Welcome to the 

World’s Forests edition 

of the Natural Inquirer!

Summer 2011

©Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 

of the United Nations

United States Forest Service

Eduardo Rojas-Briales

Assistant Director-General

Forestry Department, FAO

Tom Tidwell

Chief

US Forest Service, Washington, DC

Jimmy L. Reaves

Deputy Chief for Research

Jim Hubbard

Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry

With thanks to:

Safiya Samman

Staff Director

Conservation Education

US Forest Service

John Sebelius

Staff Director

Science Quality Services

US Forest Service

Brad Smith

Research Forester

Quantitative Sciences

US Forest Service

Stuart Ryman

Chairman

Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive 

Association

Monica Garzuglia, Mette Wilkie, Ken MacDicken

Örjan Jonsson, Remi D’Annunzio

Forestry Department, FAO

Babs McDonald

Editor

US Forest Service

Jessica Nickelsen

Co-editor

Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive 

Association

Nazaarah Rivera

Layout 

Giulio Tiberi

Cartograms: 

Benjamin Hennig

University of Sheffield, UK

Cover photos: 

FAO/FO-7002/H.B.Günsen, F. Urbani, Forest 

Management Institute Czech Republic, 

FAO/FO-3103/C.Mole, FAO/FO-6998/H.B.Günsen

Students Reviews:

Rachel Wilson

Appalachian State University, US

The Natural Inquirer is an integrated science 

education journal for students aged 11-14. 

In the United States where the journal was 

first published, the Natural Inquirer presents 

research from scientists working in the 

United States Department of Agriculture’s 

Forest Service.

This edition of the Natural Inquirer presents 

the results of a worldwide effort to understand 

the world’s forests, organized by the United 

Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 

or FAO. The report from which this Natural 

Inquirer was created is the Global Forest 

Resources Assessment 2010. It contains 

information from 233 countries and territories 

around the world. This is the second edition of 

the World’s Forests Natural Inquirer. The first 

was published in 2008 and was based on the 

Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005.

Visit:

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra/en

http://www.fao.org/kids/en/forestry.html

http://foris.fao.org/static/data/fra2010/

mosaic.pdf Mosaic created with AndreaMosaic - www.andreaplanet.com
Table of Contents

Educators! Go first to the “Educator Resources” section on page 47 

The Natural Inquirer Editorial Review Board at Work

Welcome to the World’s Forests edition 

of the Natural Inquirer!

Thinking about the World’s Forests

Thinking about Science

Introduction to the Inquiries

Inquiry 1: What kinds of forests grow on Earth and where 

are they found?

Inquiry 2: Biodiversity and the World’s Forests

Inquiry 3: What do forests do for the world’s environment 

and its people?

Inquiry 4: What do the world’s forests have to do with 

global climate change?

Inquiry 5: How well are we managing our forests worldwide?

Glossary

Educator Resources

Lesson Plans Introduce the Natural Inquirer 

Lesson plan for “Welcome to the World’s Forests edition!”

Lesson Plan for “Thinking about the World’s Forests”

Lesson Plan for “Thinking about SCIENCE”

Lesson Plan for “Introduction to the Inquiries”

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 1

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 2

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 3

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 4

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 5

Reflection Section Answer Guide

Educational Concepts Addressed By the Inquiries

What Does FAO Do?

What is the USDA Forest Service?

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Glossary words are defined on page 45 4 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

I think the information should have been a little more in-depth. 

This Inquirer was really fantastic and educational for the 

youths especially who want to become environmentalist etc. 

It was cool!!!

The Natural Inquirer was a really good idea to do and the 

facts were pretty awesome. It’s just the charts are a bit 

complicated. The activities and fun facts were great!

The Natural Inquirer 

Editorial Review Board at work!
Glossary words are defined on page 45 5 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

The scientists have very accurate calculations.

The mathematical calculations are very fun. The calculations 

help you understand the articles even more. 

I think there should be more simple calculations.

I think it was a good idea to prepare such a booklet and FAO is 

doing a really good job which will help persons around the 

world learn about the importance and benefits of the forests.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 6 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

The Natural Inquirer is an interesting book. It gives you a lot 

of information about the worlds’ forests. And it also gives you 

information about things you never knew about. 

I think that the article in the magazine was good, 

easy to understand and I loved the part about the 

climate change and greenhouses gases. I know anyone who read 

this magazine would benefit a lot.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 7 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Welcome to the World’s Forests edition

of the Natural Inquirer!

Have you heard of the United Nations (UN)? The 

UN is a world organization established in 1945. 

Today, 192 countries are members of the UN. 

These nations are working together for peace, 

human rights, freedom, and social progress.

The Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, 

is a part of the UN. FAO’s mission is to build a 

world where no one goes hungry. To do this, 

it helps developing countries and countries in 

transition modernize and improve agriculture, 

forestry, and fisheries practices. FAO also helps 

these countries provide healthy nutrition for all 

their citizens.

For many years, FAO has been collecting 

information about the world’s forests. You may 

think it is unusual for an organization concerned 

with food and agriculture to be studying forests. 

Trees, however, are important for human nutrition 

and health. 

Forests are a source of food, including fruits, 

nuts, mushrooms, herbs, spices, and animals. 

Forests provide wood that can be used to build 

houses, heat homes, and cooks meals. Forests 

provide fibres for building houses, making 

clothing, and for other building purposes. Trees 

provide resins that are used in many products. 

Trees also provide medicines. They help protect 

soil and water necessary for food crops. Trees 

also help protect the environment and they 

reduce the impact of climate change. 

You do the math: 

How old is the UN today?

Glossary: 

Words in bold are included in the 

glossary on page 45. If you do not 

understand the word, be sure to use the 

glossary!

International 

Year of Forests: 

The United Nations 

General Assembly 

declared 2011 as 

the International 

Year of Forests to 

raise awareness 

on sustainable

m a n a g e m e n t , 

conservation, and sustainable 

development of all types of forests. The 

UN’s International Year of Forests Web 

site is a global platform to celebrate 

people’s action to sustainably manage 

the world’s forests. 

http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/

The International Year of Forests 2011 

logo conveys the theme of “Forests 

for People.” The logo celebrates the 

central role of people in the sustainable 

management, conservation, and 

sustainable development of our world’s 

forests. The elements in the design show 

some of the many values of forests. 

Forests provide shelter for people 

and habitat to support biodiversity. 

Forests are a source of food, medicine, 

and clean water. Forests play a vital role 

in maintaining a stable global climate 

and environment. The logo reminds us 

that forests are vital to the survival and 

wellbeing of people everywhere.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 8 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

People use forests and plant trees for the many 

benefits trees provide.

Trees are often planted in a manner similar to food 

crops, except that it takes many years for trees or 

their products to be ready for harvesting (Figure 

1). The more knowledge FAO can collect about 

trees and forests, the more successfully it can 

help countries like yours to manage forests wisely. 

More information also helps your country take 

better advantage of forest benefits. These benefits 

improve the lives of all people. You will learn about 

the benefits provided by forests in Inquiry 3. 

Every 5 years, FAO publishes a report about 

the world’s forests. This journal was written 

from the Global Forest Resources Assessment 

2010. It contains information about forests in 

233 countries and territories. All together, these 

forests are the world’s forests. No matter where 

these forests are located, they provide benefits 

for people and wildlife across the entire planet.

In this edition of the Natural Inquirer, you will learn 

about the world’s forests. FAO divided the world 

into regions (Figure 2). Most of the information 

in this journal is presented according to these 

regions. Africa, for example, is considered one 

region. Take a moment to find the region where 

you live.

Is this the first 

World’s Forests

Natural Inquirer? 

This is the second World’s Forests 

Natural Inquirer! More than 55 000 

copies of the last edition were printed 

and distributed. FAO translated it into 

French, Chinese and Arabic, while 

other translated versions were made 

available thanks to national initiatives. 

The Czech version was made available 

thanks to the Forest Management 

Institute (ÚHÚL) of the Czech Republic 

(http://www.lesnipedagogika.cz), 

the Spanish version was realized by 

the National Forestry Commission 

of Mexico (CONAFOR) (http://

ww.conafor.gob.mx:8080/biblioteca/

ver.aspx?articulo=339). Recently the 

publication has been translated into 

Mongolian by a FAO project working for 

the management and conservation of 

forests in Mongolia.

The Ocean in Arid Land Organization, 

an NGO based in Kenya, has a 5 year 

project aimed at planting 2.5 million 

trees through distribution of seeds 

and seedlings. As part of the project 

it distributes copies of the Natural 

Inquirer to increase awareness on the 

importance of the forest ecosystems. 

All the translated versions of the first 

World’s forests edition of the Natural 

Inquirer are available for download at:

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra/en

If you are interested in having this new 

edition of Natural Inquirer translated in a 

different language please contact:

fra@fao.org

Figure 1. Eucalyptus trees planted in rows. Eucalyptus 

trees are often planted to be used in cleaning 

products, medicines, timber, foods, for fuelwood, and 

for many other purposes. Photo by Babs McDonald.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 9 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Thinking about the World’s Forests

Forests are important to the lives 

of people everywhere, even if 

those forests are not found in 

their own community. Forests provide materials 

such as wood for building or for energy. Forests 

provide food for people and for animals. They 

provide habitat for many different kinds of 

plants and animals, which helps to maintain 

the diversity of life on Earth (Figure 3). Forests 

protect the quality of water and help keep the soil 

from eroding. Forests help keep the air clean 

and they provide places for people to live and 

play. In many places, forests provide jobs which 

help people and their families have a better life. 

Forests also hold carbon on Earth, which helps 

to slow the rate of climate change. Figure 3. Impala in Namibia, Africa often browse

on vegetation. Photo by Michael Bowker.

Figure 2. Regions of the world.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 10 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Thinking about Science

When scientists want to learn 

something, they must collect 

information. Although you might 

not realize it, you do the same thing when you 

want to learn something. This information is 

called data, and it is often collected in the form 

of numbers. If scientists collect data in the form 

of numbers, they can add, subtract, multiply, 

or divide the numbers. They can calculate 

new numbers like averages. Numbers help 

scientists compare information collected 

from different places or times. This is more 

complicated than it first appears. The numbers 

coming from different places or times must have 

the same unit of measurement. Otherwise, the 

calculations will be meaningless.

Let’s say, for example, that a scientist wants 

to calculate an average temperature for one 

month across the entire Northern Hemisphere. 

Some temperatures are in Celsius and some 

in Fahrenheit. Would an average of those 

measurements allow a meaningful conclusion? 

Of course not! The scientist would have to 

change each number to the same unit of 

measurement. Only then could an average 

temperature be calculated.

This same scientist has found that some 

countries, when reporting a daily temperature, 

used the highest temperature measured 

each day. Other countries used an average 

temperature, calculated over a 24-hour period. 

Would an average of these measurements 

allow a meaningful conclusion? Again, the 

answer is no. When numbers are intended to be 

combined in some way, they must represent the 

same thing or calculations done with them are 

meaningless.

The scientists in this study wanted to learn about 

forests across the globe by collecting data from 

individual countries. To collect accurate data, 

they worked with an individual in each country, 

called a National Correspondent (Figure 4). 

The National Correspondent provided his or 

her country’s data to FAO. Each correspondent 

worked with FAO to ensure the numbers being 

collected represented the same thing. This 

enabled the scientists to add the numbers from 

different countries. In this way, the scientists 

were able to create a report about the world’s 

forests.

Figure 4. The National Correspondents met to share information and discuss their work together.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 11 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Introduction to the 

Inquiries

This journal contains 5 Inquiries. 

Each Inquiry represents a study done by FAO 

scientists and National Correspondents to 

answer a specific question about the world’s 

forests. By the time you complete all 5 Inquiries, 

you will know several new facts about forests 

across the world.

Each Inquiry builds on the previous Inquiry. It is 

best, therefore, to read the Inquiries in the order 

presented. 

As you read about FAO’s work to collect data 

about the world’s forests, think about the forests 

you have seen, visited, or read about. Although 

there are differences between forests around the 

world, many of the challenges and opportunities 

are the same wherever forests are found.

For each of the 5 Inquiries presented in this 

journal, FAO and the correspondents followed 

the same process to collect data. When the data 

were added together, they provided information 

about forests regionally and globally. 

Next we will take a look at the information 

collected by National Correspondents and 

provided to FAO in these 5 Inquiries. If you want 

to learn more about the entire report about the 

world’s forests, visit:

http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra2010/

Mr Souleymane 

GUEYE is 

the National 

Correspondent 

from Senegal in 

West Africa. We 

asked Mr GUEYE 

what he likes 

best about this 

important job and he said:

“It is a very exciting and useful challenge 

at many levels. We are working in a 

national committee with experts from 

several national bodies. Together we can 

better analyze relations between forestry 

and other parts of the economy. We can 

coordinate the reporting between the 

Forest Resources Assessment National 

Committee and those in the country 

who are collecting data. At the regional 

level, the Forest Resources Assessment 

organized by FAO allowed us to profit 

from the framework of a successful 

regional network. We attended 

international meetings. This gave us the 

opportunity to discuss and exchange 

with scientists from all over the world for 

mutual benefit. This shows us that the 

world is a village and we have all to act 

in the same direction for the safety and 

sustainability of mankind.”

