EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD 

The Natural Inquirer Editorial Review Board is made up of students between the ages of 11 and 

15. The Editorial Review Board reads an early copy of the Natural Inquirer and makes suggestions 

for improvement. The review board for this edition is Mr. Omar Azim’s 8th grade class, Royal Oak 

Middle School, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. 

INTERNET RESOURCES

United Nations: http://www.un.org

Food and Agriculture Organization: http://fao.org

Natural Inquirer: http://www.naturalinquirer.org

International Year of Forests: http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/

Forest Service for Kids: http://www.fs.fed.us/kids/

Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4793e.pdf

Member States (countries) of the United Nations: http://www.un.org/en/members/index.shtml

FS-1102

Summer 2019 I9938EN/1/12.18

ISBN 978-92-5-130633-8

9 7 8 9251 306338

247-937_cover.indd 1 
WELCOME TO THE THIRD 

EDITION OF THE WORLD’S 

FORESTS NATURAL INQUIRER!

2019

Hiroto Mitsugi

Assistant Director-General

Forestry Department, FAO

Victoria Christiansen

Chief

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

Alex L. Friend

Deputy Chief, Research and Development

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

Patti Hirami

Acting Deputy Chief, State and Private 

Forestry

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

With thanks to:

Tracy Hancock

Staff Director

Knowledge Management and 

Communications

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

Michiko Martin

Staff Director

Conservation Education

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

Carlton Murrey

Executive Director

Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive 

Association, Pisgah Forest, NC

Monica Garzuglia

Örjan Jonsson

Anssi Pekkarinen 

Forestry Department, FAO

Rome, Italy

Babs McDonald

Editor

USDA Forest Service, Athens, GA

Jessica Nickelsen

Brian Cooke

Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive 

Association, Pisgah Forest, NC

Michelle Andrews

University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Jérôme Agostini

Layout

Paris, France

Natural Inquirer is an integrated scien

education journal for students aged 11–

In the United States of America, where t

journal was fi rst published, Natural Inqui

presents research from scientists work

for the Forest Service, an agency of the U

Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This edition of Natural Inquirer presents t

results of a worldwide effort to understa

the world’s forests, organized by the Fo

and Agriculture Organization of the Unit

Nations (FAO). The Global Forest Resourc

Assessment 2015 (FRA 2015), wh

contains information from 234 countries a

territories around the world, was the sour

of information in this Natural Inquirer. T

is the third edition of the World’s Fore

Natural Inquirer.

Visit:

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

http://www.fao.org/forest-resource

assessment

247-937_cover.indd 2 
PUBLISHED BY

THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

AND

THE CRADLE OF FORESTRY IN AMERICA INTERPRETIVE ASSOCIATION

247-937_AGRIC.indd 3 7/31/1
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expressio

of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), or o

the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association (CFAIA) concerning the legal or development status o

any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Th

mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does no

imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO, or Interpretive Association in preference to other

of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s

and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO, or CFAIA.

ISBN 978-92-5-130633-8 (FAO)

© FAO, 2019

FAO encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except wher

otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teachin

purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of FAO 

as the source and copyright holder is given and that FAO’s endorsement of users’ views, products or services 

not implied in any way.

All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made v

www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request or addressed to copyright@fao.org.

FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchase

through publications-sales@fao.org.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 4 7/31/1
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Educators! GO FIRST TO THE NOTE TO EDUCATORS ON PAGE 5

NATURAL INQUIRER EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD AT WORK! 6

WELCOME TO THE NATURAL INQUIRER WORLD’S FORESTS THIRD EDITION! 9

THINKING ABOUT THE WORLD’S FORESTS 12

THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE 13

INQUIRY 1: WHAT ARE THE WORLD’S FORESTS AND WHERE ARE THEY FOUND? 15

Earth’s Climates and Forests 1

The World’s Changing Forests 1

INQUIRY 2: WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE? 28

Forests Are More than Trees 2

Primary Forests 3

Carbon and the World’s Forests 3

Ecosystem Services 3

Soil and Water Protection 4

Wood and Non-Wood Forest Benefits 4

INQUIRY 3: HEALTHY FORESTS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE 52

Planning For Healthy Forests 5

Putting Forest Management to the Test! 5

WORLD’S FORESTS THIRD EDITION SUMMARY 59

GLOSSARY 60

WORLD’S FORESTS IMAGE CHALLENGE! 62

NOTE TO EDUCATORS 63

NATURAL INQUIRER WORLD’S FORESTS THIRD EDITION LESSON PLANS 64

Introduction to the Lesson Plans 6

Welcome to the Natural Inquirer World’s Forests third edition! 6

Thinking About the World’s Forests 6

Thinking About Science 6

Inquiry 1: What Are the World’s Forests and Where Are They Found? 6

Inquiry 2: What Benefits Do the World’s Forests Provide? 6

Inquiry 3: Healthy Forests Now and Into the Future 7

EDUCATIONAL CONCEPTS ADDRESSED BY THE INQUIRIES 92

WHAT DOES FAO DO? 94

WHAT IS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA), FOREST SERVICE? 95

WHAT IS THE CRADLE OF FORESTRY IN AMERICA INTERPRETIVE ASSOCIATION? 95

247-937_AGRIC.indd 5 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 6 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

NATURAL INQUIRER EDITORIAL 

REVIEW BOARD AT WORK!

MR. OMAR AZIM’S 8TH GRADE CLASS, 

ROYAL OAK MIDDLE SCHOOL, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

I THINK YOU HAVE A UNIQUE WAY OF 

PRESENTING YOUR INFORMATION. 

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I LEARNED IS THAT OVER 

THE PAST 25 YEARS, THE AMOUNT OF CARBON STORED BY 

FORESTS HAS DECREASED BY ALMOST 11 GIGATONNES.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 6 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 7 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

I FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE ARTICLE. I THINK IT WAS WELL WRITTEN 

FOR OUR AGE. IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING I WOULD ACTUALLY SAY 

THAT YOU COULD MAKE THE WRITING MORE SOPHISTICATED. 

I WOULD TRY NOT TO REPEAT 

WORDS OVER AND OVER LIKE WE 

KNOW IT IS ABOUT FORESTS.

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Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 8 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

MAYBE FIND A WORD TO USE IN PLACE 

OF THE WORD “BENEFIT.” I NOTICED 

IT WAS USED QUITE OFTEN.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I LEARNED 

IS HOW MUCH OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS 

ARE UNDER PROTECTION.

I THINK THAT TEACHING PEOPLE 

ABOUT THE WORLD’S ECOSYSTEMS 

IS A GOOD CAUSE.

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Glossary words are def ned on page 60-61 9 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

WELCOME TO THE NATURAL INQUIRER 

WORLD’S FORESTS THIRD EDITION!

EDUCATORS!

READ THE NOTE TO EDUCATORS 

ON PAGE 9

Have you heard of the United Nations? The United 

Nations (UN) is an international organization that 

was established in 1945. Today, nearly every 

nation in the world belongs to the UN. In total, 

193 countries are members of the UN. These 

nations are working together for peace, human 

rights, freedom, and social progress.

YOU DO THE MATH

How old is the UN today?

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is 

a part of the UN. FAO helps countries improve 

their agriculture, forestry, and fi sheries practices. 

FAO also helps these countries provide good 

nutrition for all.

GLOSSARY

The Glossary on page 60 to 61 provides 

definitions for words in bold. If you do 

not understand a word that is in bold, be 

sure to use the glossary! If you do not 

understand any word that is not bolded, 

be sure to look it up in a dictionary.

Since 1948, FAO has been collecting 

information about the world’s forests. It may 

seem unusual for an organization concerned 

with food and agriculture to be studying forests. 

Trees, however, are important for human nutrition. 

Trees have many links to agriculture. They help 

protect soil and water needed for food crops

People use forests and plant trees for the man

benefi ts trees and forests provide, including food

energy, wood products, medicines, and place

for outdoor recreation and spiritual renewa

(Figure 1 and Figure 2). Trees also help protec

the environment.

Figure 1.

 Cacao is a tropical tree that produces cacao seeds

or cocoa beans. People use cacao seeds to make 

cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate. Cacao trees are 

native to Central America and South America. 

Photo courtesy of David Cappaert http://www.bugwood.org

247-937_AGRIC.indd 9 7/31/1
Glossary words are def ned on page 60-61 10 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Figure 2.

 Forests provide a place for people of all ages to observe and enjoy nature.

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald.

YOU DO THE MATH

For how many years has FAO 

been collecting information about 

the world’s forests?

