, stewardship, and career pathways, using trees and forests as windows on the world.
PLT is characterized by three equally important components:
Instructional materials for grades PreK-12
Our high-quality units and lesson plans supplement existing curricula in schools and enhance educational programming in non-formal settings. The activities can be integrated into lesson plans for all grade levels and subject areas—especially STEM, reading, writing, and social studies.
Activities for Educators
Carefully designed professional development
We help educators learn how to integrate environmental education into their teaching and become comfortable teaching outdoors—in urban, suburban, and rural environments. Workshops and online courses also teach how to engage their community in taking action to address local environmental issues.
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An extensive distribution and support network
PLT is delivered in all 50 states and several countries through a large and diverse network of partners. Because PLT programs are directed and implemented locally, educators also receive community connections, local resources, and other collaborative support.
Find Your Local PLT
Together, we are growing future forest and conservation leaders.
Since our founding, PLT has reached
138 MILLION
Students through
765,000 EDUCATORS
in all 50 STATES
PLT helps develop students’ awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the environment, builds their skills and ability to make informed decisions, and encourages them to take personal responsibility for sustaining the environment and our quality of life that depends on it.
Through the community action components of many PLT activities—plus PLT’s service-learning programs GreenSchools and GreenWorks!—PLT encourages students to improve their school, home, and neighborhood based on what they learn in the classroom.
By teaching students how to think—rather than what to think—about complex environmental issues, we are helping young people learn the problem-solving skills they need to make informed choices about the environment. We are also helping to prepare a 21st century workforce faced with devising solutions to increasingly complex environmental issues, like climate change and energy.
PLT's Award-Winning Materials
Latest Resources
Every month, we carefully select new tools and resources that enhance PLT’s lessons. These include tips curated by teachers, STEM strategies, recommending reading, apps, videos, and more.
Resource
Increasing Bird Habitat in Forests
SFI and American Bird Conservancy joined forces to create a free booklet—Bird Friendly Forests: Opportunities for Private Forest Landowners in the Southern United States—that showcases ways landowners can manage their forests for bird habitat.
Educator Tips
A Tool for Your Science Toolbox: Natural Inquirer
Natural Inquirer is a free science education journal written for middle through high school age students. Learn more about the variety of PLT resources that have been correlated to Natural Inquirer articles.
Educator Tips
8 Differentiated Instruction Techniques to Reach Diverse Learners
Project Learning Tree encourages teachers to provide students with multiple options for taking in information, processing ideas, and expressing what they have learned — both in the classroom and outdoors. We include suggestions for differentiated ins
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