Reflection Section: 

What are some of the benefits 

forests provide to your 

community? 

Do you think it is helpful to get information 

about forests in different regions of the 

world? Why or why not? 

DID YOU KNOW?

The raffia palm from tropical Africa has 

leaves up to 24 meters (80 feet) long.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu
Glossary words are defined on page 45 12 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Inquiry 1: What kinds of forests growon

Earth andwhere are they found?

THE SITUATION: A forest is a natural 

ecosystem composed most notably of trees. 

Different types of forests are found across the 

planet. In one area, a forest may be dry with 

little vegetation. In another, a forest may contain 

large trees that grow quickly because of high 

rainfall. Different types of forests exist because 

they grow under different climates (Figure 5). 

Another reason is that human activities have 

changed some of the forests. These activities 

include things like felling or planting trees. To 

better understand the different types of forests 

found across Earth, the scientists had to decide 

what was most important about those forest 

differences to study. In other words, to study the 

differences between forests across the planet, 

FAO had to determine how it would classify

forests. 

Before we learn how FAO classified the world’s 

forests, let’s think about the place on which 

these forests grow. What is this place called?

If you guessed Earth, you are right! We know 

that Earth spins on its axis and revolves around 

the sun (Figure 6).The area near the equator 

is closest to the sun. Because of this, Earth is 

warmest near the equator and coolest near the 

poles (Figure 7). 

About 71 percent of Earth is covered with water, 

and most of this is ocean. The top level of any 

ocean is called sea level. The height of the land 

above sea level is called its elevation. At higher 

elevations, the climate is cooler (Figure 8).

Across Earth, different areas receive different 

amounts of rainfall. Plants need water to survive 

Figure 5. The world’s ecozones. An ecozone is a region with similar type of land cover. Notice that similar 

ecozones occur on different continents where the climate is similar.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 13 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

and have adapted over time to live with varying 

amounts of rainfall. Some plants, such as those 

in tropical rain forests, must have a lot of water 

to survive. Other plants, like those in deserts, 

do not need much water to survive. Desert 

plants have adapted to conserve the water 

they receive. Drier areas have fewer plants and 

trees. Some areas have no plants or trees at all.

The three things that we have just explored are 

latitude, elevation, and rainfall (Figures 7-10). 

These three things affect what kind of forest 

grows naturally in a particular area on Earth 

(Figures 9-11).

In addition to latitude, elevation, and rainfall, 

there is another influence on Earth’s forests. 

This influence is changing Earth’s forests, no 

matter where on Earth the forests are located. 

It was this influence FAO was most interested in 

understanding. What influence did the scientists 

want to understand?

If you guessed humans, you are right! FAO 

wanted to understand how forests are changing 

as a result of human activity. To understand how 

humans impact the world’s forests, the scientists 

classified forests into three categories (Table 1). 

Figure 6. Earth spins on its axis and revolves 

around the sun.

Figure 7. Earth is warmer near the equator, cooler 

near the poles.

Mountain-top ice and snow

Alpine tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses)

Evergreen forest

Deciduous forest

Tropical forest

Sea Level

Elevation

Climate

Cooler

Warmer

Figure 8. The higher the land’s elevation, the cooler 

its climate.

Warm

Temperature

Cool

Dry Rainfall Wet

Poles

Latitude

Equator

Deserts

Deserts

Tundra

Steppe

Steppe

Grasslands

Tropical shrublands

Tropical dry forests

Tropical

rain

forests

Deciduous forests

Deciduous forests

Tundra Tundra

Boreal forests Boreal forests

Figure 9. Vegetation types, rainfall, temperature, 

and latitude.

North Pole (90o latitude)

Cooler

temperatures

Warmer

temperatures

Earth’s

Northern

Hemisphere

Polar (ice)

Temperate forests (oceanic forests, continental forests),

steppe, deserts, mountains

Boreal forests (coniferous[with cones]),

tundra, mountains

Subtropical forests (humid forests, dry forests), steppe,

deserts, mountains

Tropical forests (rain forests, dry forests, deciduous forests),

shrubland, deserts, mountains

Equator (0o latitude)

Figure 10. Vegetation types, temperature, and 

latitude.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 14 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Fig. 11 A. Hawai’i. Photo by Babs McDonald. Fig. 11 B. Russian Federation. Photo by L. Vaschuk. 

Fig.11 C. Chile. Photo by John Pye. Fig. 11 D. Vietnam. Photo by Michael Bowker.

Fig. 11 E. Australia. Photo by Michael Bowker. Fig. 11 F. Germany. Photo by Babs McDonald.

Fig. 11 G. Tanzania. Photo by Chuck Chappell. Fig. 11 H. China. Photo by Robert Haack.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 15 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

The scientists also wanted to estimate the area 

of forests being used to maintain a diversity of 

plant and animal species and the area of forests 

that are legally established and protected to 

maintain this diversity.

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED: The world’s forests 

cover about 31 percent of Earth’s land area 

(Figure 12). This is a little more than 4 billion 

hectares (Figures 13 and 14). More than half of 

the world’s forests are in the Russian Federation, 

Brazil, Canada, the United States of America, 

and China (Figure 15).

Of the world’s forests, 36 percent are primary 

forests. Primary forests, and in particular wet 

tropical forests, are the world’s most diverse 

forests. They have the greatest variety of plant 

and animal species. 

The number of hectares of planted forests 

increased between 2000 and 2010. Planted 

forests now make up 7 percent of the world’s 

forests, or 264 million hectares. Of all the world’s 

forests, most are forests growing naturally without 

human assistance, but show signs of human 

Category of 

forest Description

PRIMARY FORESTS

Forests with native tree species. Evidence of human activities is 

not visible and the forest’s ecological processes are not widely 

disturbed.

OTHER NATURAL 

FORESTS

Forests growing naturally (without human assistance) but where 

there are visible signs of human activities. These forests may 

include both native and introduced tree species.

PLANTED FORESTS Forests planted by man.

Table 1. Categories of forests studied in the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010.

Figure 12. The location of the world’s forest are shown in green.

Hectare

Soccer Field

Figure 13. One hectare is a 

little smaller than a football 

(soccer) field.

Reflection Section: 

Compare and contrast the 

forests shown in Figure 11. What 

are their similarities? What are their 

differences?
Glossary words are defined on page 45 16 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

activities. These forests make up 57 percent 

of the world’s forests (Figure 16). Since 2000, 

about 13 million hectares of forest have been 

lost each year (Figure 17). While this is not good 

news, it is less than the rate of deforestation in 

the previous 10 years. 

Forests are lost for a number of reasons. Trees are 

felled, for example, to clear land for agriculture 

or development. Extreme natural events such 

as tornados, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions and 

droughts also damage or destroy forests. 

An area the size of Greece or Nicaragua is lost 

to deforestation every year. Not all countries, 

however, have fewer forests today than 10 

years ago. Some countries have increased 

their forest areas and others have slowed the 

rate of forest loss.

To help understand more about the world’s 

forests’ gains and losses, look at figures 18-21. 

Figure 18 is a map you should recognize. This 

is a map of the world that shows each country 

at its normal size. Find your own country on the 

map. Figures 19-21 are called cartograms. Each 

country size in these cartograms is distorted to 

show forest growth or loss. If the forest growth or 

loss were the same in each country, each country 

would be the same size. In each cartogram, find 

your own country.

Figure 14. The area of forests worldwide is larger than the size of the 

African continent and China combined. 

Map courtesy of www.ego.thechicagoschool.edu

Primary

forests

Other

natural forests

Planted

forests

36% 57% 7%

0 100%

Figure 16. Most of the world’s forests are in a category FAO called “other natural forests.” These forests 

are growing without human assistance, but show signs of human activities. 

Figure 15. This forest is located 

in the Siberian region of the 

Russian Federation. This area 

is far from the equator. 

Photo by Leonid Vaschuk. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 17 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Figure 18. Land area of countries worldwide. 

Map by Worldmapper, University of Sheffield, http://www.worldmapper.org.

Figure 17. This is what remained of a forest in 

Thailand after the trees were felled to grow maize.

Photo by FAO / FO-0506 / M. Kashio.

Reflection Section: 

Look at figures 19-21. What can 

you say about the change in 

your country’s forests in the past 

5 years? 

What do you think about the changes 

in your country’s forests over the past 5 

years? Is this a change for the better or 

worse? Why? 

Why is it important to understand 

whether the amount of forest area 

worldwide is shrinking, growing, or 

staying about the same? 

FACTIVITY: 

Using a map, atlas, globe, or the Internet, identify the latitude of your country. How 

far is your country from the equator and either the North or South Pole? What is your 

country’s elevation above sea level? Using this information and the information in 

Figures 7-10, what kind of vegetation would you expect to find in your country? Compare 

this with the ecozone type for your region or country shown in Figure 5. Do they match? If 

they do not match, why do you think this is so?
Glossary words are defined on page 45 18 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Figure 19. Amount of forest area in each country in 2010. Map by Worldmapper, University of Sheffield.

Figure 21. Amount of forest loss in each country between 2005 and 2010. Map by Worldmapper, University 

of Sheffield.

Figure 20. Amount of forest growth in each country between 2005 and 2010. Map by Worldmapper, 

University of Sheffield.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 19 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Inquiry 2: Biodiversity and the World’s 

Forests

THE SITUATION: In Inquiry 1, you learned 

about the types of forests found across the 

planet. You also learned how much of Earth’s 

land area is covered in forests, and where forest 

area is growing and shrinking. You also learned 

about primary forests. 

Primary forests are those with native tree 

species and little evidence of human activities. 

Primary forests are usually rich in biodiversity

(Figure 22). Biodiversity is the variety of life and 

life processes. When a natural ecosystem is 

diverse, it has a variety of living organisms. 

FAO wanted to know how much biodiversity 

the world’s forests contained in 2010. This 

can be complicated, because there are many 

ways to measure biodiversity. Biodiversity can 

be measured within an ecosystem, a plant or 

animal community, a species, a population, 

among individuals, and among genes. FAO 

decided to collect three pieces of information 

as an indication of a country’s forest biodiversity. 

These 3 pieces of information included:

1.The number of hectares in primary forests. 

2.The number of hectares of forests set 

aside to conserve the forest’s biodiversity.

3.The number of hectares of forests in 

protected areas. Protected areas are 

areas set aside by law to conserve 

biodiversity and other natural and cultural 

resources.

FAO and the National Correspondents also 

planned to identify the number of hectares of 

forests affected by natural or human-caused 

disturbances. 

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED: Worldwide, more 

than one-third of the world’s forests are primary 

forests (Figures 16 and 23). This includes tropical 

rain forests, which are Earth’s most diverse 

forests. FAO found that the percentage of primary 

forests has decreased yearly by 0.4 percent 

since 2000. This is about 40 million hectares, or 

the size of 12 football fields lost every minute. 

The decline was caused mostly by logging and 

other human disturbances. This does not mean 

that the forests had disappeared, however. It 

could mean that the primary forest had been 

REFLECTION SECTION: 

Why do you think biodiversity is 

important to the world’s forests?

How could knowing the number of 

hectares in each of the 3 categories 

help FAO to understand biodiversity in 

the world’s forests? 

Figure 22. Tropical rain forests contain a wide 

variety of plants and animals, such as this iiw’i. 

Photo by David Flaspohler.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 20 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Figure 23. The percentage of forest land in each country classified as primary forest in 2010. 

Figure 24. The percentage of forest land in each country set aside to conserve biodiversity, 2010.

Why is genetic diversity important to the world’s forests? 

Natural environments are always changing in some way. When something in the 

environment changes, plants and animals must adapt to the change if they are to survive. 

Some individuals can adapt and some cannot. This is because of slight differences in their 

genetic structure. If all individuals of a species had exactly the same genetic structure, the 

species may not be able to survive in a changing environment. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 21 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

modified by human activity so that it could no 

longer be classified as primary forest.

Almost twelve percent of the world’s forests are 

set aside for the conservation of biodiversity 

(Figures 24 and 25 and Table 2). The area of 

these forests increased by 63 million hectares 

between 2000 and 2010. 

Worldwide, 13 percent of the world’s forests are 

located within protected areas (Figure 26). Since 

1990, 94 million hectares of protected areas 

have been added globally. Two-thirds of these 

protected areas were added since 2000.

FAO found that over the past 20 years, more 

of the world’s forests are being set aside to 

conserve biodiversity. On the other hand, it 

found that the area of primary forests worldwide 

has declined over this same period. 