The more knowledge FAO can collect and share 

about trees and forests, the more successfully it 

can help countries like yours grow and manage 

healthy forests. More information also helps your 

country take better advantage of forest benefi ts. 

These benefi ts improve the lives of all people. 

You will learn about the benefi ts provided by 

forests in Inquiry 2 on page 28. 

Every 5 years, FAO publishes a report abou

the world’s forests. The 2015 report was th

source of information in this Natural Inquire

The report contains information about forest

in 234 countries and territories—these are th

world’s forests. No matter where these forest

are located, they provide benefi ts for peopl

and wildlife across our entire planet.

This Natural Inquirer presents much of th

information by continent. The world has seve

continents (Figure 3). These continents ar

Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North an

Central America, Oceania, and South America

This journal contains information for ever

continent except Antarctica (Figure 4).

247-937_AGRIC.indd 10 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 11 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Antarctic

Figure 3.

Earth has seven continents and five oceans. This report presents much of the information by continent. Take a 

moment to identify the continent where you live.

Map courtesy of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Figure 4.

Antarctica is one of the world’s seven continents. Locate Antarctica on the map in Figure 3. Why do you think the 

report on the world’s forests does not include Antarctica? 

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy, http://www.boywithcamera.com.

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Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 12 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

This journal contains three Inquiries. Each 

Inquiry represents a study done by FAO’s team 

of scientists and country correspondents. 

Each Inquiry answers questions about the 

world’s forests. After you complete all three 

Inquiries, you will know some new facts about 

the world’s forests.

Each Inquiry builds on the previous Inquiry. It 

is best, therefore, to read the Inquiries in the 

order presented. As you read about FAOs wor

to collect data about the world’s forests, thin

about the forests you have seen, visited, or rea

about.

If you want more information, you can see th

entire report about the world’s forests, Globa

Forest Resources Assessment 2015, secon

edition, at http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4793e.pdf

THINKING ABOUT THE 

WORLD’S FORESTS

Forests are important to everyone. 

Worldwide, people benefit from forests, 

even if those forests do not exist in 

their own community. Forests provide 

materials such as wood for building 

or for energy. Forests provide food for 

people and for animals. Forests provide 

habitat for many different kinds of plants 

and animals, which helps maintain the 

diversity of life on Earth (Figure 5). 

Forests protect the quality of water and 

help keep the soil from eroding. Forests 

help keep the air clean and provide 

places for people to live and play. In 

many places, forests provide jobs, 

which help people and their families 

have better lives. Forests also hold 

carbon on Earth, which helps slow the 

rate of climate change. In this journal, 

you will learn how forests benefit people 

worldwide. 

Forests contain different tree species 

depending where they are on Earth. 

Different types of forest exist mainly 

because they grow under different 

climates (Figure 6). 

Figure 5.

Baboons in Botswana, a country in southern Africa. 

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy, 

http://www.boywithcamera.com.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 12 7/31/1
Glossary words are def ned on page 60-61 13 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

This journal will help you understand the 

worldwide importance of forests and will inform 

you on how they are changing. Learning about 

forest trends will help you predict what ma

happen to our forests in the future.

Figure 6.

Different climates characterize different places on Earth. An area’s climate is identifi ed by the average weather tha

occurs there over a long period. 

Map by Carey Burda and Stephanie Pfeiffer, adapted from the Köppen Climate Classifi cation System. 

THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE

When scientists want to learn something, they 

must collect data. Although you might not 

realize it, you do the same thing when you want 

to learn something. When scientists collect 

data in the form of numbers, they can add, 

subtract, multiply, and divide the numbers. 

They can also calculate new numbers, such as 

averages. Numbers help scientists compare 

information collected from different places or 

times. However, if scientists collect numbers at 

different places or times, they must collect the 

numbers using the same unit of measurement. 

Otherwise, the calculations will be meaningless, 

like comparing apples and oranges.

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

to calculate an average air temperatur

for one month across the entire Souther

Hemisphere (Figure 7). Some measurement

and records of air temperatures are in degree

Celsius and some are in degrees Fahrenhei

Would averaging those measurements allow 

the scientist to come up with a meaningfu

conclusion? Of course not! The scientist woul

have to change each number to the same un

of measurement. All air temperatures woul

have to be in Celsius or in Fahrenheit. Onl

then could the scientist calculate an averag

air temperature.

Tropical Dry Temperate Cold Polar

THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE

247-937_AGRIC.indd 13 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 14 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Figure 7.

The Southern Hemisphere is the area on Earth’s surface that lies south of the Equator.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

This same scientist has found that some 

countries reported a daily air temperature using 

the highest temperature measured over a 24-

hour period each day. Other countries used an 

average temperature calculated over a 24-hour 

period. Would averaging these measurements 

provide a meaningful conclusion? Again, 

the answer is no. For scientists to be able to 

combine numbers, the numbers must represen

the same thing. Otherwise, their calculations ar

meaningless.

The scientists in this study wanted to lear

about forests across our planet. To collec

analyze, and share this information, FAO 

worked with individuals from 155 countries

called correspondents (Figure 8). 

Figure 8.

Correspondents from each country helped the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO

collect information about their country’s forests. The correspondents gave their country’s data to FAO. They worked 

with FAO to make sure the numbers they provided represented the same thing. This allowed the scientists to 

combine the numbers from different countries. 

Photo courtesy of Chiang Mai, Royal Forest Department of Thailand, and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United

Nations.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 14 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 15 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

INQUIRY 1: WHAT ARE THE 

WORLD’S FORESTS AND WHERE ARE THEY FOUND? 

EARTH’S CLIMATES AND FORESTS

Before we learn more about the world’s forests

let’s think about the place on which these forest

grow. What do we call this place?

If you guessed Earth, you are correct! We know 

that Earth spins on its axis and revolves aroun

the Sun. The area near the Equator is closest t

the Sun. Earth is warmest near the Equator an

coolest near the North Pole and the South Pole

The distance from the Equator, along with othe

factors, influence what kind of forests grow i

particular areas on Earth (Figure 9).

Figure 9.

An imaginary circle around the middle of Earth at an equal distance from the North Pole and the South Pole, the 

Equator is given a label of 0 degrees. Imaginary lines, called lines of latitude, are placed around Earth’s surface 

from the Equator toward the poles. Lines of latitude represent the distance from the Equator. The poles are labeled 

90 degrees. Each latitude line is spaced equally apart, and each is labeled according to its position north and 

south of the Equator. Lines of latitude enable people to identify precise locations on Earth’s surface, north and 

south of the Equator. 

Illustration by Samantha Bond.

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 15 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 16 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Figure 10.

The higher the land’s elevation, the cooler its climate. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

At higher elevations, the climate is cooler (Figure 

10). The top level of any ocean is called sea 

level. The height of the land above sea level is 

called its elevation. 

Across Earth, different areas receive different 

amounts of precipitation. Plants need water to 

survive and have adapted over time to live with 

varying amounts of precipitation. Some plants, 

such as those in tropical rain forests, need a lot 

of water to survive. Other plants, like those in 

deserts, have adapted to conserve the water 

they receive. Therefore, they need much less 

water. 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 precipitation. These three 

things influence the type of forest that grows 

naturally in a particular area on Earth (Figure 11). 

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 

precipitation and fertile soil. Different types of 

forests exist because they grow under differen

climates. These different climates result i

different ecological zones, or ecozones (Figur

12). Another reason different types of forest

exist is that human activities have change

some of the forests. These activities includ

actions such as felling or planting trees. 

Figure 11.

Vegetation types, including tree species, vary with 

latitude, and precipitation. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 16 7/31/1
Photo courtesy of ©FAO/Giampiero Diana 

Figure 12.An ecozone is a region with a similar type of land cover. Land cover is what covers Earth’s surface, such as trees, desert, or even buildings. In this map, the ecozones describe what kind of vegetation, or plants, grow on Earth’s surface. Notice that similar ecozones occur on different continents. Compare this map othe world’s ecozones with the map of the world’s climate regions on page 13. What do you observe? What are some of the similarities and differences in forests growing in different ecozones? Map by Stephanie Pfeiffer, adapted from the Global Ecological Zones by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 17 8/13/1
Glossary words are def ned on page 60-61 18 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

REFLECTION SECTION 

Observe Figure 9 and 10. Do 

you think that a location at sea 

level and at the same latitude north 

and south of the Equator would have 

a similar average air temperature? 

Why or why not? 

Observe the photographs in Figure 

12. What is one advantage of having 

a diversity of forest types across the 

planet?

