Decisions, Decisions
Decisions about community land use are complex and often involve many people in many ways. In this activity, students use trees as a backdrop to develop a land-use plan.
Human Impacts
Seeking Sustainability
Learners explore the concept of sustainability by examining the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, while also taking a look at some jobs involved in ensuring forest sustainability.
Monitoring Forest Health
Through a variety of health indicators, learners assess the health of a forest area and see how soil scientists, wildlife biologists, arborists, and other forest professionals monitor forests.
If You Were the Boss
Acting as foresters, learners grapple with decisions about how to manage a forest sustainably while serving different needs.
Who Works in this Forest?
As an introduction to some of the people who work in and on behalf of forests, learners research different forest sector careers to learn what it takes to perform these jobs.
Researching Forests Around the World
Students explore their connections to the world’s forests by researching a forest in another country or region and by creating a profile about that forest.
Analyzing Patterns of Forest Change
Students analyze factors that can change forests by using data sets, maps and other information. They also examine projections about future climate conditions and explore how these factors may change forests in the 21st century.
Mapping the World’s Forests
A holistic system of global ecological zones is now used to classify the world’s forests. In this activity, students examine this system to see how temperature and moisture determine the type of forest in a given locale.
Climate Change and Forests
Students use a carbon footprint calculator to analyze their personal effect on carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, calculate the amount of carbon stored in a single tree, and explore how carbon sequestration can affect CO2 levels.
Monitoring Forest Health
Students conduct a forest health checkup of a local forest area, will take forestry measurements, and will evaluate the ecological services provided by trees and forests.