Region Number of 

hectares

% of forest 

area

Africa 92 529 000 13.7

Asia 78 513 000 13.3

Europe 37 150 000 3.7

North and Central America 108 969 000 15.5

Oceania 30 640 000 16.0

South America 115 613 000 13.4

World 463 415 000 11.5

Table 2. Number of hectares and percent of forest area set aside to conserve biodiversity by region in 

2010. Round off to the nearest whole percentage each of the percentages in the third column. 

 0 

 20 

 40 

 60 

 80 

 100 

Africa Asia Europe North and 

Central America

Oceania South America

1990

2000

2010

million ha

Figure 25. Number of hectares of forests set aside to conserve biodiversity by region, 1990-2010.

YOU DO THE MATH: 

How many hectares of forests in 

protected areas were added between 

2000 and 2010?
Glossary words are defined on page 45 22 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Biodiversity can be threatened by invasive 

insects and some kinds of forest fires. Nearly 35 

million hectares of forest land were damaged by 

insects worldwide (Figure 27). In particular, the 

mountain pine beetle attacked over 11 million 

hectares of forest in Canada and the western 

United States (Figure 28). 

Largely because of the increase in worldwide 

trade, insects are moving from country to country. 

The changing global climate has also made 

many areas more favorable for insects. This has 

caused an increase in damage from insects 

worldwide. Unfortunately, many countries did 

not collect information about damage from 

insects. 

One percent of all forests were affected by 

forest fires in 2010 (Figures 29 and 30). This 

Figure 27. Average area of forest damaged by insects yearly by country, 2005

0 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Africa

Asia

Europe

North and Central America

Oceania

South America

Figure 26. The percentage of forest area in protected areas by region, 2010.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 23 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

estimate may be low, however, as only 78 out of 

233 countries reported information about forest 

fires. Events such as fire, drought, wind, snow, 

ice, and floods are usually considered natural 

disturbances. As the global climate changes, 

the number and strength of these disturbances 

have been increasing. This has resulted in a 

greater threat to forest biodiversity in these areas. 

Figure 28. The mountain pine beetle is destroying 

large areas of forest in the North American West. 

Photo by Barbara Bentz. 

< 100 100–500 No data

Figure 29. Average area of forest damaged by fire yearly by country, 2005.

REFLECTION SECTION: 

Based on FAO’s findings, would 

you say that the biodiversity of 

the world’s forests is increasing 

or decreasing? Why? 

Is it important to protect the biodiversity 

of forests? Why or why not? 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 24 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Figure 30. A forest fire destroyed this forest in Chile. 

Photo by John Pye.

Are forest fires 

always a bad thing for 

forests?

FAO used the area of forest damaged 

or destroyed by fire to evaluate the 

health and vitality of the forests. For 

some forests, however, occasional fire 

is needed. In these forests, trees are 

adapted to withstand fires that burn 

across the ground. The trees are not 

killed. Some trees need fire to break 

open their seeds so they can germinate. 

Some trees depend on fire to keep other 

trees from growing in the area. So while 

many forest fires damage or destroy 

forests, it is important to remember that 

some types of forests need ground fires 

to conserve their biodiversity. When 

these fires occur, they typically do not 

destroy the forest.

FACTIVITY: 

Forests are not the only places to find diversity. Diversity can be found everywhere! 

To prove this, take a look at either your classroom or your school. In a classroom 

discussion, identify the diversity that you observe. If you are examining your 

classroom, you might focus on diversity among students. If you are examining your 

school, you might also observe diversity among teachers and classroom appearance. 

All observations about diversity should be done respectfully. Now hold a class discussion 

about how diversity improves your classroom or your school. What are the advantages of 

having diversity in your community? 

DID YOU KNOW?

The heaviest woods in the world come from 

flowering trees that are called “ironwoods”. 

This unusual wood sinks in water!

http://waynesword.palomar.edu

DID YOU KNOW?

One of the world’s softest and lightest woods 

is from the American balsawood tree. 

http://waynesword.palomar.edu
Glossary words are defined on page 45 25 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Inquiry 3: What do forests do for the 

world’s environment and its people?

THE SITUATION: It is important to know where 

the world’s forests are located and where they 

are expanding and shrinking in size. This was the 

topic of Inquiry 1. It is also important to understand 

whether the world’s forests are helping to 

conserve biodiversity. This was the topic of 

Inquiry 2. Forests provide a range of benefits to 

people and to the environment. Understanding 

these benefits is the topic of Inquiry 3. 

FAO identified three broad ways that forests 

provide benefits. The first is called productive 

because it focuses on the products people 

take from forests. People take wood for timber 

and fuelwood, they take food such as nuts, 

fruits, berries, mushrooms, edible plants, 

and bushmeat from forests, and people allow 

livestock to browse in forests. People use plant 

materials for medicines and dyes, and they take 

wildlife for a number of purposes.

Forests also provide protective benefits. Examples 

of protective benefits include protecting soils from 

wind and water erosion, protecting coastal areas, 

and controlling avalanches. Forests also provide 

a benefit by filtering the air and water. Filtering 

rain water helps to keep water supplies clean. 

Forests provide social and economic benefits 

to people and to communities. Social benefits 

include providing places for people to play and to 

get away from an increasingly urban life. Forests 

provide beautiful landscapes and reduce the 

effects of noise. They provide a place for people 

to learn about nature and themselves, and they 

provide inspiration. Forests also provide a living 

laboratory for scientists to study nature.

Forests are an important source of economic 

benefits. Many people work in the forest sector, 

enhancing either the productive, protective, 

or social benefits of forests. Examples include 

work in the timber industry or in the outdoor 

recreation industry. Some people make their 

living managing forests for conservation 

purposes. Forests are an important source of 

livelihood for people all over the world. FAO 

and the National Correspondents collected 

information about how much forest land is set 

aside in each country to provide these benefits. 

Region Number of 

hectares

% of 

forest 

area

Africa 205 037 30

Asia 232 754 30

Europe 526 646 52

North and 

Central America 101 781 14

Oceania 11 656 6

South America 118 295 14

World 1 196 168 30

Table 3. Area in hectares and percentage of forest 

area used primarily for the production of forest 

products by region, 2010. 

REFLECTION SECTION: 

If the area of the world’s forest 

decreases, what will happen to 

the amount of benefit forests provide to 

people? What does this suggest about 

how we should manage our forests? 

Do you think that anywhere forests 

are located on Earth they provide 

productive, protective, social, and 

economic benefits? Why or why not?
Glossary words are defined on page 45 26 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED: 

Productive Forest Benefits

Thirty percent of the world’s forests are used 

primarily to produce forest products for people 

(Table 3 and Figure 31). Another 24 percent of 

the world’s forests are used for the production 

of products along with other benefits. When 

forests are used for multiple purposes, it is called 

“multiple use.” FAO found that the amount of 

forest land used primarily to produce products 

had decreased slightly in the past 20 years.

Worldwide in 2005, about half of the wood 

removed from the world’s forests was used for 

fuel. In Africa, more than 90 percent of removed 

wood is used for fuelwood. Most of this is used 

for cooking food. The United States of America 

led the world in the volume of wood removed 

(Figure 32). Wood products include, for example, 

lumber for building houses and furniture, and 

paper made from trees. China led the world 

in the removals of non-wood forest products. 

The Chinese collected a large amount of plant 

products such as oil, seeds, nuts, and bamboo. 

As you can see, forests provide products that 

people use every day. 

Protective Forest Benefits

In the past, FAO concentrated its research on 

the productive benefits of forests. To better 

understand the protective benefits of the 

world’s forests, FAO focused on soil and water 

conservation (Figure 33). When soil and water 

is protected in an area, the entire ecosystem 

is healthier. FAO found that soil and water 

conservation was the primary focus for 8 percent 

of the world’s forests (Figure 34). 

This is about 330 million hectares of forest.

An important part of soil conservation is 

concerned with stopping the spread of sand 

Figure 31. Some forests are used primarily to 

produce products. Here, trees were felled to create 

lumber for building. Photo by Babs McDonald.

United States

India

Brazil

Canada

Russian Federation

China

Ethiopia

Indonesia

Sudan 

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Remaining Countries

16%

9%

7%

6%

6%

4%

3%

3%

3%

2%

41%

Figure 32. Ten countries with the largest volume of 

wood removed by percentage, 2005. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 27 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

into areas that once had plants or trees. When 

trees are felled or plants are removed and 

drought occurs, sand can spread into an area. 

These areas can become like deserts. When an 

area becomes like a desert, a number of other 

things can happen. Less land may be available 

for grazing animals, less water may be available 

for people and wildlife, and people’s livelihoods 

may be affected. Forests help to protect areas 

from the spread of sand. People living in arid

places use plants and trees to help stabilize 

desert areas (Table 4 and Figure 35). 

0 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Africa

Asia

Europe

North and Central America

Oceania

South America

World

Figure 34. Percent of forest area managed for the protection of soil and water by region, 2010.

Figure 33. This forest in China helps to protect 

water quality and conserve water and soil. Photo 

by Robert Haack.

country

Forest area 

designated for 

protection of 

soil and water %

Libyan Arab 

Jamahiriya 100

Bahrain 100

Kuwait 100

Jordan 98

Turkmenistan 97

Kenya 94

Uzbekistan 93

Azerbaijan 92

Wallis and Futuna 

Islands 87

Iraq 80

Table 4. Ten countries with the highest percentage of 

forest area managed to protect soil and water, 2010. 

You can see that all of these countries, except Wallis 

and Futuna Islands, are located in arid regions. The 

countries are found in the Middle East near the 

Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea. 

The Wallis and Futuna Islands are located east of 

Australia in the South Pacific Ocean (Figure 35). 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 28 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Social and Economic Benefits

People receive social benefits when they 

use forests for outdoor recreation, tourism, 

education, research, and for the appreciation 

of cultural or spiritual areas (Figures 36 and 

37). Although most countries have recognized 

the importance of these social benefits, few 

manage forests for social benefits alone. A 

country might, for example, manage a forest to 

protect soil and water but also allow people to 

camp and hike in the forest. 

FAO found that some countries do not identify 

the number of forest hectares providing social 

benefits. Instead, these countries consider 

such forests as being “multiple use” forests. 

FAO, therefore, feels that the number of forest 

hectares providing these benefits could be much 

larger than was reported. The United States of 

America, for example, did not report many forest 

hectares for the social benefits they offer (Table 

5). At least 134 million hectares of United States 

forest land are however open for public use and 

enjoyment as “multiple use” forests. 

FAO found that 80 percent of the world’s forests 

are owned by governments on behalf of their 

citizens. 

FAO was also interested in economic benefits. 

The amount of money received from wood 

removals changes from year to year. In some 

years it is high and in some years it is low. In the 

period between 2003 and 2007, the removal of 

wood brought an average of over US$100 billion 

every year. 

FAO found that it is difficult to estimate the value 

of non-wood forest products. Food, such as 

mushrooms, berries, fruit, and nuts, accounted 

for 51 percent of non wood forest products 

removed from forests. Other plant products 

accounted for 17 percent of the benefit, and 

wild honey and beeswax accounted for another 

11 percent. In 2005, non-wood forest products 

brought about US$18.5 billion. FAO, however, 

believes that this estimate is low. It is difficult to 

identify and report the use of non-wood forest 

products because many people collect these 

for their own use. 

Worldwide, almost 11 million people worked 

in forest management or conservation in 2005 

(Figure 38). Most of these people worked 

producing forest products, and about 338 000 

people helped to manage protected areas. 

Figure 35. Earth’s arid regions. Adapted from http://www.cartage.org
Glossary words are defined on page 45 29 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Region Percent of 

forest area

AFRICA 0.1

ASIA 1.6

EUROPE 1.9

NORTH AND 

CENTRAL 

AMERICA

0.1

OCEANIA 0

SOUTH AMERICA 13.8

WORLD 3.7

Table 5. Percent of forest managed for social 

benefits by region, 2010.

Figure 37. One social benefit of forests is the 

information learned from research. Here, a scientist 

shows his assistant how to identify a small fish in a 

tropical forested stream. Photo by Babs McDonald.

Figure 36. People enjoy the view of this German 

forest. Photo by Babs McDonald.

Figure 38. People around the world make their living 

working in the forest sector. Photo by Susan Cordell.

Forests are used for education around 

the world. The Gombe School of 

Environment and Society, for example, 

lies in the heart of Tanzania’s Kitobe 

Forest. This school inspires African 

students to work towards environmental 

stewardship, community self-reliance, 

and economic sustainability. The 

Gombe School uses its surrounding 

forest as a “school without walls” to 

provide social and economic benefits 

to the community (Figure 39). 

Figure 39. This child has found a bird’s nest 

near the edge of Kitobe Forest. Photo by 

Yared Fubusa. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 30 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

YOU DO THEMATH: 

According to the International Labour 

Office, about 3 billion (3 000 000 

000) people were employed in 2009. 