THE WORLDS CHANGING FORESTS 

Natural events can change Earth’s forests. Fo

example, forests may change as a result o

hurricanes and typhoons. Earth’s forests ar

also being changed by something else. It wa

this infl uence that FAO was most interested i

understanding. What infl uence did the scientist

want to understand?

If you guessed humans, you are correct! FAO 

wanted to understand how forests are changin

as a result of human activity. To study th

infl uence of humans on forests, the scientist

classifi ed the world’s forests into two categorie

(Table 1). 

Table 1. FAO has identifi ed two major categories of forests worldwide: natural forests and planted forests. 

Natural forests Natural forests maintain native tree species and support natura

ecological processes (Figure 13 and Figure 14).

Planted forests

Forests are planted for many reasons, such as for timber

fuelwood, or soil and water protection. Planted forests provide 

goods and services and reduce pressure on natural forests 

(Figure 15A and Figure 15B).

Figure 13.

Mongolian oak is a tree species native to Japan, southern Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Manchuria, and central and 

northern China, Korean Peninsula, eastern Mongolia, and eastern Russia (Siberia). Mongolian oak trees are a par

of natural forests in Asia. 

Photo courtesy of Troy Kimoto, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, www.bugwood.org. 

247-937_AGRIC.indd 18 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 19 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Figure 14.

This forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is composed of native trees that are regenerating naturally

without any human involvement. This is a natural forest.

Photo courtesy of ©Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/Giulio Napolitano.

Figure 15A.

These Scots pine trees were planted in rows. This is a 

planted forest. 

Photo courtesy of William M. Ciesla, Forest Health 

International, http://www.bugwood.org. 

Figure 15B.

This forest was planted in Scotland to look and function 

like a natural forest. Sometimes it can be difficult to te

the difference between a natural and a planted forest. 

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 19 7/31/1
Glossary words are def ned on page 60-61 20 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Combining the natural and planted forest 

categories, the world’s forests cover a little less 

than 4 billion hectares (Figure 16 and Figure 17). 

This is about 31 percent of Earth’s land surface. 

Of these forested hectares, 54 percent are in 

the following countries: Brazil, Canada, China, 

the Russian Federation, and the United States of 

America. Most of the world’s forests are in natural 

forest area (Figure 18 and Figure 19).

Figure 16.

A hectare is about the size of a football (soccer) fi eld. 

One hectare is equal to 2.471 acres. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

HOW MUCH IS A MILLION? 

If you counted from 1 to 1 million, 

you would have to count for 23 

days without stopping! 

https://youtu.be/MKkK87E46I4

Africa

Asia

Europe

South

America

Oceania

842 624

1 015

593

751

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

North and

Central

America

Figure 17.

The amount of forest area (in millions of hectares

by continent in 2015. When reading a table or char

that is labeled “in millions of hectares,” add six zeros 

to the given number. For example, Africa includes 

624 000 000 hectares of forest. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Africa

Asia

Europe

North and 

Central 

America

South

America

Oceania

827

600

929

462

707

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Figure 18.

The amount of natural forest area (in millions of hectares

by continent in 2015. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

247-937_AGRIC.indd 20 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 21 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Figure 19.

The percentage of total forest area (TFA) in natural forest 

and planted forest by continent in 2015. For example, 

97 percent of Africa’s forested area is in natural forest. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

In the past 25 years worldwide, the amount of 

area that makes up the world’s forests has slightly 

declined (Figure 20 and Figure 21). Even though 

the amount of forest has decreased, the rate of 

forest loss has been reduced by over 50 percent. 

Between the periods 1990-2000 and 2010-2015, 

the annual loss went from 7.3 million hectares per 

year to 3.3 million hectares per year.

In 1990, the world’s forests covered 4128 million 

hectares. By 2015, 129 million hectares of 

forest land had been lost. This is a change from 

31.6 percent of the world’s land area in 1990 to 

30.6 percent in 2015. This loss is equal to an area 

about the size of South Africa. Most forest area 

was lost in the tropical ecozone, and most of this 

loss was in South America and Africa (Figure 22).

Figure 20.

Net annual forest change by continent between 2010 

and 2015. This chart shows, for example, that Africa 

lost an average of 2.8 million hectares of forest area 

every year between 2010 and 2015. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

S

F

d 

d A

i

l

O

i

i

f 

h

U

i

d N

i

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

South America

Oceania

North and Central America

Europe

Asia

Africa

1990 2000 2005 2010 2015

Millions of hectares

Figure 21.

Forest area by continent (in millions of hectares

between 1990 and 2015.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 21 7/31/1
Glossary words are def ned on page 60-61 22 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Figure 22.

The planet lost an area of forest about the size of South Africa over the past 25 years. Most of this loss occurred 

in South America and Africa. Africa is a continent, and South Africa is a country located on the African continent.

Map by Carey Burda and Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

HOW MUCH IS A BILLION? 

If you counted from 1 to 1 billion, you would 

have to count for 95 years without stopping! 

https://youtu.be/MKkK87E46I4

The percentage of forest area in each countr

varies (Figure 23). For countries that have 

small percentage of their total area in forests

forest loss might be more noticeable.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 22 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 23 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015, Rome, FAO

Figure 23.

Forest area as a percentage of total land area in each country in 2015.

Map courtesy of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Figure 24.

Some forests are lost when trees are felled to plant 

food crops. 

Photo courtesy of Alton Sparks, University of Georgia, 

http://www.bugwood.org. 

Natural forests decrease when forests are lost 

to other land uses. For example, trees may be 

felled to plant food crops or to build roads 

and buildings (Figure 24). Constructing roads 

and buildings is not the only way that trees and 

forests are lost. Trees and forests can also be lost 

to insects and other threats, such as invasiv

fungi, forest fires, or hurricanes and typhoons. 

Between 1990 and 2015, most of the world’

natural forest area loss took place in th

tropical ecozones (see Figure 12). In th

temperate ecozones, natural forest area ha

been increasing since 1990. The boreal an

subtropical ecozones have had little change i

forest area over the same 25 years.

FAO is interested in how the amount of natura

and planted forests on our planet has changed

Recall that natural forests are forests with nativ

tree species and little evidence of huma

activities. FAO discovered that natural forest

have been declining in area, and plante

forests have increased in area (Figure 25 an

Figure 26). Planted forest area increased 10

million hectares between 1990 and 2015, abou

4.2 million hectares per year. 

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Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 24 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Figure 25.

The area of natural forests (in thousands of hectares) 

has declined slightly since 1990. The largest area of 

natural forest is found in Europe. About 85 percent 

of European natural forest is located in the Russian 

Federation.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

Figure 26.

The area of planted forest (in thousands of hectares) has 

increased on each continent between 1990 and 2015.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Planted forests made up 7 percent of the world

forests in 2015. FAO scientists expect tha

planted forests will increase in area, particularl

in the boreal ecozone (see Figure 12).

Another way scientists understand the amoun

of forest land in an area is to compare it with th

number of people living in the area. This can b

done within a community, a country, a continent, o

across our planet. The calculated figure is calle

per capita, meaning the amount of something pe

person. Consider the 25 years between 1990 an

2015. During that time, the world’s populatio

increased by 2.1 billion people, and over 10

million hectares of forest land were lost. Th

amount of forest land per person, therefore, ha

decreased over the past 25 years (Figure 27).

Although the world’s natural forest area ha

declined in area over the past 25 years, 9

percent of the world’s forests are still natura

Regardless of whether a forest has grow

naturally or has been planted, people worldwid

gain important benefits from their forests.

Figure 27.

Worldwide, the amount of forested hectares per capita 

has declined over the past 25 years.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Figure 28.

Urban forests include individual trees planted along streets, such as this urban forest in China (A). Urban forests 

can also be found in urban parks. Individual trees or groups of trees provide beauty and shade, as well as othe

benefi ts to urban residents. This is Central Park in New York City (B). 

Photos courtesy of Dazhuang Huang and Babs McDonald. 

 URBAN FORESTS

FAO has classifi ed the world’s forests into two 

categories: natural forests and planted forests. 

If you live in an urban area, however, you might 

have a third kind of forest nearby. The trees 

in this forest may have germinated and grown 

without human assistance, or the trees may 

have been planted. Usually, the trees in this 

kind of forest are surrounded by grass and other 

landscaped areas or even roads and buildings. 

According to FAO, these forests may include 

individual trees or groups of trees. This kind of 

forest is called an urban forest, and it is often 

found as a part of urban parks (Figure 28). 

