Education is a key lifeline for world's forests
New survey points out that forest education must be strengthened to meet global challenges [Ein Bild, das Baum, draußen, Pflanze, Boden enthält. Automatisch generierte Beschreibung]
22 June 2021, Rome - Forest education at all levels – from primary schools to universities – is insufficient in many countries of the world, according to the results of a global survey led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Tropical Timber Organizations (ITTO) and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) with the support of other international and regional partners.
According to the survey, more must be done to improve forest education in many parts of the world. While forest education has evolved and the number, diversity and qualifications of graduates have increased in most regions, forest education resources are insufficient or limited in large parts of the global South.
The survey also found that, in most regions, primary and secondary schools are not effectively educating students about forests and trees, or motivating them to pursue forest-related studies and careers. Graduates' understanding of cultural and social aspects of forest and tree management is often limited. Innovative teaching approaches, digital tools and online learning resources are not adequately employed in many regions, and forest education in entrepreneurship and for the preparation of students for the growing green jobs sector is not sufficient in most regions.
"The sustainable management of forests and trees is crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We must reverse deforestation and forest degradation and manage forest resources sustainably," said FAO Deputy-Director General Maria-Helena Semedo in her opening speech at the event. "To do this, we need a well-trained cadre of forest managers, workers, policy makers, scientists and educators. We also need the rich and valuable forest knowledge and skills of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
We urgently need to strengthen all levels of formal education - the forest workforce of the future."
International Conference on Forest Education
Key findings of the survey were unveiled at the International Conference on Forest Education, a three-day event running from 22 – 24 June to shine a light on the important role forest education plays in maximizing the contributions of forests and trees to the Sustainable Development Goals, and for overcoming the growing disconnect between people, nature and forests. The conference is organized by FAO, ITTO and IUFRO, and is supported by the Government of Germany.
During the event, participants<http://www.fao.org/3/cb4723en/cb4723en.pdf> discussed the current state of forest education, sharing their experiences and perspectives through discussions of key challenges, needs, opportunities and initiatives to strengthen forest education. It was agreed that robust forest education and training programmes are vital if we are to reduce the rate of deforestation and forest degradation, protect and restore ecosystems, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and realise the full contributions of forests and trees to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Participants took advantage of the event to endorse a global Call to Action on forest education. The aim is to raise awareness of the need to strengthen policies and strategies to improve forest learning at all levels of education, heighten awareness of the societal importance of careers in forestry, and improve understanding of traditional and indigenous forest-related knowledge.
Steve Johnson, ITTO's Officer-in-charge, endorsed the Call to Action saying that "forests are where most of us learn about the importance of nature in our lives."
"Education and training on forest management is also crucial to ensure forest sustainability and productivity into the future, as well as for developing an informed population that appreciates the many complexities of Sustainable Forest Management. ITTO will continue to contribute to forest education and training throughout the tropics, including through our ground-breaking fellowship program that commenced making awards nearly 30 years ago" he added.
IUFRO President John Parrotta also confirmed the need to strengthen forest education globally. "IUFRO seeks to advance updating of forestry related curriculums, promote innovative and improved teaching approaches and techniques, and help address key gaps in forest education worldwide," he said.
The Call to Action will be open online for a short period after the event to encourage other stakeholders and actors to endorse the message.
Launch of Forest Education Partnership
The three-day event concluded with the launch by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests<http://www.fao.org/policy-support/mechanisms/mechanisms-details/en/c/428692/> of a Joint Initiative on Forest Education<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/98724/en/>, which aims to catalyse action, generate increased awareness and support, and foster partnerships for forest education. In doing so, it plans to establish a Forest Education Partnership, launch an online platform to facilitate information dissemination and networking on forest education, work to improve forest education curricula and training systems and run a global communications campaign to encourage young people to pursue forest-related careers.
*****************************************
News article by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1413180/
Dear Participants,
We are delighted to invite you to the final day of the International Conference on Forest Education, beginning at 08.30AM Central European Summer Time (CEST) on Thursday 24 June.
For more information on the conference and to view the programme, head here<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/conference/en/>.
Zoom event link: https://fao.zoom.us/j/98324579662
Meeting ID: 983 2457 9662
Passcode: 26537142
We are also pleased to release the Call to Action on Forest Education<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/en/>.
It urges immediate action to strengthen forest education, capacity development and knowledge sharing worldwide.
It focuses on eight key actions that are needed to improve formal and informal forest education and training programmes around the world.
Endorse the Call to Action at the link here:
http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/en/
[cid:a77ee321-2291-422a-a5f4-ca7df717d4ab]
Please feel free to distribute this invitation to your wider networks.
We look forward to your participation at the conference tomorrow.
Kind regards,
Global Forest Education Project Secretariat
[cid:image001.jpg@01D76827.5E709A10] [cid:image003.jpg@01D76826.DF2A5B60]
Forest Education is crucial to the future of forests and our lives. Therefore, we must build a more holistic understanding of forests, inclusive of social dimensions.