Assume that 11.4 million (11 400 000) 

people worked in forest management 

or conservation. What percentage of 

the world’s employed was working in 

and for the world’s forests?

REFLECTION SECTION: 

Why the protection of soil and 

water important to the world’s 

citizens?

What are some of the social benefits 

you enjoy from visiting forests? 

FACTIVITY: 

You have learned a lot about the benefits provided by forests. Go back to page 7 

and look at the logo developed by the United Nations for the International Year of 

Forests. Each item in that logo refers to a benefit provided by forests. Think about 

the benefits provided to you and your community by forests. Create your own International 

Year of Forests logo just for your community. Share your logo with your class and post 

the logos on the wall. If you can scan your logos into a computer, you may send them to 

Jessica@naturalinquirer.org and we will place them on the Natural Inquirer Web site. 

Please include your first name, your age, your school name, and your country name

DID YOU KNOW?

The world’s oldest tree is a spruce tree 

thought to be 9 550 years old and was 

discovered in Sweden in 2008. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com

DID YOU KNOW?

A 2 000-year old seed from a date palm was 

found in the ruins of an ancient palace near 

the Dead Sea. The seed germinated and 

the date palm that grew from it is named 

“Methuselah.”

http://waynesword.palomar.edu.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 31 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Inquiry 4: What do the world’s forests 

have to do with climate change?

THE SITUATION: Is the climate changing over 

time? You probably have heard many different 

opinions about climate change. In the past few 

years, most scientists have agreed on at least 

one thing about climate change. They have 

agreed that measured and recorded changes in 

Earth’s climate over the past 100 or more years 

point to a warming of Earth’s surface greater 

than they would have expected from normal 

cycles.

Earth’s average temperature depends on how 

much of the sun’s energy comes through the 

atmosphere to Earth’s surface, and how much 

escapes back into space. About 90 percent 

of the sun’s energy is trapped by gases in the 

atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, 

and nitrous oxide. This trapped energy is sent 

back to Earth in all directions, warming the 

planet. This warming is called the greenhouse 

effect, and the gases are called greenhouse 

gases. Without these gases, humans and other 

forms of life would not be able to survive on our 

planet. 

During the past 150 years, however, the amount 

of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has 

risen sharply (Figure 40). This increase has been 

happening since the beginning of the Industrial 

Revolution in the mid-1700s. The amount 

has been increasing even more over the past 

100 years. Scientists believe the sharp rise in 

greenhouse gases is caused by an increase in 

the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and 

natural gas. These higher levels of greenhouse 

gases in the atmosphere trap more of the sun’s 

heat that is reflected off of Earth’s surface. This 

additional trapped heat leads to increasing 

temperatures on Earth.

Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse 

gases. Carbon dioxide naturally occurs in our 

Figure 40. Increase in the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, 1990-2025. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse 

gas. Source: The United States Energy Information Administration.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 32 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

atmosphere and a certain amount is necessary 

to keep Earth warm enough for life to continue. 

When too much carbon dioxide is emitted 

into the atmosphere, however, Earth’s surface 

continues to get warmer. As Earth’s surface 

warms beyond its normal temperatures, plants 

and animals are affected. 

Carbon is present in rocks, oceans, and the air. 

Every living thing and once-living thing contains 

carbon, including all plants and animals. Carbon 

is always moving around. You can see how it 

moves in what is called the carbon cycle (Figure 

41). Since a tree is a living thing, it also contains 

carbon. As a tree grows, it absorbs carbon from 

the air and stores it in its wood (Figure 42). The 

world’s forests are related to Earth’s climate 

because they hold large amounts of carbon on 

Earth. The carbon stored in the world’s forests 

does not get emitted into our atmosphere unless 

the trees are felled and burned or when they die 

and decay. As you can see, the world’s forests 

play a role in helping to reduce the effects of 

global climate change.

FAO and the National Correspondents wanted 

to know how much carbon is held on Earth by 

the world’s forests. They also wanted to know 

whether this number is staying the same, 

increasing, or decreasing over time. 

The amount of carbon in a tree is closely related 

to the weight of its living material, minus any 

water. Some scientists estimate that half of a 

tree’s dry weight is carbon. Others estimate 

that about 45 percent of a tree’s dry weight is 

carbon. FAO, used an estimate of 47 percent to 

calculate the amount of carbon being held by 

the world’s forests.

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

The National Correspondents and FAO used 

three measures of carbon storage. First, they 

estimated the amount of carbon being held in 

trees growing in the forests. Recall that carbon 

is also present in once-living things. 

FAO and the correspondents, therefore, also 

estimated the amount of carbon in the litter Carbon dioxide in atmosphere

Plant and animal

respiration (during which

carbon dioxide is 

released)

Soil respiration

(during which

carbon dioxide is 

released)

Decaying organisms

on and in soil 

(plants and animals)

Fossil fuels (deep underground)

Plants capture

carbon through

photosynthesis

Transport and 

factory emissions 

from burning 

fossil fuels

Animals

eat plants

Oceans capture

carbon dioxide

Figure 41. The carbon cycle.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 33 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

4. Some of the carbohydrate 

glucose is sent to the roots.

2.

1. 

3.

5. The fine roots absorb 

water and nutrients 

from the soil and send 

them through the coarse 

woody roots to the trunk, 

branches, and leaves of 

the tree.

6. Some of the below ground carbon stays in the roots, and some is released into the soil as carbon 

dioxide. Some of this stays in the soil. Some is released back into the atmosphere. 

 Some carbon dioxide is 

captured by leaves during 

photosynthesis and turned 

into glucose, a carbohydrate. 

Carbon dioxide in atmosphere

carbon dioxide taken 

from atmosphere

carbon dioxide 

released 

KEY

 When leaves, branches, trunk 

and roots use the glucose for energy, 

some of the carbon is released 

as carbon dioxide. 

Figure 42. Trees absorb, hold, and release carbon.

and deadwood lying on the forest floor. Litter 

includes leaves that have fallen from the trees 

(Figure 43). Deadwood is the remains of fallen 

branches and trees that have died (Figure 44). 

The third measure of carbon was an estimate of 

the amount of carbon held in the world’s forests 

soils. Because soil contains living beings such 

as microbes and once-living material, it also 

contains carbon. Trees also release carbon into 

the soil (See Figure 42).

The amount of carbon being held in the 

world’s forests’ trees was estimated to be 289 

Gigatonnes, or Gt (Figures 45 and 47). One Gt 

is equal to 1 billion tonnes. One tonne is equal to 

1 000 kilograms, or 2 205 pounds.

The amount of carbon in the forests’ litter and 

deadwood was estimated to be 72 Gt, or 17.8 

tonnes per hectare. Compare this with the 

amount of carbon held in the soil, which was 

estimated at 292 Gt or 72.3 tonnes per hectare. 

One of the questions FAO wanted to answer is 

what is happening over time to the amount of 

carbon being held by the world’s forests.

When FAO estimated the amount of carbon being 

held by the world’s forests’ trees per hectare, it 

discovered something surprising (Table 6).

AMOUNT OF CARBON

year TONNES/HA

1990 71.8

2000 71.9

2010 71.6

Table 6. Amount of carbon held by the world’s 

forests’ trees per hectare between 1990 and 2010.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 34 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

YOU DO THEMATH: 

Although elephants vary in size and 

weight, let’s say the average weight of 

an elephant is four tonnes (Figure 46). 

How many elephants would it take to 

equal one Gt?

To calculate this, divide 1 000 000 000 

by four. How many elephants would it 

take the equal the weight of carbon in 

all of the world’s forests? 

Africa 

Asia 

Europa 

North and Central America 

Oceania 

South America 

World Total 289 Gt

Figure 45. The amount of carbon in the world’s 

forests’ trees in Gt by region, 2010. 

Figure 46. African elephant. Photo by Chuck 

Chappell.

Africa 

Asia 

Europa 

North and Central America 

Oceania 

South America 

Figure 47. The amount of carbon in the world’s 

forests’ trees per hectare by region, 2010. 

Figure 44. The remains of fallen trees and branches 

are called deadwood. Photo by Babs McDonald.

Figure 43. Litter is composed of dead and 

decomposing leaves on the forest floor. Photo by 

Babs McDonald.

REFLECTION SECTION: 

Do you think that humans contain 

carbon? Why or why not? 

Why should we care whether the 

world’s forests are holding the same 

amount, more, or less carbon over 

time? 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 35 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Over the past 10 years, the average amount of 

carbon held by a hectare of forest has changed 

very little. The decrease in carbon held by the 

world’s forests over the past 20 years (Figure 48) 

is due to the decrease in forest area worldwide 

(See Inquiry 1). 

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on 

Climate Change, or IPCC, is interested in better 

understanding carbon and its role in climate 

change. In 2007, the IPCC reported that 17.4 

percent of the world’s greenhouse gases come 

from the forest sector. Most of these emissions 

come from the loss of forests in developing 

REFLECT countries (Figure 49). ION SECTION: 

How do forests help to reduce 

the impact of climate change? 

Africa Asia Europe North and Central America Oceania South America

1990–2000

2000–2010

1990–2000

2000–2010

Net loss Net gain

Scale

(million ha/yr)

Figure 49. In some regions of Earth, the loss of forests is increasing carbon emissions into the atmosphere. 

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Gt

Africa Asia Europe North and Central 

America

Oceania South America

1990

2000

2010

Figure 48. The amount of carbon, in Gt, held in the world’s forests’ trees between 1990 and 2010 by region.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 36 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

FACTIVITY: 

Two ways to address climate 

change are to take care of the 

trees and vegetation we have now and 

to plant more trees and other plants. 

Working with your teacher, identify 2 

actions that your class can take now to 

address climate change. You may think of 

many other actions, such as decreasing 

the amount of energy you use or writing 

letters to your community leaders. Set a 

time line for when these actions will be 

taken and who will do what. 

REFLECTION SECTION: 

Countries are beginning to 

manage some of their forest 

areas primarily for the protection of soil 

and water (Inquiry 3). In the same way, 

do you think countries may begin to 

manage their forests primarily for the 

protection of carbon resources? Why or 

why not? 

Look at the list of actions that make 

up REDD+. Compare the first two with 

the last three. How are the last three 

different than the first two? 

Action on Climate Change

The United Nations has recognized the 

importance of taking action to reduce climate 

change. It developed an effort to reduce the 

amount of greenhouse gas emissions from 

deforestation and degradation in developing 

countries. This effort is known as REDD 

(Reduce emissions from deforestation and forest 

degradation). In December 2010, the United 

Nations took another step forward. The new 

effort, known as REDD+, includes the following 

actions. 

REDD+

Reduce emissions from deforestation

Reduce emissions from forest degradation

Manage forests sustainably

Conserve the carbon contained in forests

Enhance the carbon contained in forests

Under REDD+, developing countries will receive 

money if they successfully complete one or more 

of these actions. This money can be used to 

cover some of their costs. 

The United Nations views REDD+ as an 

investment that will help countries to reduce the 

impact of climate change. 

Recognizing that the carbon held on Earth 

within forests helps to address climate change 

has created a number of opportunities and 

challenges. People now recognize carbon 

sequestration as a benefit of having forests. 

This is in addition to other forest benefits that 

we explored in Inquiry 3. When thought of this 

way, you can see that by holding carbon, forests 

provide a service that has value. A government 

or a business may decide that maintaining 

forests for the carbon they hold is worth more 

than felling forests for fuelwood, agriculture, or 

for other reasons. 

The United Nations also recognized that 

when forest managers work sustainably, they 

help people and forests worldwide adapt to 

a changing climate. As the climate changes, 

forest management will play an important role 

in maintaining the health and wellbeing of the 

world’s citizens. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 37 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Inquiry 5: How well are we managing our 

forests worldwide?

THE SITUATION: In the previous 4 Inquiries, 

you learned many new things about the world’s 

forests. 

•	 You learned how much of the world’s land 

area is covered in forest according to 3 forest 

categories (Inquiry 1). 

•	 You learned about biodiversity and the 

world’s forests (Inquiry 2). 

•	 You learned about the benefits provided by

the world’s forests (Inquiry 3). 

•	 In Inquiry 4, you learned about the role of the 

world’s forests in addressing climate change.

FAO and the National Correspondents collected 

all of this information to learn something important 

about the world’s forests. They wanted to know 

how well the world’s forests are being managed. 

They were interested in whether we are making 

progress towards managing the world’s forests 

sustainably.

As you know, forests provide many benefits to

people and to the environment. For forests to 

provide these benefits into the future, however,

they must be managed so that they remain 

healthy and sustainable. 

Although there are many ways to identify 

what makes forests healthy and sustainable, 

FAO selected 7 criteria and 18 indicators

(Table 7). The indicators were the variables

that were measured by FAO and the National 

Correspondents. Up to three indicators per 

criterion were identified. (Criterion is the singular

form of criteria.)

