Land Use

Climate Change and Water: Perspectives from the Forest Service is a summary of a forthcoming report by the Forest Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture which will detail the likely impacts of climate change on the Nation's forested watersheds and highlight the importance of managing forests to provide clean, abundant water.

FOCUS is a nationwide campaign in partnership with the Forest Service, NOAA and the Wyland Foundation, which uses art and science to make kids aware of the shared relationship between the health of each ecosystem and the health of the planet. The FOCUS program features mural painting events in communities across the nation.

In this lesson, students explore the ways in which various American cities negotiate the protection of their "green infrastructure," gaining a broader understanding of preserving and planting trees in urban environments. This lesson is best suited for grades 9-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

These modules use forest related examples to help students better understand the complexity of environmental issues. In the Focus on Forests module, students examine issues objectively, collect and analyze data, and become involved in decision making experiences. They learn how to present arguments clearly and how citizens can play a role in forest management decisions.

The students will investigate the important dates of their families' heritage by plotting the timeline of their families' history. They will also become aware of the age of wood and the time it takes for a tree to mature as compared to a human being. They will explore sustainable forestry and forest management in order to gain an appreciation of wood as a renewable resource that requires time and management to reach its full potential. This lesson is best suited for grades 9-12 and adheres to Pennsylvania State Science Standards.

Trees and other landscaping plants can be used to reduce the urban heat island effect and its resultant health and environmental problems. Students will discover and understand how trees and landscaping can be used to improve air quality and help reduce the urban heat island effect. This lesson is best suited for grades 8-9 and adheres to Utah State Science Standards.

Students investigate the complex issue of deforestation and explore possible solutions. They prepare for a research project by reading articles, writing an essay, analyzing wood products and conducting forest management interviews. This lesson is best suited for grades 9-12 and adheres to National Science Education Standards. This lesson includes handouts for both general and AP levels.

Students study climate change by analyzing how the process of maple syrup production in New England will change with the climate. They also investigate other factors that change the environmental dynamics of the forests of Northern New England. This lesson is best suited for grades 9-12 and adheres to National Science Education Standards as well as several state standards in the New England region.

In this lesson, students will partake in a role-play activity to examine the current system of watershed management in Northern California, exploring whom it benefits and whom it harms. They will then design an alternative means of management that better addresses the interconnectedness of the water and forests. This lesson is best suited for grades 9-12 and adheres to California Science Content Standards.

In this lesson, students will learn about the various parts of a tree trunk. Students will then build a tree trunk with all of its parts and make an art project covered with pseudo veneer. This lesson is best suited for grades 5-8 and adheres to Pennsylvania State Science Standards.