Washington, D.C.—A free online course is making it easier for educators, forestry and conservation professionals, and sustainability leaders to help strengthen community connections to trees and increase forest literacy. Forest Literacy: Understanding the Values of Trees, Forests, and Sustainability is a free, two-hour, self-paced course designed for three groups of professionals: individuals considering careers in forestry and conservation, those working in forest-related fields without a background in natural resources (e.g., communications, law, finance, etc.), and educators who want to bring forest literacy into their classrooms.
“This free online course will introduce learners to the many values of trees and forests—and the importance of managing them sustainably,” said Josh Brankman, VP of Education at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). “By creating an interactive learning resource that anyone can access, we will inspire forest conservation and green infrastructure, expand pathways to green careers, and produce advocates that help ensure forests remain a positive force for environmental, economic, and community well-being.”
Developed by Texas A&M Forest Service and Project Learning Tree (PLT), an award-winning educational initiative of SFI, with support from the USDA Forest Service, the course offers practical knowledge to deepen understanding and engagement around the values and benefits of forests. The course was built in collaboration with the foundation of PLT’s Forest Literacy Framework and the Texas Forest Literacy Plan.
“Forest literacy is fundamental for navigating our interconnected world and building a sustainable future. We are thrilled to introduce a course that will strengthen learners’ ability to engage, educate, and advocate for forests through informed action and shared understanding,” said Melanie Villegas-Portillo, Conservation Education Program Specialist at Texas A&M Forest Service.
The self-paced course takes approximately two hours to complete and is broken into six short modules. Participants will explore:
- Values and benefits of forests
- Basics of sustainable forest management
- How forests support communities, economies, and ecosystems
- Real-world examples of forest conservation and ways to share forest knowledge with others
The course supports the next generation of green leaders and both formal and informal education efforts to teach about trees and the environment, aligning with the goals of SFI’s new 2025-2030 Strategic Direction. Start learning today and help grow forest literacy in your community at bit.ly/forestliteracycourse.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
About Project Learning Tree
Project Learning Tree (PLT) is committed to advancing environmental education, forest literacy, and green career pathways, using trees and forests as windows on the world. Our award-winning resources offer a lifetime of learning from early childhood through adulthood, and our wide and diverse network provides professional development for educators and opportunities for young adults to explore forests and green careers. Together, we are growing future forest and conservation leaders. PLT is an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a non-profit charitable organization with the mission of advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaboration. Learn more at plt.org.
About Texas A&M Forest Service
Texas A&M Forest Service provides statewide leadership and technical assistance to ensure trees, forests, and related natural resources are sustained for the benefit of all. The agency supports the state’s incident response capability, protecting against wildfire and responding to a range of all-hazard incidents. Learn more at tfsweb.tamu.edu.