CRITERION INDICATOR 1 INDICATOR 2 INDICATOR 3

Extent of Forest 

Resources

Area of forest in hectares Volume of trees growing per 

hectare in cubic meters of wood 

(Figure 50).

Total carbon being held in 

the forest in Gt

Biological Diversity Area of primary forest in 

hectares

Area of forests managed for the 

conservation of biological diversity 

in hectares

Area of forest in protected 

areas in hectares

Forest Health and 

Vitality

Area of forest damaged by 

fire in hectares

Area of forest affected by insect 

pests in hectares

Productive Benefits Area of forest being 

managed for productive 

purposes in hectares

Area of planted forests in hectares Total wood removals in 

cubic meters (Figure 50)

Protective Benefits Total area managed 

primarily for the protection 

of soil and water in 

hectares

Social and Economic 

Benefits

Area of forest in private 

ownership in hectares

Employment in the primary 

production of forest goods and 

related services in numbers of full 

time jobs

Total value 

of wood removals in US 

dollars

Legal and Policy 

Framework

Area of forest with a 

management plan in 

hectares

Level of employment in public 

forest organizations in numbers of 

full time jobs

Number of university 

students graduating in 

forestry each year

Table 7. The 7 criteria and 18 indicators used by FAO to evaluate sustainable forest management.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 38 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Figure 50. How are cubic meters of wood 

measured? A tree trunk is called a bole. A bole is 

essentially a long cylinder. When the volume of a 

tree is calculated, the branches and twigs are not 

included. Foresters estimate the amount of wood 

contained in the tree’s bole using a formula based 

on the bole’s diameter and length. 

Do you think the volume of wood in a forest is 

estimated or is an exact figure? Why?

YOU DO THEMATH: 

Let’s say you are taking a walk in one 

of the world’s forests. You have found a 

log that is 5 meters long with a diameter 

of 0.5 meter. What is the volume of the 

log in cubic meters? 

The formula to calculate the volume of a 

cylinder is V=∏*r^2

*L

whereV=Volume,∏ispior3.14,r=radius

(which is one-half of the diameter), ^ = 

approximate calculation, 2 = squared 

(r*r), L= Length. (Note: * means to

multiply.) You cannot calculate exactly 

how much wood is in this log. When you 

calculate the volume of a cylinder, it is 

close but not exact. 

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED: Progress toward 

sustainable forest management is different 

across the planet. In some regions and 

subregions, progress is positive; in others more 

work is necessary (Tables 8 and 9).

FAO and the National Correspondents 

are committed to collecting and reporting 

information about how the world’s forests are 

being managed. The world’s forests provide 

important benefits to Earth’s citizens and its

environment. With information, people can do a 

better job of sustainably managing the world’s 

forests.

Reflection Section: 

Look at the indicators in Table 7. 

What is similar about every one 

of the indicators? 

Look at the last indicator of Social and 

Economic benefits. FAO calculated the

value of wood removals in United States 

dollars. What did it have to do with the 

information from each country before it 

could report this figure?
Glossary words are defined on page 45 39 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

CRITERION INDICATORS

HOWMUCH 

INFORMATIONWAS

AVAILABLE?***

1990

2000

2000

2010

Extent of Forest 

Resources

Area of forest in hectares H  

Volume of trees growing per hectare in cubic meters of wood H  

Total carbon being held in the forest in Gt H  

Biological 

Diversity

Area of primary forest in hectares M  

Area of forests managed for the conservation of biological diversity in 

hectares H  

Area of forest in protected areas in hectares H  

Forest Health and 

Vitality

Area of forest damaged by fire in hectares M  

Area affected by insect pests in hectares L  

Productive 

Benefits

Area of forest being managed for productive purposes in hectares H  

Area of planted forests in hectares H  

Total wood removals in cubic meters H  

Protective 

Benefits

Area of forest managed primarily for the protection of soil and water 

in hectares H  

Social and 

Economic 

Benefits

Level of private forest ownership in hectares H  

Total value of wood removals in US$ M  

Employment in the primary production of forest goods and related 

services in numbers of full time jobs M  

Legal and Policy 

Framework

Area of forest with a management plan in hectares M  

Level of employment in public forest institutions in numbers of full 

time jobs L  

Number of university students graduating in forestry each year L  

Table 8. How well are we managing the world’s forests? You can see that the indicators are made up of information collected by FAO 

and the National Correspondents. The third column tells whether there was a high, medium, or low amount of information available. 

The fourth and fifth columns tell whether the change has been positive (  ), negative (  ), or little change has occurred (  ).

*** HOW MUCH INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE?

H= High (Reporting countries represent 75-100 percent of total forest area) 

M=Medium (Reporting countries represent 50-74 percent of total forest area)

L=Low (Reporting countries represent 25-49 percent of total forest area)

Reflection Section: 

Look at Table 8. Find the column labeled, 

“HOW MUCH INFORMATION WAS 

AVAILABLE?” Why is this important? 

Compare and contrast the meaning of 

findings for which little information was

availablewiththemeaningoffindingsfor

which much information was available.

Look again at Table 8 Change 

in “Forest Health and Vitality,” 

“Protective Benefits,” and “Social and

Economic Benefits” has been positive.

If these positive trends continue, what 

might you predict for the future of the 

world’s forests?
Glossary words are defined on page 45 40 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

CRITERION/INDICATOR

Africa

Asia

Europe

North and 

Central 

America

Oceania

South 

America

Eastern and 

Southern

Northern

Western and 

Central

East

South and 

Southeast

Western and 

Central

Carribbean

Central

North

Extent of forest resources

Area of forest in hectares            

Volume of trees growing per hectare in cubic 

meters of wood           - 

Total carbon being held in the forest in Gt           - 

Biological diversity

Area of primary forest in hectares       -     

Area of forests managed for the conservation of 

biological diversity in hectares           - 

Area of forest in protected areas in hectares  -       -  - 

Forest health and vitality

Area of forest damaged by fire in hectares  - -      -  - -

Area affected by insect pests in hectares - - -  -   - -  - -

Productive benefits

Area of forest being managed for productive 

purposes in hectares            

Area of planted forests in hectares            

Total wood removals in cubic meters            

Protective benefits

Area of forest managed primarily for the protection of 

soil and water in hectares           - 

Social and economic benefits

Level of private forest ownership in hectares           - 

Total value of wood removals in US$ -      -  -  - 

Employment in the primary production of forest 

goods and related services in numbers of full time 

jobs 

 - -     -    -

Legal and policy framework

Area of forest with a management plan in hectares  -       -  - 

Level of employment in public forest institutions in 

numbers of full time jobs       - - - - - -

Number of university students graduating in 

forestry each year       -    - 

Table 9. Progress toward sustainable management by region and subregion, 1990-2010. 

 Positive change (greater than 0.5% per year)

 No major change (between -0.5% and 0.5% per year)

 Negative change (less than -0.5% per year)

- Information not available
Glossary words are defined on page 45 41 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

CRITERION INDICATOR SCORING SCORE

Extent of forest 

resources

Number of hectares included in 

the school yard 

1-2 hectares = 1

3-5 hectares = 2

6-10 hectares = 3

More than 10 hectares = 5

Extent of forest 

resources

Percentage of school yard 

planted in trees

None = 0

1-10 percent = 1

11-20 percent = 3

21-30 percent = 5 

More than 30 percent = 7

Biological diversity Percentage of native trees 

growing in school yard 

None = 0

1-10 percent = 2

21-30 percent = 5

More than 30 percent = 8 

Forest health and 

vitality

Percentage of trees damaged 

by insects, lightning, diseases, 

or other visible damage

None = 7

1-10 percent = 3

More than 10 percent = 

Productive benefits

Percentage of trees used for 

productive purposes, such as for 

nuts, fruits, or other products

None = 0

1-5 percent = 1

More than 5 percent = 2 

Protective benefits

Percentage of trees with 

evidence of wildlife or for which 

the area around the trunk is 

protected from erosion

None = 0

1-10 percent = 2

11-20 percent = 5

21-30 percent = 8

More than 30 percent = 12

Social and 

economic benefits

Percentage of trees included in 

play areas or recreation areas

None = 0 

1-5 percent = 1

6-10 = 5

More than 10 percent = 7

Legal and policy 

framework

Does your school have a plan 

for taking care of the trees?

No = 0

Yes = 2

Total points:

Assessment:

Assessment:

40-50 points = [green circle]

25-40 points = [yellow triangle]

Under 25 = [red square]

As a class, discuss your findings. What can your class do to help make your school yard healthier? Write your

planned actions with a time line and who will do which action. 

FACTIVITY: 

You can use your own criteria and indicators to assess the health of your own school 

yard. First, you have to identify the size of the land area you will assess. If you know 

the size in acres, multiply that amount by 0.405 to calculate the number of hectares. Next, 

complete the table below. You will have to estimate the percentages. If you can count the 

number of trees in your school yard, you will be able to calculate exact percentages. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 42 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

World’s Forests Photo Challenge!

Match the caption on the left 

to its photograph on the right. 

Using a pencil, write the caption 

number next to its photograph. 

Note that these photos have not 

yet appeared in the World’s Forest 

edition!

1. Biodiversity is an important 

characteristic of forests and 

the plants and animals that 

make forests their home.

2. Forests protect environmental 

values.

3. Forests provide economic 

benefits to people.

4. Forests provide non-wood 

products like mushrooms 

and berries as well as wood 

products.

5. One social benefit of forests 

is what we can learn from 

research.

6. Primary forests may sometimes 

be replaced by a planted 

forest.

7. Trees hold a lot of carbon in 

their wood, helping to address 

climate change.

8. Forest biodiversity can be lost 

through natural and humancaused disturbances.

David Flashpohler

US Forest Service
Glossary words are defined on page 45 43 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Susan Cordell

Babs McDonald

Babs McDonald

Babs McDonald Research Scotland

Babs McDonald
Glossary words are defined on page 45 44 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Primary

forests

Other

natural forests

Planted

forests

36% 57% 7%

0 100%

Warm

Temperature

Cool

Dry Rainfall Wet

Poles

Latitude

Equator

Deserts

Deserts

Tundra

Steppe

Steppe

Grasslands

Tropical shrublands

Tropical dry forests

Tropical

rain

forests

Deciduous forests

Deciduous forests

Tundra Tundra

Boreal forests Boreal forests

Figure It Out! 

Have students explain what each figure 

represents. Each of these photos have appeared 

in the journal. If desired, you may encourage 

students to discuss their understanding in more 

depth.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 45 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

GLOSSARY

Arid: Not having enough rainfall to support 

agriculture.

Avalanche: A large mass of snow, ice, earth, 

rock, or other material in swift motion down a 

mountainside.

Average: The usual kind or amount. The number 

gotten by dividing the sum of two or more 

quantities by the number of quantities added.

Axis: In the context of this report, an imaginary 

straight line about which Earth rotates.

Biodiversity: The state of having a variety of life 

forms including plants and animals, including a 

variety of genetic information among members 

of the same plant and animal species.

Browse: To graze. Browsing often refers to 

grazing on low shrubs or tree branches.

Bushmeat: The meat of land-based wild 

animals. 

Classify: To assign to a category.

Climate: The average condition of the weather 

at a place usually over a period of years. 

Conservation: Protection of something; 

especially the planned management of a natural 

resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or 

neglect. 

Conserve: To avoid wasteful or destructive use 

of. 

Correspondent: In the context of this report, 

a correspondent is a representative from each 

country who gathered and sent information to 

FAO. 

Criterion (criteria is plural): A standard on 

which a judgment or decision may be based. 

Decompose: To decay or rot. 

Deforestation: The action or process of clearing 

of forests. Deforestation happens when a forest 

is destroyed and the area previously occupied 

by the trees is used for other purposes.

Degradation: The act of impairing or bringing 

to a lower level of quality. When a forest 

experiences degradation, it does not always 

mean that the area of forest is reduced. It may 

mean that the forest’s natural processes have 

been disturbed. The result is that the forest is 

less productive than it could be. 

Distort: To twist out of a natural, normal, or 

original shape or condition.

Diversity: A measure of the differences 

between the types and numbers of living things 

in a natural area.

Drought: A period of dryness lasting a long 

time.

Ecological: Having to do with a branch of 

science concerned with the interrelationship of 

organisms and their environments.

Economic: Of, relating to, or based on the 

production, distribution, and consumption of 

goods and services.

Ecosystem: A set of relationships among the 

living resources, habitats, and residents of an 

area.

Equator: A great circle of Earth that is everywhere 

equally distant from the two poles and divides 

Earth’s surface into the northern and southern 

hemispheres.

Erode: To wear away.

Genetic: Having to do with genes; the hereditary 

material of living things.

Germinate: To cause to sprout or develop.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 46 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Habitat: Environment where a plant or animal 

naturally grows and lives.

Indicator: A pointer toward something. 

Introduced: A tree species that is not native to 

the area in which it is growing.

Invasive species: A plant or an animal whose 

presence in an area causes harm or destruction 

to the native plants or animals.

