Forest and Sustainability Education

Here you will find lesson plans, activities, presentations, videos and other resources to support learning about forests, forest-based materials, deforestation, forest management and FSC certification. Plus useful links to other organisations that provide quality education materials about forests and the environment.

Click here to receive education news and updates from FSC UK.

Children from Gaer Nursery and Infant School hugging a tree on FSC Friday
Forest Week 2024

FSC Forest Week

Held annually, FSC Forest Week is a worldwide campaign which aims is to inspire people to act by choosing FSC-certified products when they shop.

This year FSC Forest Week (21-27 September) highlights the FSC's work and forest stewards’ role in fighting climate change and biodiversity loss. 2024 marks 30 years since FSC started its mission. You can be part of this journey by taking the small steps that create big change throughout the week, working to raise awareness and promote FSC’s impact.  

Although the campaign Toolkit is designed primarily for businesses, schools and youth groups can also register for FSC Forest Week - there's no better time to learn about FSC!

What is FSC?

This introduction to the Forest Stewardship Council, designed primarily for Key Stage 3 (KS3) and upper Key Stage 2 (KS2), covers:

  • The FSC logo
  • The meaning of ‘Forest Stewardship Council’
  • FSC membership
  • Indigenous Peoples and forests
  • Plants and animals in forests
  • How forests help manage water and protect soils
  • Forests and climate change
  • The history and benefits of using wood
  • Other forest-based products
  • Deforestation
  • How FSC-certified companies are checked
  • The FSC labels
Presentation: What is the Forest Stewardship Council?
PPTX, Size: 4.61MB
Teacher's Notes: What is FSC?
PDF, Size: 53.49KB

Where is it from?

In this Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson plan, investigate natural resources from forests and the products made with them and consider from where and how materials are sourced and used, considering issues of sustainability.

National Curriculum Links:

  • Design & Technology
  • Geography
  • Education for Sustainable Development (& Global Citizenship)
  • Learning for Sustainability
Presentation: Where is it from?
PPTX, Size: 11.01MB
Lesson Plan: Where is it from?
PDF, Size: 296.48KB
Lesson Plan: The Forest Friendly School Project
PDF, Size: 122.28KB

The Forest-Friendly School Project

Explore the links between the school and the forest environment and identify practical ways to reduce the school’s environmental impact, in this lesson plan for upper Key Stage 2 (KS2) and Key Stage 3 (KS3).


National Curriculum Links:

  • Geography
  • Education for Sustainable Development (& Global Citizenship)
  • Learning for Sustainability

Videos

Introducing FSC

How does FSC work?

FSC Forest Management Certification

FSC Chain of Custody Certification

Temperate Rainforest Restoration

Wildlife in FSC-certified Tropical Forests

Forest and Environment Education Resources from Other Organisations

Links to quality, free education materials about forests and the environment from other organisations. For reciprocal link requests please contact education@fsc-uk.org.

  • BBC Bitesize

    Click the button for this resource, suitable for primary school learners, in which you can learn about:

    • Why we use wood
    • Why trees are important
    • Deforestation
    • How we can use wood sustainably

    Or click here to learn about:

    • What a forest is
    • Different types of forest
    • Why forests are important
    • How we can protect and conserve forests
  • Better Planet Education

    Better Planet Education (formerly Young People’s Trust for the Environment) is a charity that encourages young people’s understanding of the environment. It aims to give young people (and an increasing number of adults) clear and balanced information on a wide range of environmental issues, including climate change, plastic pollution, deforestation and endangered species.

  • Eco-Schools

    Eco-Schools is one of the largest global sustainable schools programme – it starts in the classroom and expands to the community by engaging the next generation in action-based learning.

    The Eco-Schools Seven Steps methodology is a series of  carefully engineered measures  to help schools maximise the success of their Eco-School ambitions.

    Click the button below to visit Eco-Schools England, or visit:

  • Forestry and Land Scotland

    What makes our national forests such special places? Here you can discover all about the things Forestry and Land Scotland look after for Scotland’s people.

  • Forestry England

    The nation's forests offer fantastic learning opportunities through hands-on experiences in the great outdoors. Bring your curriculum topics to life with Forestry England's free educational resources and forest visits.

  • Foundation for Environmental Education

    FEE Academy is an online learning site developed to support FEE's global members and their networks of students, teachers, hotel managers, site operators and more by providing them with key tools and resources to help them to successfully implement the five FEE programmes and work towards achieving our three strategic goals: empowering climate action, protecting global diversity and reducing environmental pollution.

  • Learning about Ecosystems and Forests (LEAF)

    Most LEAF educational materials are produced at the national level by the LEAF National Operators. At the link below you can find inspiring educational resources produced by teachers from the LEAF network, LEAF National Operators and LEAF International.

     

  • Natural Resources Wales

    Resources and activity plans from Foundation Phase to Lifelong Learning, covering everything from how to measure a tree’s height to calculating how much carbon is locked up in an individual tree.

    Curriculum links are included in the documents and all the activities will help you deliver many aspects of the National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) and Digital Competence Framework.

  • Royal Forestry Society

    Resources to give children and young people an insight into a career in forestry and support them in learning more about the amazing world of trees and forestry, including the Junior Forester Award, Green Tree Badge and Level 1 Award in Forestry in the Community.

  • Size of Wales

    Size of Wales is a unique charity that is making Wales part of the global solution to climate change. They provide a bank of free educational resources that support lessons on climate change and tropical forests.

  • Woodland Trust

    A wealth of free resources to help teachers deliver engaging and memorable outdoor learning.

    Resources are linked to the English national curriculum (KS1, KS2 and KS3), but they're suitable for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland too. 

WWF UK

WWF UK's work with schools is part of their mission to build a brighter future for both people and nature. Watch their 'What wood you choose?' video about FSC and click the button below for classroom resources, activities, events and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses. 

playpress

News, Comments and Questions

 

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Comments, feedback and requests regarding education resources from FSC UK should be sent to education@fsc-uk.org