Urban forests provide many of the same 

benefi ts as natural forests. Some urban forests, 

for example, are found along rivers and provide 

a place for rivers to fl ood during high rainfall. 

Urban forests and parks provide beautiful 

places for people to walk, play, picnic, and rest. 

Urban forests also provide homes for wildlife, 

reduce erosion into urban waterways, and help 

keep urban areas cooler in hot weather.

 DID YOU KNOW? 

In 1950, less than 30 percent of the world’s 

population lived in urban areas. In 2008, 

this percentage reached 50 percent; and in 

2014, 54 percent of the world’s population 

lived in urban areas. Sixty-six percent, or 

two-thirds of the world’s population, are 

predicted to live in urban areas by 2050. 

Information from the Population Reference Bureau, 

2008 World Population Data Sheet, and the United 

Nations. 

REFLECTION SECTION 

Has an area of forest been felled 

in or near your community? If so, 

what was this forest replaced with?

Describe in your own words the difference 

between a natural forest and a planted forest.

REFLECTION SECTION 

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FACTIVITY

LEAF RUBBINGS

TIME NEEDED

30–40 minutes

MATERIALS 

(for each student or group of students)

• A hard surface, such as a table or desk

• A plain white piece of paper

• Crayons, colored pencils, or regular pencil

• A leaf (can be from a tree or off the ground)

• Tape (optional)

METHODS

1. Go outside and fi nd a leaf (or more than 

one leaf). Observe the leaf’s size, texture, 

and features. Do you know what kind of 

leaf it is? Notice that the two sides of a leaf 

are different. On one side, the veins are 

much more noticeable. 

2. Place the leaf on the hard surface. The 

side with the more noticeable veins should 

be facing up. 

3. Place the white sheet of paper over the 

leaf. You can tape the leaf on the hard 

surface to keep it from moving.

4. Using the side of the crayon or pencil, 

rub over the leaf. As you rub, you will see 

the leaf’s features appear on the white 

paper. You can use different colors and 

different amounts of pressure to create 

your leaf picture. 

5. If you know or can identify what kind of 

leaf you have drawn, write its name on the 

paper and post your leaf picture on the 

wall. Compare and contrast different leaf 

sizes, shapes, and vein patterns. 

Place the leaf on the hard surface. The 

ALTERNATE FACTIVITY 

MEASURING PRECIPITATION

TIME NEEDED

One month. Initial setup should take one or 

two class periods, then a few minutes each 

day to monitor and record information.

MATERIALS 

(for each student or group of students)

• Five rain gauges or the materials to make 

rain gauges

• Paper for a logbook or science notebook

Rain gauge materials 

• Five 2-liter plastic bottles

• Tool to cut off the tops of plastic bottles

• Duct tape

• Ruler

• Permanent marker

• Stones/pebbles

• Water

The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: How 

much precipitation falls over a month’s time at my 

school or where I live?

Continued next page >

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METHODS

1. Find five rain gauges. If you do not have rain 

gauges, you can make them using by following 

steps 2-6.

2. Get a 2-liter plastic bottle and have an adult cut off 

the top of the bottle. Keep the top. Place duct tape 

around the area that was cut so that any sharp 

edges are covered.

3. Place pebbles or stones in the bottom of the bottle. 

These stones will help keep the bottle upright if it 

is windy outside.

4. On the bottom part of the bottle, use a ruler to make 

a scale of horizontal lines. Start marking the lines 

from 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) above the bottom 

to 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) from the top. The lines 

should be separated by 1⁄2 inch (1.27 centimeters).

5. Fill the bottom with water to the first line on your 

scale.

6. Next, place the cut-off top upside down into the 

bottle. The upside-down top creates a funnel. Your 

rain gauge is ready (Figure 29).

7. Number your rain gauges from 1 to 5. Take two 

rain gauges and place them in flat areas away 

from buildings or trees. Take the other three rain 

gauges and place them in flat areas underneath 

trees and near buildings. 

8. Create a logbook so that you can keep track of the 

precipitation over an entire month. Make a separate 

page for each rain gauge, and write the number of 

the gauge as well as a brief description of the area 

in which the rain gauge is located. Be sure to write 

a date on each entry.

9. Each day, check the rain gauges to see whether 

water has evaporated from them. If water has 

evaporated, then fill the gauge with water again to 

the first line. After it has rained and you have taken 

your measurement, empty the rain gauge and fill 

again to the first line. Make a note in your logbook 

every time you have to fill up the water to the first 

line.

10. After a month, examine the data you have 

collected. Create a graph for each rain gauge 

and the amount of precipitation.

As a class, discuss what you learned when you 

examined the data. Here are some questions to get 

you started.

• Were there really wet times and really dry times? 

Did you see the same things with each of the rain 

gauges?

• How did different rain gauges compare?

• Did all the gauges get the same amount of 

precipitation? If not, why do you think the amounts 

may have been different?

• Did you have to fill some rain gauges with water 

more often than others? If so, why do you think 

that is?

Figure 29.

How to make your own rain gauge. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

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INQUIRY 2: WHAT BENEFITS DO THE 

WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

FORESTS ARE MORE THAN TREES

When you hear the word “forest,” what comes 

to mind? Many people think fi rst of trees. These 

people are correct, but only partly correct. 

Trees, of course, are the foundation of a forest. 

An area without trees is not a forest at all. 

However, a forest is much more than trees. In 

addition to trees, forests include many other 

living and non-living parts. The living parts 

include other plants like shrubs, vines, grasses, 

fl owers, mosses, and algae. Living parts also 

include animals like insects, mammals, birds, 

fi sh, reptiles, and amphibians (Figure 30, Figure 

31, and Figure 32). Fungi and bacteria, which 

have characteristics of both plants and animals, 

are also in forests (Figure 33). Nonliving parts of 

forests include soil, water, rocks, and minerals.

Figure 30.

Leafcutter ants harvest green leaves to prepare and 

use in underground fungus farms. 

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy,

http://www.boywithcamera.com.

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald

247-937_AGRIC.indd 28 7/31/1
Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 29 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Figure 31.

Giraffes are mammals that live in Africa. 

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy,

http://www.boywithcamera.com.

Figure 32.

Colorful birds, like these scarlet macaws, live in 

tropical forests.

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy, 

http://www.boywithcamera.com.

Figure 33.

These red chanterelle mushrooms on the forest floo

are the fruiting bodies of a fungus. 

Photo courtesy of Chris Evans, University of Illinois, 

http://www.bugwood.org. 

All of the living parts of a forest interact wit

each other and with the nonliving parts. Thes

living and nonliving parts create a comple

community known as an ecosystem. Fores

ecosystems help sustain the lives of everythin

on Earth. 

Forests play a role in moving nutrients from 

nonliving things, such as the soil, to livin

organisms and back. Forests store and releas

gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, an

oxygen. Forests store elements such as carbo

and molecular compounds such as wate

and provide a way for these elements an

compounds to move into, throughout, and ou

of the ecosystem (Figure 34).

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Figure 34.

The water cycle. Each individual tree contributes to the water cycle through transpiration.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer and Nickola Dudley.

THE WOOD WIDE WEB

Did you know that forest trees communicate with one another? In a forest, trees are connected to one 

another by a large network of underground fungi. This network has been called the “Wood Wide Web.” 

Communication occurs through the fungi’s hyphae, which are thin strands connected to the main 

body of the fungus and also to the tree’s roots (Figure 35). Trees use these hyphae to pass nutrients to 

one another. A dying tree, for example, may send its remaining nutrients to other trees. But even more 

interesting, trees can pass information to one another. A tree, for example, may use the network of hyphae 

to warn other trees about an invading insect. A forest is more connected than it appears at first glance!

Information from The hidden life of trees (2016) by Peter Wohlleben and Tim Flannery, Vancouver/Berkeley: Greystone Books.

Figure 35.

Hyphae are fungi’s thin strands. Hyphae assist in the transfer of nutrients and energy back and forth between a 

tree’s roots and the fungi. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Figure 36.

Genetic differences exist even within the same genus. For example, Hawaii’s Nēnē goose (A) is thought to have 

evolved from the Canada goose (B), which probably arrived on Hawaii about 500,000 years ago. These species o

geese are closely related so scientists put them both in the genus Branta. However, because of their differences

scientists consider them different species. 

Photos courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 Forests contain a diversity of life. This diversity 

of life is called biodiversity. In most forests, you 

will fi nd a wide diversity of plants and animals. 

These plants and animals live together and 

keep the ecosystem in balance over time. 