Latitude: Distance north or south from Earth’s 

equator, measured from 0 degrees (at the 

equator) to 90 degrees (at the poles)

Manage: To look after and make decisions 

about.

Modernize: To bring conditions to the present 

or the immediate past.

Native: Living or growing naturally in a particular 

region.

Northern Hemisphere: The half of Earth that is 

north of the equator.

Organism: A living being.

Population: The total of individuals occupying 

an area or making up a whole.

Protected area: In the context of this report, 

a protected area is legally established for 

the purposes of protecting the area’s natural 

resources and values.

Revenue: The total income produced by a 

given source.

Sequestration: The act of holding.

Social: Of or relating to human society.

Species: A class of individuals having common 

attributes and designated by a common name.

Stabilize: The act of firmly establishing or 

putting into a condition of having no change.

Sustainable: Of, relating to, or being a method 

of using a resource so that the resource is not 

depleted or permanently damaged.

Sustainably: Of, relating to, or being a method 

of using a resource so that the resource is not 

depleted or permanently damaged.

Transition: Change; passage from one state, 

stage, subject, or place to another.

Unit of measurement: A standard quantity of 

a physical property, such as meters, degrees 

Celsius, or grams.

Variable: A quantity that may assume any one 

of a set of values.

Vegetation: Plant life.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 47 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Educator Resources

Note to Teachers
Glossary words are defined on page 45 48 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Educator Resources

Note to Teachers

The Natural Inquirer is an integrated science 

education journal for students aged 11-14. In 

the United States where the journal was first 

published, the Natural Inquirer presents research 

from scientists working in the United States 

Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. This 

edition of the Natural Inquirer presents the results 

of a worldwide effort to understand the world’s 

forests, organized by the United Nations Food and 

Agriculture Organization, or FAO. The report from 

which this Natural Inquirer is written is the Global 

Forest Resources Assessment 2010. In contains 

information from 233 countries and territories 

around the world. 

You can access the FAO report at:

http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra/fra2010/en/. 

This journal is organized into 5 Inquiries. Each 

Inquiry presents a category of findings from the 

Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010. 

Each Inquiry builds on the previous Inquiry’s 

information, and each should be considered a 

separate lesson. A lesson plan for each section 

and Inquiry follows this “Note to Teachers.” 

The educational concepts, which immediately 

follow the “Reflection Section Answer Guide,” 

summarize suggested key learning objectives for 

the journal. 

To be most effective, the Inquiries should be 

presented in the order outlined in the journal. At 

the beginning of the journal, 3 sections set the 

context for learning. “Welcome to the World’s 

Forests Edition of the Natural Inquirer!” provides 

an introduction to the journal. 

“Thinking About the World’s Forests” presents the 

benefits of forests and sets the stage for why it is 

important to understand forests at a global scale. 

“Thinking About Science” presents the method 

used by FAO to gather the information included 

in the Inquiries. To be most effective, students 

should read these sections before they begin the 

Inquiries. A short lesson plan for these sections is 

presented on page 50. 

Each Inquiry is comprised of 2 main sections: 

“The Situation” and “What FAO Discovered.” “The 

Situation” introduces the question asked by FAO. 

This section also presents background information 

that led to the research question. Whenever there 

is a scientific question to be answered, there 

is a situation that led to the development of the 

question.

“What FAO Discovered” presents the answer 

to the research question. This section includes 

tables, figures, and photographs as well as text. 

Embedded within this section are “Reflection 

Sections,” which ask questions aimed at 

encouraging students to think critically about what 

they are reading. You may use these questions 

to check student comprehension and stimulate 

discussion. Possible answers to the Reflection 

Questions can be found on page 58.

In some instances, a “You Do the Math” section 

provides an opportunity for students to integrate 

math with their scientific learning. 

Before beginning any of the Inquiries, have your 

students read, “Welcome to the World’s Forests 

Edition of the Natural Inquirer!” This section 

introduces the journal and provides opportunity 

for students to begin thinking about forests within 

their own country and region as a part of the global 

landscape. Students should only have to read this 

section once.

Before they leave this section, have them locate 

their own region on the map on page 9.

Note that the first occurrence of glossary words is 

given in bold. The glossary is on page 44 and the 

words are presented in alphabetical order. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 49 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Lesson Plans Introduce the Natural Inquirer

Tell your students that they are going to be 

learning about the world’s forests. If possible, 

give each student a copy of the journal. Have 

them look at the cover and read the 5 topics 

the journal addresses. Have them examine the 

cover photos associated with each topic. In a 

rapid fire format, have students share what they 

currently know about each of these topics. If 

possible, write a list of what students currently 

know about each of these 5 topics on the 

blackboard or whiteboard. Save this list for later.

Note that the first occurrence of glossary words 

is given in bold. Glossary words are defined on 

page 45. 

Welcome to the World’s Forests Natural Inquirer!

Have your students read the first paragraph. 

When students read this journal, they may 

read silently or you may select students to read 

paragraphs out loud. Next, have students “do 

the math” and give the answer. (In 2011, the UN 

was 66 years old.)

Students should read the next paragraph. Hold 

a discussion about the meaning of the word 

“improve.” What does it mean to them? What 

might improvement mean to people in a country 

that is in transition and modernization?

Students should read the next paragraph. Ask 

them to identify the main idea of the paragraph.

The next paragraph begins with “Trees are often 

planted...” Have students read this paragraph 

and follow up with a class discussion. Questions 

to get you started: “How is your life improved by 

forests?” “What do you think is the topic of this 

journal?” 

Examine Figure 1. Has anyone seen a forest 

planted specifically to produce products? Have 

them tell about it. If not, what do they imagine 

such a forest might look like?

Have students read the next 2 paragraphs in 

preparation for examining Figure 2. Have them 

locate their region and subregion.

Read the next paragraph, beginning with “Every 

5 years...” At the end of the paragraph in rapid 

fire format, have students say what they think 

are benefits provided by the world’s forests. 

Write this list on the blackboard or whiteboard 

and save it.

Read the next paragraph and then, using Figure 

2, have students find the region where they live.

Logo sidebar: 

Have students read the International 

Year of Forests sidebar and compare 

the text with the logo. How have people 

and forest benefits been shown by the 

logo? What does the logo say to them?
Glossary words are defined on page 45 50 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Lesson Plan for “Thinking About the World’s 

Forests”

Have students read the paragraph. Compare 

this list of benefits given in this paragraph with 

the student-generated list created above. Hold 

a class discussion about whether students were 

surprised at some of the benefits provided by 

forests. Can they think of any additional benefits?

Look at Figure 3. What are some of the forest 

benefits illustrated by this photograph?

Lesson Plan for “Thinking About Science”

This section provides the background for how 

FAO collected information about the world’s 

forests. Begin by asking students if they 

can imagine how FAO collected information 

about forests all over the world. After students 

provide some ideas, have them read the first 2 

paragraphs. Hold a discussion about the first and 

second paragraphs, then read and discuss the 

third paragraph. Check student understanding 

of the term, “unit of measurement.” 

After students read paragraph 4, have them 

read the statement from Mr Souleymane GUEYE. 

By asking questions, make sure that students 

understand that each National Correspondent 

was responsible for working with others in his 

or her country to collect and report information 

to FAO. Each correspondent also worked 

with other National Correspondents to share 

information about their country.

Discuss what Mr GUEYE might have meant 

when he said, “...the world is a village and we 

have all to act in the same direction for the safety 

and sustainability of mankind.” Ask students to 

discuss other thoughts they have in about Mr 

GUEYE’s statement.

You may then direct their attention back to the 

purpose of the data collection and ask the 

reflection questions. 

Lesson Plan for “Introduction to the 

Inquiries”

As an educator, read this section in advance. You 

may paraphrase the information in this section 

without having students read each paragraph. 

It is most important for students to understand 

that each Inquiry builds on the previous one. It 

is important, therefore, to present them in order. 

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 1

THE SITUATION:

Have students read the first paragraph. Have 

students examine Figure 5 and identify their 

country’s ecozone type. Have them identify 

another area of the world with a similar ecozone. 

Ask them if they think the two areas look similar. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 51 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Why or why not? They should guess that the 

areas look somewhat similar in vegetation cover 

if they are in similar ecozones, because an 

ecozone describes an area’s land cover.

In the next number of paragraphs, students will 

explore Earth’s climate zones and associated 

vegetation cover. Have students read a paragraph 

and then examine the associated figure, through 

Figure 10. Make sure that students understand 

what each figure is showing about Earth and its 

relationship to a particular climate zone. 

Now look at Figure 11. Have students do a 

comparison of these photographs. Students may 

work in pairs or individually. Have students make 

a list of the similarities and differences between 

any two of the photographs. If students can find 

the approximate country location on a world map, 

have them identify the photograph’s ecozone by 

referencing Figure 5. 

Using this information, have students describe 

what the photographs reveal about the vegetation 

in different ecozones. Students can summarize 

their results for the Reflection Question.

Read the next two paragraphs, answering the 

question in the first paragraph before moving 

to the second. Look at Table 1. Make sure that 

students understand the 3 categories of forests 

studied by FAO before moving to the next 

section.

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

Have students read the first paragraph and 

examine Figures 12-14. If desired, students can 

calculate the area in acres by using the following 

formula: 

Acres = hectares*2.47

If you are in the United States of America, 

remind students that soccer is called football 

across the rest of the world. Have them note 

some characteristics of the Siberian forest in 

Figure 15.

Read the next paragraph. Ask students to 

define a primary forest. Look at Figure 16. Have 

them compare the photographs. What are the 

similarities and differences? Ask them to explain 

why they think the differences exist. 

Ask students to calculate the percentage of 

primary forest covering Earth’s entire surface. 

(Multiply 36 percent by 31 percent.) Do they 

think this is a lot of forest area? Why or why 

not? (Students will have individual answers to 

this question. The important thing is for them to 

provide a reason for their answer.)

Now have students go back and examine 

Figure 12. Ask them to identify where most of 

the world’s forests are located on Earth. 

Have students read the next paragraph 

(beginning with “The number of hectares of 

planted forests...”). Have them examine Figure 

16. Ask them to summarize what the findings 

in this paragraph and figure tell us about the 

world’s forests. 

Have students read the next paragraph about 

deforestation and examine Figure 17. Have them 

explain the cause of deforestation in this photo. 

Have students read the next paragraph 

(beginning with “To help understand...”). Have 

students study Figure 18. This shows the world’s 

countries and their real areas. Have them identify 

their own country and any other countries. The 

following maps, called cartograms, show the 

countries distorted in size according to a statistic 

about forest gain or loss (Figures 19-21). 

Now, students can work in small groups, in 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 52 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

pairs, or individually. Have them examine each 

cartogram and study their own country in relation 

to other countries. After they have examined all 

of the cartograms, hold a discussion based on 

the reflection question that begins with, “Look at 

Figures 19-21...”

Next, have students discuss their answers to 

the remaining reflection questions.

Optional: Do the FACTivity.

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 2

THE SITUATION:

Have students read the first paragraph. Before 

going to paragraph 2, make sure that students 

understand what biodiversity is. 

Have students read paragraph 2. Hold 

a discussion about the various levels of 

biodiversity. (Biodiversity is literally a diversity 

of life.) Note that an area can be biologically 

diverse at the genetic level up to the level of 

plant and animal communities. 

Have students read to the “Reflection Section.” 

Have students state in their own words the three 

things FAO measured to better understand 

biodiversity in the world’s forests. Then, hold 

a class discussion based on the reflection 

questions. 

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

Have students read the first paragraph 

and examine Figure 23. Have students 

examine their own country. Hold a class 

discussion about whether students have 

visited any primary forests. If they have, have 

them share their experience with the class. 

What did they observe about these forests? 

What did they like or dislike? Does their country 

have any birds that look similar to the bird in 

Figure 22? What do they think the bird in the 

figure eats? (The bird eats nectar from tropical 

flowers. Its beak is uniquely adapted for this 

purpose.)

Genetic Diversity Sidebar: Have students read 

the sidebar. Hold a discussion about diversity 

and adaptation. Ask students to consider what 

would happen if all humans had the same 

genetic makeup. Ask them to consider if that 

would be a good thing for humans. Have them 

state their reasons for their answers.

Have students read the next paragraph and 

examine Table 2. What do they think stands out 

in the percent of forest area column? (Europe 

has a low percentage of area set aside for 

biodiversity compared with the rest of the world.)

Have students examine Figures 24 and 25. Ask 

students what they can learn from those figures 

about the possible future of biodiversity in their 

own country’s and region’s forests.

Have students read the next paragraph. What 

do they think is the most important sentence 

in that paragraph and why? (Students will 

have individual answers to this question. Their 

answers can be used to stimulate a class 

discussion about protected areas.) 

Have students examine Figure 26. Have them 

discuss how their region compares with other 

regions in the percentage of protected forest areas.

