Forest use Vs. Forest protection

Forests toolkit #7 – Providing a multitude of forest ecosystem services for society – a balancing act

This activity aims to sensitise students to the multitude of ecosystem services that forests provide to society as well as the challenges of meeting the needs of many different interest groups. The activity uses outdoor learning sites known as “marteloscopes”. Marteloscopes are delineated forest areas where data has been recorded for all standing trees. The data is made available to students via an innovative, easy-to-use, educational software (“I+ Trainer” software) running on mobile devices (tablets/mobile phones).

Given guidance, pupils can experience not only forests hands-on and observe trees closely. They can also gain an understanding of how and why forests are managed, why biodiversity in forest ecosystems is important, and how to come to solutions if forests should meet multiple demands such as providing wood for valuable wood products, be a place for recreation, and serve as a home for plants and animals.

Forests toolkit #5 – Design of sustainable products from forests

This teaching and learning sequence are suitable for students ages 10 -14, concern education for sustainability and integrate several school subjects, e.g., science, technology, entrepreneurship and social science. The open schooling project is performed in collaborations with a science center (Exploratoriet), a cooperative of forest industries (Mera Skog), and Sweden’s research institute and innovation partner (RISE) to involve students in sustainable forest product design. The teaching learning activity contribute to teaching for sustainable development by focussing on creativity processes, as living today requires new strategies to handle the future. The project was named “Skogssnilleblixten”, which roughly translates as a combination of the terms forest and stroke of genius.

Forests toolkit #4 – Different perspectives on forest use

This teaching-learning sequence consists of two activities that can be used as an introduction for students’ work with the theme Forest us vs. Forest protection. It particularly familiarizes students with some different perspectives on and relationships with the forest. The two activities are especially suitable for use in topics such as Forest use vs. Forest protection, where several subjects (e.g. science, cívics, Language, technology) can be combined.

Forests toolkit #3 – How is the debate on forests portrayed by the media?

The aim of this activity is to enable students’ engagement in meaningful science-society interaction and the development of critical thinking competence in the area of “Forest use vs. Forest Protection”. It enables students to gain insights into the work and considerations of a journalist and highlight core aspects which distinguish journalism from opinion-makers with different agendas. At the same time, students gain insight into local forest-related issues.

Forests toolkit #1 – Humans and the forests: Interviews with three generations

Forests are one of our most important natural resources, and part of the solution to the challenges we face. People and stakeholders have different interests in forests, underpinned by environmental, economic, cultural and social values. Often, these interests and values conflict with one another. How to manage forests is a complex and highly topical issue.

The aim of this activity is to place the forest theme in an authentic, local and historic context, and to highlight its relevance to students’ everyday lives. Conducting this activity contributes to highlighting different perspectives on the topic of Forest use vs. Forest protection.

Forest use vs. Forest protection toolkit

Forests are one of our most important natural resources, and part of the solution to the global and local socio-environmental challenges we face. People and stakeholders have different interests in forests, underpinned by environmental, economic, cultural and social values. Often, these interests and values conflict with one another. How to manage forests is a complex and highly topical issue.

This toolkit uses real-life examples on the subject of forests to increase students’ commitment and willingness/ability to discuss complex topics and trade-offs, to make decisions based on economic, ecological, cultural, and social perspectives, to find compromises, and to develop different pathways for action.