A diversity of plants and animals, however, is jus

one kind of biodiversity. Biodiversity can be foun

within the same genus or species of a plant o

animal (Figure 36). One tree of the same specie

may grow taller or one deer may run faster tha

another. These differences may give one plant o

animal an advantage over another.

WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF DIVERSITY WITHIN A SPECIES?

The nuts and timber of the Persian walnut tree are highly valued. Scientists believe that the 

Persian walnut was fi rst used in eastern and central Asia. For centuries, however, Persian 

walnuts were traded throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe. Today, Persian walnut trees are 

grown in over 60 countries on these continents. 

Scientists studied the genetic diversity of Persian walnuts grown in 25 regions within 14 countries 

in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They found a lot of genetic diversity between walnuts growing in the 

25 regions and the 14 countries. Over centuries, therefore, the cultivation of Persian walnuts has 

created biodiversity within Persian walnut trees. This is an example of biodiversity within a species.

 REFLECTION SECTION

Are you surprised that trees can share nutrients with each other through underground 

hyphae? Name one other way that two different forest plant or animal species work 

together to maintain a healthy forest environment. 

Is biodiversity present in the human species? How do you know? 

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PRIMARY FORESTS

Primary forests are a type of natural forest. Primary 

forests contain native tree species. In primary 

forests, human activities are not noticeable and 

the forest’s ecological processes are not widely 

disturbed. Primary forests help conserve the 

diversity of animal and plant species and protect 

natural ecosystems (Figure 37).

Figure 37.

This forest in China is an example of a primary forest.

Photo courtesy of Dazhuang Huang.

In 2015, 33 percent of the world’s forests were 

primary forests. These forests covered 1.3 billion 

hectares, and half of these forests were in the 

tropical ecozone. Look at Figure 38 and Figure 

39. Which continent had the highest amount of 

primary forest hectares in 2015? Which continent 

had the highest percentage of primary forest 

area as a percentage of its total forest area? 

Africa

Asia

Europe

North and 

Central 

America

Oceania

27

South

America

400

135

277

117

320

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Figure 38.

Primary forest area by continent (in millions of hectares) in 2015.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Figure 39.

Primary forest area as a percentage of total fores

area (of countries that reported on primary forest) by 

continent in 2015. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

Between 1990 and 2015, the amount of primar

forest has been changing on each of the world’

continents. What patterns do you observe i

Figure 40? 

Figure 40.

Area of primary forest (in thousands of hectares) by 

continent between 1990 and 2015. 

Note: this graph only includes data from countries tha

reported on primary forest for all Forest Resources 

Assessment reporting years.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Some forests are managed to protect 

biodiversity. This type of forest management 

occurs in 13 percent of the world’s forests 

(Figure 41 and Figure 42). These forests cover 

524 million hectares. Worldwide, the amount of 

forest land set aside to protect biodiversity has 

slightly increased since 1990. 

Africa

Asia

Europe

North and 

Central 

Oceania America

36

South

America

130

92

53

86

127

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Figure 41.

The amount of forest area (in millions of hectares) set 

aside to protect biodiversity by continent in 2015. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

Figure 42.

The amount of forest set aside to protect biodiversity 

as a percentage of total forest area (of countries that 

reported on this variable) by continent in 2015. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

The United States of America and Braz

have set aside the largest areas of foreste

hectares to protect biodiversity. Venezuel

and Mexico, however, have reported th

largest percentage of their forested land are

set aside and managed for biodiversity. Ove

half of Venezuela’s forests are set aside t

protect biodiversity.

Governments sometimes protect forests b

giving them a special legal status. When a fores

area is protected legally, it must be manage

according to the law that established the area

Usually, these laws protect the area from huma

activities that might change the forest’s natura

character. Worldwide, 651 million hectares o

forest are found within protected areas (Figure 4

and Figure 44). 

Seventeen percent of the world’s forests ar

legally protected from damaging huma

activities. Worldwide since 1990, the numbe

of hectares in protected areas has increase

by 200 million. Of these additional 200 millio

hectares, 143 million hectares are in the tropica

ecozone (Figure 45). 

Europe

South

America

Oceania

27

287

Africa

101

46

Asia

115

North

and

Central

America

75

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Figure 43.

Area of forest within protected areas (in millions o

hectares) by continent in 2015. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Glossary words are def ned on page 60-61 34 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

North and Oceania South America

Central

America

Africa Asia Europe

Figure 44.

Area of forest within protected areas as a percentage 

of total forest area (of countries that reported on this 

variable) by continent in 2015.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Figure 45.

Tropical wildlife, such as this three-toed sloth, needs 

protected areas to maintain a healthy population 

size. According to the World Wildlife Fund, sloths 

are completely dependent upon healthy tropical rain 

forests. Without many trees in a healthy tropical rain 

forest, sloths lose their shelter and food sources. 

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy,

http://www.boywithcamera.com.

 YOU DO THE MATH

What percentage of additional 

legally protected forest 

is located in the tropical 

ecozone? 

Hint: Divide 143 by 200.

 REFLECTION SECTION

Do you have a natural area 

nearby where people are not 

allowed to do some activities? 

If so, what is that area, and what activities 

are people not allowed to do? How do 

the rules help protect the natural land? If 

you do not have a natural area in which 

some activities are not allowed, can you 

think of a natural area that might benefi t 

if some activities were not allowed? What 

is that area, and what kinds of activities 

should not be allowed? How would these 

rules benefi t the land?

How do primary forests help conserve 

biodiversity?

 REFLECTION SECTION

 DID YOU KNOW?

About 18 percent of your body is made up 

of carbon! 

If you could take all of the water and other 

liquids out of a tree, about one-half of the 

tree’s remaining weight would be carbon.

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CARBON AND THE WORLDS FORESTS

What is one element that your body shares with 

the rest of Earth’s living things? If you guessed 

carbon, you are correct! Carbon is one of Earth’s 

118 elements. Carbon is needed for the growth, 

survival, and reproduction of living things. 

Carbon can form bonds with other elements 

to create compounds. One carbon compound 

you may have heard about is carbon dioxide. 

Carbon dioxide is a compound formed from 

carbon and oxygen atoms. 

Carbon moves throughout Earth and Earth’s 

atmosphere in a cycle. This movement is called 

the carbon cycle (Figure 46). When the carbon 

cycle is balanced, Earth’s living systems are 

more likely to remain in healthy balance as well. 

One of the ways that the carbon cycle becomes 

unbalanced is when too much carbon goes into 

the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide. As 

the carbon cycle becomes unbalanced, Earth

climate responds by changing over time.

When Earth’s carbon is cycled, a balance

percentage of Earth’s carbon remains on Earth

This carbon is stored in living things such a

trees, forests, animals, and the remains of livin

things, as well as nonliving things like soi

freshwater, and oceans. Forests and forest soil

store a large amount of the world’s carbon. 

FAO has estimated the amount of carbon bein

stored in the world’s forests as 296 gigatonne

(Gt). One Gt is equal to 1 billion tonnes

One tonne is equal to 1 000 kilograms, o

2,205 pounds. This estimate includes carbo

stored in vegetation above and below th

ground. The forests of South America and wes

and central Africa store about 120 tonnes o

carbon per hectare (Figure 47 and Figure 48

Worldwide, in comparison, forests store a

average of 73 tonnes of carbon per hectare. 

Figure 46.

The carbon cycle describes the movement of carbon throughout Earth and Earth’s atmosphere.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Oceania

16

South

America

103

Africa

60

Europe

45

Asia

36

North

and

Central

America

36

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Figure 47.

Total forest carbon storage in living biomass in 

gigatonnes (Gt) by continent in 2015. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Oceania

92

South

America

122

Africa

96

Europe

45

Asia

61

North

and

Central

America

48

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Figure 48.

Forest carbon storage in living biomass in tonnes pe

hectare by continent in 2015.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

 YOU DO THE MATH

Elephants vary in size and weight. Let’s 

say, however, that the average elephant 

weighs 4 tonnes (Figure 49). How many 

elephants would it take to equal 1 Gt? 

To calculate this, divide 1 000 000 000 by 4. How 

many elephants would it take to equal the weight 

of carbon in all of the world’s forests?

Figure 49.

This elephant lives in Botswana, southern Africa. 

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy, 

http://www.boywithcamera.com.

Over the past 25 years, the amount of carbon 

stored by forests has decreased by almost 

11 Gt. This decrease is mostly due to felling 

trees and replacing forests with crops and 

human settlements. Sometimes, forests ar

not completely destroyed. However, whe

forests are degraded but not destroyed, the

still store less carbon than healthy forests.