Have students “do the math.” Ask them whether 

this is a good or a bad sign for the future of forests 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 53 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

worldwide and why. (Multiply 94 000 000 by 0.66)

Have students read the next paragraph 

(beginning with “Biodiversity can be 

threatened...”). First, have students compare 

the number of hectares damaged worldwide 

with the number damaged in North America. 

About what percentage of insect damage has 

occurred in North America? Hold a discussion 

about the increase in damage from invasive 

insects. There are two main reasons given for 

the increase in insect damage. Ask students to 

identify those two reasons. 

Have students examine Figure 27. What do they 

notice about insect damage worldwide and in 

their own country? What reactions do they have 

to the amount of damage shown in Figure 28?

Have students read the next paragraph. Ask 

students what is similar about the quality of the 

information between reports of fire damage 

and insect damage? (Not many countries kept 

records of this kind of damage.) 

Have students examine Figures 28 and 30. Do 

they think the forest in Figure 30 has a high level 

of biodiversity? Why or why not?

Have students read the sidebar. Hold a 

discussion about whether or not students were 

aware that fire can be a good thing for some 

forests. Now have students reflect on why FAO 

used the occurrence of fire as an indication that 

a forest might not have biodiversity. (FAO had to 

use just a few measures to determine whether 

a forest had biodiversity. Although some forests 

need occasional fires, if a forest is destroyed by 

a fire, it mostly likely no longer has biodiversity.)

Hold a class discussion based on the two 

reflection questions. 

Optional: Do the FACTivity.

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 3

THE SITUATION:

Have students read the first paragraph. Ask 

students to recall that they had earlier created 

a list of forest benefits. Bring this student list to 

their attention and see if they can add any new 

benefits to the list. 

Have students read the next paragraph. On the 

student-generated list of benefits, have the class 

say which they believe are productive benefits. 

Do this for each of the next three paragraphs, 

identifying which benefits from the list are 

protective, social, and economic. Some of the 

benefits might fit into more than 1 category. 

Have students read the next paragraph before 

considering the reflection questions. 

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED: 

Have students read the first paragraph. Discuss 

what might be meant by the term “multiple use.” 

(Multiple use means that forests are used for 

more than one purpose. For example, forests 

might provide products and social benefits at 

the same time.)

Have students examine Table 3. Hold a class 

discussion about why European forests 

might have such a high percentage of area in 

productive forests. Now have students examine 

Figure 31. 

Ask students to share their experience of a 

productive forest. If none of your students have 

an experience with a productive forest, ask them 

to imagine what one might look like. You may, if 

you have time, give students the opportunity to 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 54 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

draw their vision of a productive forest. 

Have students read the next paragraph and 

examine Figure 32. Hold a class discussion 

about wood products. Ask students if they can 

identify any wood products around them. 

Also discuss the idea of non-wood forest 

products. From Figure 32, have students explain 

why they think these countries have the largest 

volume of wood removed by percentage. These 

include food, botanicals for medicines, grasses 

for weaving, and other non-wood products. 

Have students read the first paragraph under 

“Protective Forest Benefits.” Discuss soil and 

water conservation. In a class discussion, 

have students explore why soil and water 

conservation provide overall protection for 

forests. Have students compare regions in 

Figure 34. What do they think stands out about 

soil and water conservation by region? Have 

students examine Figure 33. How do they think 

forests help to conserve soil and water?

Have students read the paragraph about 

desertification. Have them compare Table 4 

with Figure 35. Do students know the location of 

the countries listed in Table 4? If not, have them 

use an atlas, encyclopedias, or the Internet to 

identify the location of each country. Then they 

can compare each country’s location with the 

map in Figure 35.

Students should now read the first paragraph 

under “Social and Economic Benefits.” Hold a 

class discussion about what social benefits are. 

Have them consider whether people in their 

country enjoy social benefits from forests. Hold 

a class discussion about these benefits. 

Have students compare and contrast Figure 

36 with Figure 37. Have students identify and 

discuss the differences in the social benefit 

being described by each photograph. 

Students should read the next paragraph, 

beginning with “FAO found that some countries...” 

Have students consider the idea of “multiple 

use.” Have them reflect on whether classifying 

forests as multiple use forests causes some of 

the particular forest benefits to be forgotten. 

Also have them consider whether managing 

forests for multiple uses is a good idea. Have 

them identify advantages and disadvantages of 

managing forests for multiple uses. 

Have students examine Table 5. Have them 

identify what stands out about the information 

given in Table 5. Discuss whether they think 

Oceania’s forests offer any social benefits and 

why.

Now students will read about economic benefits. 

Have students read the first 2 paragraphs. Hold 

a class discussion about whether students 

agree with FAO that non-wood forest products 

have a much higher value than was discovered 

in this research. Have students give reasons for 

their position.

Have students read the next paragraph and 

examine Figure 38. As a class, identify different 

kinds of jobs related to the forest sector. Remind 

students that many of these jobs might be 

done in an office. If any students have met an 

individual who works in the forest sector, have 

them share what they know about this person 

and their job. 

Now have students “do the math.” Hold a class 

discussion about whether that seems like a 

large or a small percentage. Challenge students 

to think of all of the different kinds of jobs people 

can have as they consider the percentage of 

people working in the forest sector. Examples 

are education, healthcare, business, retail, 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 55 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

construction, manufacturing, (non-forest) 

agriculture, and travel. 

Now have students consider the reflection 

section. Hold a class discussion to explore each 

of these questions. 

Read the sidebar. What social benefit is 

highlighted in the paragraph? What social 

benefits are shown in Figure 39?

Optional: Do the FACTivity.

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 4

THE SITUATION: 

Have students read the first paragraph. Hold a 

class discussion about whether students agree 

that the climate has been changing more than 

one would have expected from normal cycles. 

Ask students to point to any evidence that they 

have. Explore whether the evidence can be 

trusted and why.

Have students read the next paragraph. Before 

moving on, test student knowledge to make sure 

that they understand what the greenhouse effect 

is and that it is vital to regulating temperatures 

on Earth so that life can exist on Earth.

Have students read the next paragraph and 

examine Figure 40. Hold a class discussion 

about the rising level of greenhouse gases in the 

atmosphere. Have students explain what they 

understand from examining Figure 40. Have 

students explore whether this figure supports 

the position that greenhouse gases are rising 

more than should be expected from normal 

cycles.

Have students read the next paragraph, 

beginning with, “Carbon dioxide is one of the...” 

Check to make sure that students understand (1) 

that atmospheric carbon dioxide is necessary for 

life to exist on Earth and (2) that it is only when too 

much carbon dioxide gets into the atmosphere 

that plants and animals are affected.

Have students read the next paragraph and 

examine Figures 41 and 42. Check to make sure 

that they understand the carbon cycle and that 

trees (and therefore forests) play a role in the 

carbon cycle by absorbing and holding carbon 

on Earth.

Have students read the next 2 paragraphs. Ask 

students if they think that carbon is present in high 

amounts in trees. (Students should conclude that 

if half of a tree’s dry weight is carbon, that carbon 

is present in high amounts in trees.)

Have students do the reflection questions. Hold a 

class discussion about each of these questions.

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

Have students read the first paragraph and 

examine Figures 43 and 44. Ask students if they 

have seen litter and deadwood in forests, either in 

person or in photographs. If they have, have them 

compare and contrast the litter and deadwood 

they have seen with Figures 43 and 44. 

Have students read the next short paragraph 

and examine Figure 45 and 47. Ask students to 

compare and contrast the pie charts. Ask which 

region’s forests hold the most carbon. Why do 

they think this is so? 

Have students “Do the math.” Ask them to give 

their reactions to the weight of the carbon in all 

of the world’s forests. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 56 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Have students read the next paragraph, 

beginning with, “The amount of carbon in the 

forests’ litter...” Ask students if they are surprised 

at the comparison between the amount of 

carbon in litter and deadwood, compared with 

the amount of litter in the soil. Ask students to 

explain their reaction. 

Have students read the next sentence and 

examine Figure 48. Ask students what they notice 

about this bar chart. (Students should notice that 

the amount of carbon being held has gone down 

in all but 2 regions.)

Have students read the next sentence and 

examine Table 6 on page 33. Ask them what they 

notice about the amount of carbon being held by 

the world’s forests per hectare. Then have them 

read the next short paragraph.

Do the reflection question on page 35 and hold 

a class discussion about the role of forests in 

reducing the impact of climate change.

Have students read the paragraph about the 

IPCC and examine Figure 49. Ask students why 

the loss of forests may be increasing carbon 

emissions into the atmosphere. 

Action on Climate Change

Students should read the paragraphs about the 

United Nations work with REDD and REDD+, 

and then read the action items associated with 

REDD+. Ask students how they can tell that the 

first 2 action items are a part of REDD. 

Read the next paragraph. Discuss the use of 

money to encourage action to address climate 

change. Do students agree that this is a good idea? 

What are the advantages and disadvantages of 

using money to encourage action?

Now have students read the paragraph about 

carbon sequestration. Make sure that students 

understand how carbon sequestration compares 

with other forest benefits. Check their knowledge 

concerning the value of carbon sequestration. 

Have students read the next paragraph, 

beginning with, “The United Nations also 

recognized...” Hold a class discussion about 

how forest management can help maintain the 

health and wellbeing of the world’s citizens.

Do the reflection questions and hold class 

discussions about each question.

Optional: Do the FACTivity.

Lesson Plan for Inquiry 5

THE SITUATION: 

The first 2 paragraph introduces the idea 

of criteria and indicators for healthy and 

sustainable forest management, as defined by 

FAO. Have your students read this paragraphs 

and check to make sure that they understand 

what the words “criteria” and “indicators” mean. 

Have your students examine Table 7. 

Have them take time to explore this figure. 

Check to make sure that they understand each 

set of indicators, when taken together, provide 

evidence regarding the criterion to which the set 

of indicators is associated. 

Before doing the math, have students examine 

Figure 50 and check their understanding of 

cubic meters of wood.

Then “do the math.” This math problem relates 

to the second indicator of the first criterion 

(cubic meters of wood). As an extension, get a 

cylinder (such as a pencil or a can), measure 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 57 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

its diameter and length, and calculate its 

approximate volume. 

Compare the cylinder with the photo of tree 

boles. What is one difference between a tree 

bole and the cylinder? 

If students need a hint, show them a cup that 

has a smaller diameter at its base than at its top. 

Ask students to guess why the calculation of a 

tree bole’s volume is not exact.

Do the reflection questions. Hold a class 

discussion about each question. 

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

Have students read the first paragraph. In small 

groups, have them examine Tables 8 and 9. 

Their examination of Table 9 should focus on 

comparing their subregion with their region; and 

their region with the rest of the world. 

What can students say about sustainable forest 

management worldwide and in their subregion 

and region? Ask them how their subregion 

compares with the rest of the world. If students had 

the opportunity to speak with forest managers in 

their own subregion or country, what would they 

recommend?

As an extension, have students write letters 

to their country’s forestry division with 

recommendations for forest management, 

based on FAO’s study about the world’s forests.

Have students read the last paragraph and 

then do the reflection questions. Hold a class 

discussion about these questions. 

Challenge students to compare the positive 

signs with some of the less positive findings 

presented in this journal. Overall, what do they 

see in the future of the world’s forests?

Optional: Do the FACTivity.

Summary Exercise:

Have students divide into 5 small groups. Each 

group will take one of the Inquiries and create 

a poster to summarize the information in their 

Inquiry. Display the posters in the school. 

As an alternative, have each group create a 

5-10 minute verbal summary of their Inquiry. 

Present these summaries in order, for a total of 

25-50 minutes, to other students (and parents). 

Invite local forestry professionals if possible. 

World’s Forests Photo Challenge!

These are new photos that the students have not 

yet seen. They should match each photo with 

its caption by numbering the photos according 

to the correct caption. Hold a class discussion 

about the photos and explanations.

Figure It Out!

Students should examine each of the images 

on this page and in small groups or as a class, 

explain the meaning of the image based on 

what they have learned in the Inquiries.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 58 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Reflection Section

Answer Guide
Glossary words are defined on page 45 59 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Reflection Section Answer Guide

Note: The reflection questions are meant to 

encourage students to think critically about 

what they have read. There are no right or wrong 

answers. 

Thinking About Science

What are some of the benefits forests provide 

to your community? Students should be able to 

identify at least 3 of the following benefits: wood 

products, homes for wildlife, clean water, clean 

air, places to live and play, food, and energy. 

Students may also know that forests hold 

carbon on Earth, reducing the impact of climate 

change; and they may know that forests help to 

slow or stop soil erosion.

Do you think it is helpful to get information about 

forests in different regions of the world? Why or 

why not? Students will answer individually to 

this question and should back up their answer 

with logic. They should realize, however, that it is 

helpful to get information about regions so that 

regions can be compared. 

