Educational Value of School Forests

Education programs at school forests help to meet diverse state mandated standards including science, language arts, math, social studies, environmental education, art, and agriculture education.

Research has shown that using the environment as a theme across subject areas increases standardized test scores, improves attendance, and decreases behavior problems. A school forest should be an extension of the classroom that is used to enhance learning through hands-on, experiential approaches that can’t be accomplished within the four walls of a classroom.

Partnerships with community members, resources, and businesses can be formed at the school forest by utilizing the knowledge and experience of local companies and potentially supplying these companies with products. The school forest can also serve as a community resource by hosting educational events and providing a recreation site for the public.

Forest products, non-timber forest products, and rental of facilities can generate income for the school. Ideally these funds would be invested in the school forest to maintain and support the program.

School forests can help re-localize education and connect students to their natural and human communities. A sense of place is essential in creating relevancy in education as well as assuring that we strive to live well in our place.

School forests serve as the context for understanding how management decisions and their life-style choices are related. The forest provides opportunities for students to become involved in resource management planning, implementing, and utilization of forest products.