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 HOW DOES THE UNITED NATIONS ENCOURAGE CARBON STORAGE?

Forests store carbon in the wood of trees, in other plants, and in forest soils. Carbon is released 

from forests in the form of carbon dioxide. In forests, some carbon dioxide is released through 

plant and animal respiration and from decaying organisms. 

When forests are felled and the felled trees are burned, the carbon that was in the trees is 

released to the atmosphere. After trees are felled, more carbon is released from the soil as well. 

Some countries, sometimes called developing countries, are changing from traditional 

lifestyles to more modern lifestyles. During these changes, developing countries may fi nd it 

necessary to fell forests for agricultural land or to build roads and settlements. To address 

deforestation, the United Nations has started a new program.

The United Nations Collaborative Program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and 

Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+) was started in 2008. Two of the 

Program’s goals are to reduce forest carbon emissions and improve carbon storage 

in forests. Another Program goal is to support sustainable development in developing 

countries.

REDD+ is a process established under the United Nations that encourages developing 

countries to increase the carbon stored in their forests, either by reducing deforestation 

or by increasing their forest area. Financial aid is available from various sources to reward 

developing countries that can demonstrate they have reduced deforestation or increased 

their forest area. This fi nancial aid encourages countries to increase forest carbon storage 

and supports sustainable development.

 REFLECTION 

SECTION

In an earlier section of this 

journal, you learned that forests 

provide benefi ts to humans. Would you say 

that holding carbon on Earth is a benefi t to 

humans? Why or why not? 

What happens to the carbon that is found 

in wood furniture and buildings? 

 ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

Have you ever heard the term “ecosystem 

services”? Can you imagine what ecosystem 

services might be? 

Ecosystem services are provided by health

forests and other healthy ecosystems

Ecosystem services are valued by people, eve

if people do not always think about where thes

services come from. Examples of ecosystem 

services include (Figures 50 to 52):

• Clean air

• Clean water

• Beautiful landscapes

• Healthy soil

• Wildlife habitat

• Places for outdoor recreation 

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Figure 50.

Tropical forests provide habitat for animals, such as this 

vermiculated owl. Wildlife habitat is an ecosystem service. 

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy,

http://www.boywithcamera.com.

Figure 51.

Forests provide clean water that is used for drinking

cooking, bathing, and other uses. The provision o

clean water is an ecosystem service. 

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald. 

Ecosystem services are important becaus

they provide goods and services that are vita

to human health and quality of life. Ecosystem 

services are called “public goods” becaus

they are available to everyone, such as clea

air. Carbon storage, which you read about i

the previous section, is an ecosystem service

Soil and water protection are two importan

ecosystem services that you will learn about i

the next section. 

Figure 52.

Forests provide areas for flowers to bloom and pollination to occur. These bluebell wildflowers cover a forest floo

in Scotland. Pollination is an ecosystem service. 

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald.

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FAO is interested in learning whether people 

living in different cultures value their forests for 

ecosystem services. FAO is interested in how 

nearby forests support local culture and how 

forests are used for spiritual renewal. Since 

1990, more of the world’s forests are being 

managed for ecosystem services, and cultural 

and spiritual values (Figure 53 to Figure 55).

Figure 53.

The amount of forest (in thousands of hectares) managed 

for ecosystem services, including cultural and spiritual 

values, by continent from 1990 to 2015. 

Note: this graph only includes data from countries 

that reported on this variable for all Forest Resources 

Assessment reporting years.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Oceania

123

South

America

167

Africa

67

Europe

122

Asia

North

and

Central

America

642

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation

Figure 54.

Provision of ecosystem services and cultural and 

spiritual values (in millions of hectares) by continen

in 2015.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Figure 55.

Provision of ecosystem services and cultural and 

spiritual values by continent as a percentage of tota

forest area (of countries that reported on this variable

in 2015.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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 HOW IS WATER QUALITY IMPORTANT IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

Forests must be protected if their ecosystem services and their cultural benefi ts are to remain 

available to people. Local residents play an important role in forest protection and management. 

Scientists working in Madagascar discovered that local residents were most interested in the 

health of forested watersheds and the forest’s ability to protect water quality (Figure 56). 

Figure 56.

A watershed is an area of land where all of the water that is underground within the area, and all of the water tha

drains off the land’s surface, goes to the same place. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

NATURAL 

INQUIRER

CONNECTIONS

For more information 

about ecosystem 

services, read the 

Natural Inquirer 

Ecosystem Services 

edition at http://www.naturalinquirer.

org/Ecosystem-Services-i-26.html.

 REFLECTION 

SECTION

Describe three ecosystem 

services provided by a nearby 

natural area. 

Do you live in a watershed? Explain why or 

why not. 

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SOIL AND WATER PROTECTION

Soil and water protection are two ecosystem 

services. These two particular ecosystem 

services are vital to human health. Where would 

we be without healthy soil? Can you imagine a 

world where the soil could not support crops, 

trees, and other plant life? Life as we know it 

depends on healthy soil. 

A forest floor is covered with a layer of decaying 

leaves, sticks, and trees, or litter. As litter decays 

over time, it creates a layer of soil that is protected 

from heavy rainfall by the forest canopy (Figure 

57). Without forest cover, the rich top level of soil 

is easily worn away by rain and wind (Figure 58

Tree roots and the roots of other plants also hel

hold the soil in place. Forested areas reduce th

impact of heavy rains because trees slow dow

the flow of rainwater. When rainfall is slowed, les

soil erosion occurs. When rainfall falls on fores

litter, the litter slows the runoff and reduces so

erosion into streams. In a healthy forest, rainfa

seeps through the leaf litter to the soil beneath

Forest soils filter out sediment and pollutant

that might be in water before the water flows int

streams and rivers. 

Figure 57.

The forest canopy is the top layer where most of the trees’ leaves are found. The canopy helps protect the soil from 

erosion by reducing the impact of heavy rains. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

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Figure 58.

Trees are planted in Egypt to reduce soil erosion. 

Photo courtesy of Food and Agriculture Organization of the 

United Nations/Rosetta Messori. 

Clean water is another of Earth’s most important 

natural resources. All of our planet’s organisms 

need water. Some small amounts of water may 

come to Earth from outside of our atmosphere, 

such as from meteors. Practically speaking, 

however, water found on Earth is our water 

supply today and into the future. The water 

you drink today was on Earth even before the 

dinosaurs lived! 

Water moves from Earth’s atmosphere, to its 

surface and underground, and then back to 

the atmosphere in a continuous cycle. See 

Figure 34 on page 30 for an illustration of the 

water cycle. 

Just over 70 percent of Earth’s surface is 

covered by water. Of this surface area, 97.5 

percent is saltwater. Saltwater is found in 

oceans, bays, and other coastal areas. Take a 

look at a globe or a map of Earth. You will see 

for yourself just how much saltwater is found 

on our planet. The remaining 2.5 percent of 

Earth’s water is freshwater. Humans must have 

clean freshwater to live (Figure 59). 

Worldwide, about one-third of forests are 

managed for soil and water protection (Figure 

60 and Figure 61). In the last 25 years, about 

117 million more hectares of forest area have 

been designated for soil and water protection 

(Figure 62).

Figure 59.

River water is used for cleaning in Sierra Leone.

Photo courtesy of Sebastian List/NOOR for Food and 

Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 

Oceania

South

America

76

Africa

Europe

123

Asia

195

North

and

Central

America

534

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Figure 60.

Protection of soil and water and provision o

ecosystem services (in millions of hectares) by 

continent in 2015.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Figure 61.

Protection of soil and water and provision of ecosystem 

services as a percentage of total forest area (of countries 

that reported on this variable) by continent in 2015. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Figure 62.

The amount of forest managed for soil and water 

protection (in thousands of hectares) between 1990 

and 2015, by continent. 

Note: this graph only includes data from countries 

that reported on this variable for all Forest Resources 

Assessment reporting years.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

NATURAL 

INQUIRER

CONNECTIONS

For more 

information about 

freshwater, read 

the Natural Inquirer

Freshwater edition 

at http://www.naturalinquirer.org/

Freshwater-Natural-Inquirer-i-61.

html.

 REFLECTION 

SECTION

What is the source of the 

freshwater you use? 

Explain in your own words how forests 

build new soil. 

Explain how forests protect soil and water. 

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Figure 63.

A woman cooking a meal with woodfuel in the Philippines. Woodfuel may include whole or chopped-up tree trunks 

and branches, charcoal, wood chips, wood pellets, and sawdust.

