NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 2009FOR0058-000358 September 18, 2009

Ministry of Forests and Range Council of Forest Industries

 

STUDENTS LEARN HOW FORESTS HELP FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE

 

PRINCE GEORGE – Resource kits that highlight the importance of B.C.’s forests and wood products in tackling climate change are now available for use in elementary and secondary school curriculum, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell announced today.

 

“B.C.’s forests are an important ally in our fight against climate change,” said Bell. “These kits will help young people understand forestry’s role and what they can do about global warming.

 

“For example, did you know that for every cubic metre of tree growth, or approximately the size of a telephone pole, that the tree has absorbed and is storing almost one tonne of carbon? And that if these trees are turned into wood products, they will continue to store carbon for a very long time? These are just a couple of the things students will learn.”

 

The elementary resource kit, titled Climate Change and Our Forests, contains curriculum connections, lesson plans, suggested research topics and activities, DVDs and posters. Topics include the carbon cycle, climate change and our forests, and using wood to help fight climate change. Another resource kit, titled Climate Change, Our Forests, Our Future, will be distributed to secondary schools.

 

The Council of Forest Industries (COFI) created the content in accordance with identified Ministry of Education learning outcomes while Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd. designed and distributed the kits.

 

“We are thrilled to have again partnered with Forestry Innovation Investment to develop these new resources for British Columbia schools,” said Chris Lear, manager, Forest Education, COFI. “The kits provide teachers with new tools to help students learn about the impacts of climate change on our environment and how our forests and its wood products are vital to mitigating those effects.”

 

COFI and FII have previously partnered on three other teaching resource kits that are still used throughout the province – British Columbia’s Mountain Pine Beetle: An Intermediate Teacher’s Resource (2005), B.C.’s Mountain Pine Beetle – Today and Tomorrow: A Secondary Teacher’s Resource (2007) and B.C. Forest Products for the World: A Secondary Teacher’s Resource (2008).

 

 

 

To view the Climate Change and Our Forests resource kit on-line, visit http://www.forest-education.info/teaching/climate_change.html.

 

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Contact:	Cheekwan Ho Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Forests and Range 250 387-8482	Chris Lear Manager, Forest Education COFI, Northern Operations 250 614-4352

 

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