Texas A&M Forest Service and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative launched an online forestry education course—Forest Literacy: Understanding the Values of Trees, Forests and Sustainability.
The online course is designed to provide access to forest and natural resource concepts to all formal and informal educators, academic administrators, natural resource personnel and others who engage in public outreach about forests across the United States and Canada.
The purpose of the course is to empower educators, parents and community members to deepen their understanding of forests and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
“Forest literacy is fundamental for navigating our interconnected world and building a sustainable future,” said Melanie Villegas-Portillo, Texas A&M Forest Service Conservation Education Program Specialist. “This course will strengthen each learner’s ability to engage, educate and advocate for the forests through informed action and shared understanding.”
Topics covered in the course include the ecological and societal roles of forests; forest ecosystem functions and indicators of forest health; forests’ roles in human well-being, biodiversity and climate resilience; deforestation, urbanization, pollution and environmental impacts on forest ecosystems; forest health management; and personal forest stewardship encouragement.
The online course is self-paced and can be completed in two hours.
All participants who pass the course will receive a certificate of completion. Texas teachers seeking continual professional educational credits may request their Texas Education Agency certificate after completing the course.
The concepts introduced in the course are designed within the scope of the Texas Forest Literacy Plan, a framework available to students, teachers and families for learning about the important role forests play in Texas and beyond. This framework prepares Texans to make sustainable decisions about the use and management of natural resources across industries and in everyday life.
The course was created in partnership with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, an independent nonprofit addressing local and global sustainability challenges.
“This free online course will introduce learners to the many values of trees and forests—and the importance of managing them sustainably,” said Josh Brankman, Sustainable Forestry Initiative Vice President of Education. “By creating an interactive learning resource that anyone can access, we will inspire forest conservation and green infrastructure, expand pathways to green careers and produce advocates that help ensure forests remain a positive force for environmental, economic and community well-being.”
Learn more about the Forest Literacy course and enroll here: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/asset-external/forest-literacy-understanding-the-values-of-trees-forests-and-sustainability/.