Photo courtesy of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/Noel Celis. 

WOOD AND NON-WOOD FOREST 

BENEFITS

Forests provide a wide variety of benefits. 

You have just learned about the ecosystem 

services provided by healthy forests. You may 

already know about the wood products that 

forests provide. FAO has noted that “wood is a 

part of almost everyone’s life.” The list of wood 

products used by people includes woodfuel 

(wood used for cooking fires or for heating), 

construction material, furniture, paper, pencils, 

baseball bats, and fence posts (Figures 63, 64, 

and 65). Look around you and see if you can 

identify products made from wood. 

Figure 64.

A chair being made from wood in a U.S. chair factory. 

Photo courtesy of Cassy Young. 

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Figure 65.

Wood chips may be used for fuel or as ground cover. 

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald.

Roundwood is used for non-fuel purposes. 

Roundwood is felled in its natural state, with or 

without bark (Figure 66). After being harvested, 

roundwood is either left in its round state or 

is cut into sheets, squares, or other forms. 

Roundwood may also be crushed into small 

pieces called pulp, which is then used to make 

paper products.

Close to 1.2 billion hectares of forest land are 

managed for wood production worldwide, and 

the amount of wood removals is increasing 

(Figure 67). In 2011, about 3 billion cubic meters 

of wood were removed from forests worldwide 

(Figure 68).

Figure 66.

Roundwood is used to make many wood products for 

everyday use. Why do you think this type of wood is 

called roundwood? 

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Three billion cubic meters is equal to 30 

football (soccer) fields 10 kilometers or 

about 6 miles high.

Figure 67.

Yearly wood removals by continent from 1990 to 201

in millions of cubic meters. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Figure 68.

A cubic meter of wood is the amount contained in a 

cube of wood that is 1 meter long on each side. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Worldwide, woodfuel is used for about half of 

total wood removals from forests. Most woodfuel 

worldwide is removed from forests in countries 

with lower income levels. In these low-income 

countries, about 93 percent of wood removals 

are for woodfuel. 

Forests also provide non-wood products that 

people buy and use. Examples of non-wood 

products include food and food additives, such 

as edible nuts, mushrooms, fruits, herbs, spices, 

aromatic plants, and game animals (Figure 69).

Other non-wood products include fibers used in 

construction, furniture, clothing, or utensils. Nonwood products also include resins, gums, and plant 

and animal products used for medicinal, cosmetic, 

or cultural purposes. Non-wood removals provide a 

livelihood for many people and provide income for 

industries that use these products (Figure 70). The 

Republic of Korea, Portugal, the Czech Republic, 

and Tunisia all reported a high value for their nonwood forest products in 2010 (Figure 71). 

DID YOU KNOW?

How can wood products affect human health?

Scientists have recently discovered that oils 

and compounds in the wood of some cedar 

trees may repel or be toxic to mosquitoes, 

ticks, and fleas. These oils and compounds 

are a non-wood product that might become 

important to human health worldwide.

Information from the USDA Forest Service.

Figure 69.

Wild mangos are a non-wood forest product. 

Photo courtesy of Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State 

University, http://www.bugwood.org.

Figure 70.

A man sorts pine nuts to sell at a local market in 

Mongolia. 

Photo courtesy of Food and Agriculture Organization of the 

United Nations/Sean Gallagher. 

Figure 71.

The top 10 countries by reported value of non-wood 

forest product removals (in United States dollars pe

hectare) in 2010.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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 HOW DO DIFFERENT CULTURES USE NON-WOOD FOREST PRODUCTS?

Hawaiians collect non-wood forest products for traditional and modern cultural uses. For 

example, they gather forest fl owers, vines, and ferns to create garlands or leis for hula dances, 

parades, and other celebrations (Figure 72).

Figure 72.

 These Hawaiian temple tree fl owers are made into leis, or fl ower necklaces. 

Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, http://www.bugwood.org.

REFLECTION SECTION

What is one advantage of using wood as a material? 

How is wood used in your community? 

Name two non-wood forest products that you have used in the past 6 months. Were these 

non-wood products gathered from a nearby forest? 

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FACTIVITY

PROTECTING WATER QUALITY

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS 

(for each student or group of students)

• Three paint roller pans

• Shovel

• 3⁄4 cup liquid kitchen oil, such as canola oil

• 2 gallons (7.5 liters) of water in plastic jugs

• One garden sprinkler can

• Blue or red food coloring

The questions you will answer in this FACTivity 

are: Which land cover best protects water 

quality and why?

METHODS

1. Identify an area of thick grass near the edge 

of a grassy area. Ask an adult if the area you 

have chosen is a good location. Using the 

shovel, dig up an area of grass half the size of 

the paint roller pan, including 1⁄2 to 1 inch (1.27 

to 2.54 centimeters) of the soil underneath. 

Brush off the loose soil and place the grass 

into one of the pans. The roots of the grass 

should be holding the soil together. Make 

sure that the area of grass that you remove is 

away from the main grassy area. 

2. Identify an area of bare soil. Bare soil is 

dirt with little or no vegetation. Dig up a 

shovelful of bare soil and place it into 

the second paint roller pan, to about 

1 inch (2.54 centimeters) deep. If it is not 

possible to find the grass or bare soil in 

your schoolyard, your teacher will bring 

them to class. Leave the third pan empty. 

Line up the three pans so that you can 

easily compare them (Figure 73).

Figure 73.

How to set up the paint roller pans. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

3. During your experiment, use the graphic 

organizer on page 49 to answer the 

following questions. What do think each 

of the paint roller pans represents? (Hint: 

Think about different land covers. Land 

cover is what covers the land, such as 

trees, grass, water, concrete, parking lots, 

and buildings.) What do the water and oil 

represent? (The answers are given after the 

graphic organizer.) What do you predict 

will happen when oil is added and water 

is poured across each of the pans? Write 

your prediction in the form of a complete 

sentence in the graphic organizer.

4. Pour 1⁄4 cup (0.059 liters) of oil over the 

contents of each pan. Wait 5 minutes.

5. Add food coloring to the water. Mix the 

water and food coloring together until it 

makes a bright color. Add the water to the 

garden sprinkler can. Using the sprinkler 

can, pour an equal amount of water over 

each of the three paint roller pans. As 

the water drains into the bottom of each 

pan, observe the drained water in each 

of the pans. What differences do you see 

between the water in each pan? What has 

happened to the water in each case? What 

do you think is the reason for the water’s 

appearance in each of the pans?

In this FACTivity, each paint roller pan 

represents a different type of land cover 

that may exist in a watershed. The grass 

represents a watershed with vegetation, 

such as grass or forests. The soil represents 

a watershed with agricultural land. The bare 

aluminum represents an urban watershed 

with pavement, such as roads and parking 

lots. The oil represents pollution from 

cars, industry, and agriculture. The water 

represents rain.

Now answer the questions posed at the 

beginning of this FACTivity: Which land cover 

best protects water quality and why? Share 

your answers with your class.

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PROTECTING WATER QUALITY GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Note: Write using complete sentences, proper grammar, and appropriate punctuation.

The grass represents:

The soil represents:

The bare aluminum represents:

Write your predictions about 

how the water will look after 

oil is added, and the water 

drains into each pan.

Bare aluminum:

Grass:

Soil:

Describe your observations 

of the water in each pan.

Bare aluminum:

Grass:

Soil:

Explain why you think the 

water looks like it does in 

each pan.

Bare aluminum:

Grass:

Soil:

How does this experiment relate to the information you learned in this Natural Inquirer?

Based on what you learned, what are your conclusions about forests and water quality?

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ALTERNATE FACTIVITY

TREES AND THE WATER CYCLE

(Adapted from the USDA Natural Resources 

Conservation Service and Project Learning Tree.)

TIME NEEDED 

• 15 minutes in the first day

• 50 minutes the second day

MATERIALS 

(for each student or group of students)

• 1 pint (about 1⁄2 liter) closable plastic bag 

(must be able to close tightly)

• Permanent marker or small piece of paper, 

tape, and a pencil or pen

• Graduated cylinder (1 to 5 milliliters) or 

other measuring device

• Piece of blank or lined paper and a pencil

In this FACTivity, you will answer the 

question: How much water is transpired by 

a tree during daylight hours? Transpiration 

happens when the water that entered a tree’s 

roots travels up the tree’s trunk, through its 

branches, to its leaves, and out of the leaves 

through small pores. 

