LEAF Lesson Guides - Original
Rationale for Forestry Education
- General Overview
- Rationale for Forestry Education
- Guide Introduction
- Unit-based Approach
- What's in the Guide?
- Getting the Guide
- Supplemental Resources
Step into any Wisconsin
school building and chances are you'll find students learning about
rainforests. If you ask the students what they have learned, they might say
something about the value of rainforests in sustaining biodiversity and the
capturing of greenhouse gases. They might say something about the
displacement of indigenous cultures, extinction, or the need to stop
deforestation.
Ask the same students about Wisconsin's forests, and they might not have an answer. Although the understanding of global issues is indeed important, students first need to understand their own "backyard." This includes studying local ecosystems, local human systems (both economic and social), and how they are all interrelated.
Historically, Wisconsin's forests provided jobs for a growing immigrant workforce, building materials for a developing nation, and dollars for a fledgling state economy. Forests continue today as an important part of Wisconsin. Our forests cover 46% of the state. They provide habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, and a basis for a major part of Wisconsin's economy. Our forests benefit each of us through the protection of Wisconsin's air and water quality, their beauty, and the products they provide. You might say that our forests are a basic human life support system, affecting the quality of life that we all enjoy.
Today, our forests face the greatest potential for change since 19th century logging. On the near horizon are changes in forest ecosystems, forest demands, and forest values. As our population continues to grow and the demands on our forests increase, Wisconsin's citizens will need to play an active role in sustaining our forests as ecosystems and human systems. To do this our citizens need the knowledge and skills to make decisions and to understand the impact of their choices.
Why do students know more about rainforests? Organizations have done a good job of developing and marketing education materials and resources. Similar efforts related to Wisconsin forests have been incomplete until now.
LEAF is a long-term program designed to bring together existing efforts and provide the resources necessary to help schools infuse forestry education into their current curriculum. This guide is a key component of the LEAF Program, helping to increase forestry literacy in Wisconsin schools.