Inquiry 1

THE SITUATION:

Compare and contrast the forests shown in 

Figure 11. What are their similarities? What are 

their differences? Students should identify at 

least 2 similarities and 2 differences and explain 

what these similarities and differences are. For 

more challenge, have students imagine why the 

forests they compared are different.

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

Look at figures 19-21. What can you say about 

the change in your country’s forests in the past 

5 years? Each student, depending on their 

location, will have a different answer. Students 

in the same classroom should come to similar 

conclusions about changes in their country’s 

forests over the past five years.

What do you think about the changes in your 

country’s forests over the past 5 years? Is this 

a change for the better or worse? Why or why 

not? Each student will have individual answers 

to these questions. You can use this question 

to start a class discussion about your country’s 

forest resources, their value, and forest 

management.

Why is it important to understand whether the 

amount of forest area worldwide is shrinking, 

growing, or staying about the same? Individual 

students will have different answers to this 

question. This question can be used to begin a 

discussion about the value of forests to people 

and the planet.

Inquiry 2

THE SITUATION:

Why do you think biodiversity if important to the 

world’s forests? Students will have individual 

answers to this question. They should be able 

to back up their answers with logical reasons. 

Some possible answers include: 

1.Biodiversity creates a variety of places for 

animals to live. 

2.Biodiversity protects species from 

becoming endangered. 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 60 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

3.Biodiversity ensures a variety of forest 

products. 

4.Biodiversity allows species to adapt over 

time. 

5.Biodiversity provides insurance against 

one species using too many resources. 

How could knowing the number of hectares in 

each of the 3 categories help FAO to understand 

how healthy those forests were in 2010? Primary 

forests are forest with native tree species and 

with little evidence of human activities. In 

primary forests, the ecological processes are 

not much disturbed. Because of this, primary 

forests indicate healthy forests.

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

Based on FAO’s findings, would you say that 

the health of the world’s forests is increasing or 

decreasing? Why? Students will have individual 

answers to this question, but they should look at 

the evidence given and be ready to discuss their 

thinking. Based on the findings about primary 

forests, it appears that the health of the world’s 

forests is decreasing. 

Based on the findings about the number of 

hectares of forests set aside for either biodiversity 

or other ecological functions, it appears that the 

health of the world’s forests is increasing. 

Due in part to climate change, damage from 

insects, disease, fire, and other disturbances 

may increase in the future. This would negatively 

affect the health of forests worldwide. FAO, 

therefore, found both positive and negative 

indicators of forest health.

Is it important to protect the biodiversity of forests? 

Why or why not? Students will have individual 

answers to this question. Students should be 

able to back up their answer with logic. 

One of the most important reasons to protect 

biodiversity is that biodiversity is considered to 

be the most important indicator of forest health. 

It is important to keep forests healthy so that 

they can continue to offer benefits to people 

and wildlife into the future. 

Inquiry 3

THE SITUATION:

If the size of the world’s forest decreases, what 

will happen to the amount of benefit forests 

provide to people? What does this suggest 

about how we should manage our forests? 

Students should realize that if the size of a forest 

decreases, the amount of benefit it can provide 

will decrease as well. 

Students should realize that if we want to 

continue to enjoy the benefits forests provide, 

we will have to manage forests so that they can 

be sustained into the future. 

Do you think that anywhere forests are located 

on Earth they provide benefits in all four of FAO’s 

categories? Why or why not? Students will have 

individual answers to this question. 

They should realize, however, that forests 

everywhere provide benefits in all four of FAO’s 

categories. In your classroom, you can have a 

discussion about the benefits of nearby forests 

and contrast this with possible benefits of a 

forest far away. 

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

Why are the protection of soil and water 

important to the world’s citizens? Students will 

have individual answers, but they should realize 

that healthy soil is necessary for agriculture and 

that clean water is necessary for all life.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 61 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

What are some of the social benefits you 

enjoy from visiting forests? Students will have 

individual answers to this question. 

Remind them of what social benefits are: outdoor 

recreation, tourism, education, research, and the 

existence of cultural or spiritual areas. Some of 

the benefits could include health and wellbeing, 

fitness, time with family and friends, learning, 

and inspiration.

Inquiry 4

THE SITUATION:

Do you think that humans contain carbon? Why 

or why not? Students should realize that since 

humans are animals, they contain carbon. 

(About 18 percent of a human body’s weight 

is carbon, and carbon is the second most 

prevalent element in a human behind oxygen.) 

Why should we care whether the world’s forests 

are holding the same amount, more, or less 

carbon over time? Each student will have an 

individual answer to this question. Students 

should be able to back up their answer with 

logic. Students should conclude that we can 

better manage the world’s forests for reducing 

the effects of climate change if we know over 

time how much carbon is being held by those 

forests. 

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

How do forests help to reduce the impact of 

climate change? They absorb and hold carbon 

on Earth.

Countries are beginning to manage their 

forests primarily for the protection of soil and 

water (Inquiry 3). In the same way, do you think 

countries may begin to manage their forests 

primarily for the protection of carbon resources? 

Why or why not? Students will have individual 

answers to this question. This question asks 

students to imagine how forest management 

priorities might change in the future as the 

climate continues to change. Use this question 

as a discussion about current and future benefits 

of forests, and the role of forests in mitigating 

climate change. 

Look at the list of actions that make up REDD+. 

Compare the first two with the last three. How 

are the last three different than the first two? The 

first two describe an effort to reduce carbon 

emissions. The last three go much farther and 

involve a greater effort to actively manage forests 

so that carbon is not just lost, but so the service 

provided by forests when they hold carbon can 

be enhanced into the future.

Inquiry 5

THE SITUATION:

Look at the indicators in Table 7. What is similar 

about every one of the indicators? Students may 

need a hint with this answer. Every indicator can 

be measured. 

Look at the last indicator of Social and Economic 

benefits. FAO calculated the value of wood 

removals in United States dollars. What did it 

have to do with the information from each country 

before it could report this figure? The value of 

wood removals in each country’s currency had 

to be recalculated to its value in United States 

dollars. This was done so that the same unit 

of measurement was used. In “Thinking About 

Science,” students learned the importance of 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 62 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

using the same unit of measurement. 

WHAT FAO DISCOVERED:

Look at Table 8. Find the column labeled, “HOW 

MUCH INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE?” Why 

is this important? Compare and contrast the 

meaning of findings for which little information 

was available with the meaning of findings for 

which much information was available. The more 

information available, the more confidence FAO 

can have in its findings. For those indicators 

where little information is available, FAO cannot 

be as confident that the findings reflect the true 

situation. Where a lot of information is available, 

FAO can be much more confident that the 

findings reflect the true situation. 

Change in “Forest Health and Vitality”, 

“Protective Benefits” and “Social and Economic 

Benefits” has been positive. If these positive 

trends continue, what might you predict for the 

future of “Forest Health and Vitality?” Although no 

one can know the future, if “Protective Benefits” 

continues to change in a positive direction, 

“Forest Health and Vitality” may become more 

positive in the future. On the other hand, if the 

amount of forest land continues to decline, we 

may find fewer forests on Earth, even if they 

offer a greater amount of protective benefits.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 63 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Educational Concepts

Addressed by the Inquiries
Glossary words are defined on page 45 64 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

Educational Concepts Addressed by the 

Inquiries

Note: These educational concepts have been 

adapted from the North American Association 

for Environmental Education’s Excellence 

in Environmental Education: Guidelines for 

Learning, and focus on learning by students 

aged 11-14.

 Inquiry Skills:

Questioning Skills

Learners are able to identify, develop, or 

explain inquiry questions based on personal 

experience, discussion, or reading.

Learners are able to summarize environmental 

problems or situations based on personal 

experience, discussion, or reading.

Data Collection Skills

Learners are able to understand and/or use 

measurement tools or metrics.

Learners are able to choose and synthesize 

materials from second-hand sources, such as 

books, journals, newspapers, and the Internet.

Data Organization Skills

Learners are able to read and explain data 

summarized in tables, charts, graphs, or maps. 

Learners are able to draw conclusions and 

develop explanations based on data or 

information.

Learners are able to distinguish between 

description and explanation.

Learners are able to propose explanations and 

evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these 

explanations.

Learners are able to compare and contrast data 

representing different geographical locations.

Knowledge of Earth Systems and 

Processes:

Earth as a Physical System

Learners understand and are able to describe 

the following physical Earth processes:

•Global carbon cycling

• Carbon cycling in trees

• Climate change (its cause and potential 

effects)

• Latitude and its relation to tree species

• Elevation and its relation to tree species

Environment and Society:

Human/Environment Interactions

Learners understand and can explain how 

human-caused changes to forests have 

consequences: immediately and in the future 
Glossary words are defined on page 45 65 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

and locally, regionally, and globally.

Natural Resources (forests)

Learners understand that natural resources 

(forests) are unevenly distributed across the 

planet.

Learners understand and can describe the 

multiple benefits offered by forests.

Learners understand that forests can change 

because of natural and man-made activity.

Learners understand that a variety of forests 

exist on Earth and this variety may be created 

naturally or may be man-made.

Technology

Learners understand the increasing human 

ability to shape and control the environment 

as a function of the development and use of 

technology.

Environmental Issues

Learners understand that environmental issues 

occur at all scales and that people in other 

places in the world experience environmental 

issues similar to the ones they are concerned 

about locally.

Skills for Understanding 

and Addressing Environmental Issues:

UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Learners are able to apply their knowledge of 

ecological and human processes and systems 

to identify the consequences of specific 

environmental issues.

Learners understand the nature of trade-offs 

and are able to analyze the risks and benefits of 

human environmental actions.

Learners are able to predict the consequences 

of inaction or failure to resolve an environmental 

issue.

Learners are able to identify and evaluate 

solutions and courses of action to address 

environmental issues.

Decision-making and Citizenship

Skills

Learners are able to identify, justify, and clarify 

their views on environmental issues.

Learners are able to evaluate the need for citizen 

action and decide whether they should or could 

be involved.

Learners are able to set realistic goals for action.
Glossary words are defined on page 45 66 World’s Forest Natural Inquirer

What Does FAO Do?

FAO’s Member Nations have given the Organization the task of helping them create a world where 

no one goes hungry. So what does FAO do to help build a world without hunger? Its work is divided 

into 4 main activities:

Information

First and foremost, the world needs reliable information about how many people are hungry, who 

they are and where they live. To help bring an end to hunger, countries need to have up-to-date 

and trustworthy information about all sorts of things: food production, prices and trade, land 

use, nutrition levels, food aid, and population. FAO is the world’s leading source for this sort of 

information and has been so for more than 50 years. Find out more about how FAO provides the 

world with information by visiting http://www.fao.org/kids/en/information.html.

Advice

Having mountains of information is essential. But you also need to know how to make sense of 

all this data to put it to practical use. When governments request assistance, FAO’s experts offer 

advice on how to establish policies on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development that 

can truly benefit the hungry. 

A meeting place

Individual countries working on their own can’t bring an end to world hunger. It’s a global problem 

that requires international cooperation on many issues, including agriculture, fisheries, forestry, 

trade and the environment. FAO provides the common ground where rich and poor countries can 

come together to reach international agreements that can help the world’s hungry. 

Field work

FAO also helps countries bring technical knowledge and expertise directly to farmers to the field. 

The Organization coordinates thousands of field projects throughout the world. It mobilizes and 

manages millions of dollars provided by industrialized countries, development banks and other 

sources to make sure these projects are effective. 

A great many of these projects are carried out in response to humanitarian emergencies arising 

from natural disasters or armed conflict. 
A broad range of expertise

To get an idea of some of the specific topics that FAO deals with, visit the links below. We guarantee 

you will come across some surprises.

Forestry http://www.fao.org/kids/en/forestry.html

Fisheries http://www.fao.org/kids/en/fisheries.html

Food forever http://www.fao.org/kids/en/forever.html

Emergencies http://www.fao.org/kids/en/emergencies.html

Clean energy http://www.fao.org/kids/en/energy.html

Social justice http://www.fao.org/kids/en/socialjustice.html

AIDS http://www.fao.org/kids/en/aids.html

Global warming http://www.fao.org/kids/en/gw.html

Digital divide http://www.fao.org/kids/en/divide.html

Poverty http://www.fao.org/kids/en/poverty.html

Globalization http://www.fao.org/kids/en/globalization.html

Food safety http://www.fao.org/kids/en/safety.html

Home page for kids http://www.fao.org/kids/en/

What is the USDA Forest Service?

The United States Department of Agriculture – Forest Service is an organization of people who manage, 

teach about, and study the forests and ranges in the United States and worldwide. The Forest Service 

publishes Natural Inquirers on a variety of topics, such as climate change, bioenergy, invasive species, 

and tropical forests. The Forest Service worked with FAO to create the Natural Inquirer World’s Forest 

edition so that students worldwide can learn about the forests that sustain life on Earth. For more information 

and to order Natural Inquirers, visit http://naturalinquirer.org.