Washington, DC, and Portland, OR—Secondary-level students can learn how they are connected to forest ecosystems around the world through a new curriculum module developed by Project Learning Tree, the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation, in partnership with the World Forestry Center, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting sustainable forestry through education and research.
 
 “Nearly 30% of the land area on our planet is covered by forests. The Global Connections: Forests of the World Module explores from a global perspective the factors and challenges impacting this critical global natural resource,” said Al Stenstrup, Director of Education Programs at the American Forest Foundation.

Educators can use all or parts of Global Connections: Forests of the World in biology, geography, agriculture, and other science and social studies courses at the high school or early college level. “The activities in the module are especially appropriate for Advanced Placement and Honors science and social studies classes,” Stenstrup stated. The module consists of nine activities that provide students with the opportunity to do research and apply critical thinking skills to consider the social, economic, and environmental implications that underlie decisions about forest management.

“This curriculum combines the best content and best pedagogy available,” said Rick Zenn, Director of Education at the World Forestry Center. “It responds to a need that teachers expressed through a national survey that showed they are very interested in teaching about world forests with high-quality materials.”

Hundreds of natural resource professionals and educators from around the world helped create and test Global Connections: Forests of the World. The curriculum’s structure is based on the framework of the Montreal Process, an international effort to implement criteria and indicators for forest conservation and sustainable management.

“Everyone says they are in favor of sustainability,” noted Zenn. “Our curriculum draws from the Montreal Process to help students understand what the concept of sustainability really means and how to measure it.”

Educators can obtain a copy of Global Connections: Forests of the World by attending a professional development workshop. Around 2,000 low-cost or free PLT workshops are held every year in communities across the country. In addition, PLT programs in six states—California, Colorado, Indiana, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia—have received grants from the national PLT office to develop innovative ways to introduce Global Connections: Forests of the World to educators and ultimately to students.

Recognized for more than 30 years as a leader in environmental education, PLT teaches students how to think, not what to think, about our environment. PLT enhances critical thinking, problem solving, and effective decision-making skills, and teaches individuals to weigh various sides of an environmental issue to make informed and responsible decisions.

Headquartered in Portland, the World Forestry Center operates an internationally recognized museum, demonstration forests, and outdoor education sites open to the public, a conference center, and a resident fellowship program for forest researchers around the world. Thousands of students and teachers participate in its award-winning education programs each year.

For more information about Global Connections: Forests of the World, visit http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/21_21_17.html. To receive this or other PLT educational materials through a local professional development workshop, visit http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/25_120_0.html.

About Project Learning Tree®
Project Learning Tree® (PLT) is the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation.  PLT provides educators with comprehensive environmental education curriculum resources that can be integrated into lesson plans for all grades and subject areas.  PLT teaches students “how to think, not what to think” about complex environmental issues, and helps students learn the skills they need to make sound choices about the environment.  Developed in 1976, PLT has an international network of more than 500,000 trained educators using PLT materials that cover the total environment.  The American Forest Foundation, a nonprofit organization, works for healthy forests, quality environmental education, and informed decision-making about our communities and our world.

About World Forestry Center
The World Forestry Center is a non-profit organization committed to promoting sustainable forestry through education and research.  Founded in Portland, Oregon in 1964, the World Forestry Center operates an internationally recognized museum, demonstration forests and outdoor education sites open to the public, a conference center, and a residential fellowship program for forest researchers from around the world. Thousands of local, regional, national, and international students and teachers participate in the World Forestry Center's award-winning education programs each year.