Join us right now! The International Conference on Forest Education, co-organized by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) in collaboration with other members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), and with generous support from the government of Germany, is discussing ways forward for forest education. Discussions and recommendations will inform a strategic vision to enhance forest education and training methods globally.
Register for the Zoom meeting at: https://fao.zoom.us/j/98324579662 (Passcode: 26537142)
Furthermore, you are encouraged to endorse the Call to Action on Forest Education. The call is a collective appeal from stakeholders around the globe, urging immediate action to strengthen forest education, capacity development and knowledge sharing worldwide. It focuses on eight key actions that are needed to improve formal and informal forest education and training programmes around the world.
Read more about the Call at: http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/en/
Endorse the Call at: https://forms.office.com/r/7afGz8SBpb
[Ein Bild, das Text, Urlaubsort enthält. Automatisch generierte Beschreibung]
Dear friends of the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative:
This year's AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT in Vienna is coming closer and we are looking forward to an exciting event in the Spanish riding school on July 1st, 2021!
For all of you who can´t join us in person, but still want to be part of the action and the intensive networking going on all around the conference, we have added a new feature this year: A special online tool in which you can not only watch the Livestream of the AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT, but also connect with up to 1200 other participants from around the globe virtually.
You can chat with the other participants in an open chat forum about what is happening on stage or hold bilateral online meetings as well as group meetings. In the afternoon, there will also be a moderated discussion round via the chat.
If you would like to join us via this tool, please register here<http://hopin.com/events/austrian-world-summit-2021> until latest the 28th of June 2021!
For further information on the AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT´s program or speakers please go to www.austrianworldsummit.com<http://www.austrianworldsummit.com/>
Delegates from around the world meet to explore ways to boost forest education.
22 June 2021, Rome - Today sees the start of the International Conference on Forest Education<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/conference/en/> - a three-day event to shine a light on the important role forest education plays in maximizing the contributions of forests and trees to the Sustainable Development Goals and in overcoming the growing disconnect between people, nature and forests.
Over a thousand experts are attending the conference, which is organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Tropical Timber Organizations (ITTO) and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), CIFOR-ICRAF and the Secretariats of the UN Forum on Forests and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, with support from Germany.
The results of a global survey on forest education at all levels - from primary schools to universities - will be announced at the conference, which builds on a year-long effort by the FAO-ITTO-IUFRO Global Forest Education Project<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/en/> to collect, synthesise and verify the status of forest education.
"Forests are vital for combatting climate change, for the livelihoods of forest-dependent people, and for providing a secure future for generations to come," said FAO Deputy-Director General Maria-Helena Semedo. "Yet around the world, the environmental, societal and economic importance of forests is being overlooked. We urgently need to revitalize forest education so more people come to value forests for the vital natural resource they are."
The conference aims to help chart a path forward for forest education globally. Delegates including policy-makers, forest educators and forestry students will review the three pillars of forest education and knowledge: formal forest education; non-formal and informal education; and traditional and indigenous knowledge systems.
Themes that will be tackled include addressing gender and ethnicity in forest education; tailoring forest education to the needs of the job market; bringing forests into the lives of primary and secondary schoolchildren; improving the quality of forest education at tertiary level; redressing out-dated perceptions of forest careers through strategic communications; and tapping into digital opportunities to strengthen forest education.
New digital tools to improve forest education
Two new digital tools, which will help drive forward improvements in forest education, will also be unveiled at the conference.
forestra is a new online gateway to global forest education which has been created under the leadership of IUFRO as part of a joint project with FAO-IUFRO-ITTO. forestra will store and facilitate sharing of information on tertiary education, technical and vocational education and training (both short and long-term), and forest-related public environmental education.
"As the world becomes more digitally connected, the opportunity for online resource access grows", said IUFRO President John Parrotta. "The forestra platform has been developed to facilitate this access to knowledge and information related to forest education through an innovative user-friendly search function. It will create connections between education, training and forest-related environmental awareness initiatives at all levels around the world."
In addition, a free online course on Legal and Sustainable Supply Chains (LSSC)<https://lsscourse.com/course/> in the timber industry, developed under the leadership of ITTO, will help support several audiences, including businesses, to meet market requirements.
"The livelihoods of millions of people around the world depend on timber, but these are increasingly under threat from illegal and unsustainable practices," said Steve Johnson, Officer-in-charge, ITTO. "This course will help entrepreneurs, forestry professionals, government officials and students understand best practices in the timber industry while also helping to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals."
Delegates will be invited to endorse a Call to Action on Forest Education at the end of the conference that outlines key actions to strengthen forest education, training and knowledge sharing. The Call to Action will be open online for endorsement by others after the conference.
*************************************
Related links
International Conference on Forest Education<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/conference/en/>
Global Forest Education Project<http://www.fao.org/forestry/forest-education/en/>
forestra [link when live]
Online course on Legal and Sustainable Supply Chains (LSSC)<https://lsscourse.com/course/> [link when live]