METHODS

Day 1

Your teacher will divide the class into pairs 

of students and will give each pair a plastic 

bag that can be tightly closed. Write your 

names on the plastic bag (or use paper and 

tape to identify the bag as yours). Go outside 

and select a tree that has leaves or needles 

that can be easily reached from the ground. 

You can select the same tree as another pair 

of students, but you must be able to use a 

separate branch and leaves.

The bag must be placed on a tree branch the 

following morning (Day 2) as early as possible 

in the day. When you place the plastic bag on 

a branch, seal the bag as tightly as possible 

around two or three of the leaves (Figure 74).

Figure 74.

Place the plastic bag with two to three leaves in it 

on a tree branch.

Illustration by Nickola Dudley.

Day 2

If possible, allow the plastic bag to stay on 

the branch for at least 2 hours. Regardless, 

be sure to note the amount of time each bag 

is on the tree and, if possible, keep as close 

to an hourly schedule as possible.

Before removing the bag from the tree, 

estimate the percentage of the tree’s total area 

of the leaves contained in the plastic bag. To 

do this, estimate the total number of leaves 

on the tree. Count the number of leaves on 

your branch (including the leaves inside of the 

bag). Then, estimate the number of branches 

on the tree and multiply the two numbers. 

Record the estimated total number of leaves. 

This is difficult and will just be an estimate. Do 

the best job you can to estimate the number of 

leaves on the tree.

Count the number of leaves in the bag and 

divide the estimated total number of leaves 

by this number. Record the result. Before 

removing the bag, gently shake it to dislodge 

water from the leaves’ surfaces. Carefully 

remove the plastic bag from the branch and 

leaves, keeping the water in the bag after 

removing it from the tree. Gently wave the bag 

to move the water into one corner (Figure75). 

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Figure 75.

Make sure that none of the water is spilled from the 

plastic bag. 

Illustration by Nickola Dudley. 

In the classroom, measure the amount of 

water in each bag by pouring the contents 

into the graduated cylinder. Calculate how 

much water was transpired by the tree in 

1 hour. For example, if the bag was on the 

tree for 2 hours, divide the amount of water 

in half. Then multiply that amount by 10, 

assuming that there are 10 hours of sunlight 

during which the tree transpires. Finally 

calculate how much water the whole tree 

would transpire during 10 hours of daylight. 

For example, say there are 3 leaves in the 

bag and an estimated 27,000 leaves on 

the tree. Divide 27,000 by 3 to get 9,000. 

If the three leaves transpired 1 milliliter in 

1 hour, they would transpire 10 milliliters in 

10 hours. To estimate how many milliliters 

the entire tree would transpire in 10 hours, 

multiply 9,000 X 10 = 90 000 milliliters. 

Multiply 0.001 X 90 000 milliliters to get an 

estimated 90 liters transpired by the tree in 

1 day. To convert this to gallons, multiply 

90 X 0.264 = 23.76 gallons. 

Compare your findings with other students’ 

findings. Larger trees should be found to 

transpire much more water than smaller 

trees. Are you surprised at how much water 

is transpired by a tree during daylight hours? 

Look at the water cycle illustration (Figure 

34 on page 29). How do individual trees 

contribute to the water cycle? 

You can try this experiment overnight to 

see how much water a tree transpires when 

sunlight is not available. 

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INQUIRY 3: HEALTHY FORESTS NOW 

AND INTO THE FUTURE 

PLANNING FOR HEALTHY FORESTS

Did you know that people manage or work with 

forest resources to achieve goals and gain 

benefi ts? For example, people might have a 

goal of maintaining clean water for drinking 

and cooking. Clean water is a benefi t of healthy 

forests. To gain and maintain this benefi t, fo

example, people purposely leave forest area

undisturbed when they are close to stream

and rivers. People may also plant vegetatio

next to streams and rivers to protect wate

resources (Figure 76). 

Figure 76.

Areas next to streams and rivers may be purposely left undisturbed or planted with trees and shrubs. Trees and 

other vegetation protect the stream or river from soil erosion, sediment, and pollutants. These managed areas are 

called stream buffers. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Figure 77.

An example of managing forests sustainably is cleaning 

brush and leaves away from an area so that trees and 

food crops can be grown close together in that area, as 

this woman is doing in the United Republic of Tanzania. 

Photo courtesy of Food and Agriculture Organization of the 

United Nations/Simon Maina. 

Figure 78.

Sustainable forest management enables people in 

Kyrgyzstan to provide for their children, and in the 

future, for their children to provide for their own children. 

Photo courtesy of Food and Agriculture Organization of the 

United Nations/Vyacheslav Oseledko.

Forests are managed to achieve many differen

benefits. (You learned about these benefits i

Inquiry 2.) Sustainable forest management is 

method people use to gain and maintain desire

benefits from their forests (Figure 77).

Let’s examine the word “sustainable.” Th

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines sustainabl

in this way:

1. Capable of being sustained.

2. Of, relating to, or being a method of harvestin

or using a resource so that the resource i

not depleted or permanently damaged.

The second definition is the one that bes

describes sustainable forest managemen

Sustainable forest management includes th

actions that forest managers take to produc

benefits from healthy forests. No matter wha

benefits people want to gain from their forests

sustainable forest management is importan

When forests are managed sustainably

people gain the benefits they want now an

into the future. 

Sustainable forest management helps peopl

balance the social, environmental, and economi

benefits that forests provide. Sustainable fores

management also recognizes the importanc

of providing benefits to present and futur

generations (Figure 78). 

FAO has defined an important way t

understand sustainable forest managemen

This understanding has to do with the amoun

of land worldwide that is being managed a

forests. FAO asked: How much of the world’

forest area is managed so that it remains health

into the future? 

FAO was interested in finding out how much o

the world’s forests people manage to provid

benefits. They found that in 2010, 2.1 billio

hectares of forest area have a managemen

plan to provide either forest products o

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environmental protection. The amount of land 

permanently managed as forests was slightly 

larger, making 2.2 billion hectares, and 1 billion 

of these hectares were in the tropical ecozones. 

The most successful forest management is done 

with the aid of a forest management plan. A 

forest management plan is a written document 

that identifies what actions will be taken and 

when they will be taken. These actions are 

meant to gain particular benefits from the forest.

Forest management plans are important 

because when forests are managed for specific 

benefits identified in a plan, the chance of 

people gaining those benefits is increased 

(Figure 79, Figure 80, and Figure 81). A forest 

management plan includes a specific statement 

of the benefits an individual or an organization 

would like to gain from the forest land. The plan 

also includes specific actions to be taken to 

gain those benefits and when those actions will 

be taken. 

Figure 79.

Percentage of forest land managed under a forest 

management plan between 1990 and 2010 by continent. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Oceania 46

South

America

125

Africa

Europe

950

Asia

410

North

and

Central

America

430

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation

Figure 80.

Amount of forest area under a management plan (in 

millions of hectares) in 2010 by continent. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Figure 81.

Amount of forest area under a management plan as 

a percentage of total forest area (of countries tha

reported on this variable) in 2010 by continent.

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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REFLECTION SECTION

Describe in your own words 

what “sustainable” means. 

Do you think having a forest 

management plan is a good 

idea? Why or why not? 

 PUTTING FOREST MANAGEMENT 

TO THE TEST!

FAO was also interested in learning more 

about forest management certif cation. Forest 

management certifi cation occurs when an 

independent organization reviews and conf rms

that a forest is being managed according to a 

written plan. 

When a forest is certifi ed as being managed 

according to a written management plan, 

people can feel more comfortable that the best 

management practices are being used. People 

can also feel more confi dent that the forest 

benefi ts identifi ed in the plan will be received. 

People use forest certifi cation programs to 

monitor areas under a forest management 

plan to make sure they meet certain conditions. 

People also use certifi cation programs to 

evaluate whether the written sustainable forest 

management plan is being followed. 

When a plan describes a condition to be met, 

the condition is meant to protect the forest and 

the people for whom the forests are being 

managed. For example, certifi ed sustainable 

forest management plans should protect the 

rights of indigenous people who live near or in 

the forest. These plans must also protect th

rights of people who work in the forest or i

forest-related jobs. The forest managers mus

restore forested ecosystems, if needed, an

protect the forested ecosystems that they ar

managing. Biodiversity must be maintained in 

certifi ed forest. Forest certifi cation provides 

way to ensure that human rights an

environmental health are being protected. 

FAO collected information on two of the mos

widely used forest management certifi catio

programs. These programs are operated b

the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) an

the Program for the Endorsement of Fores

Certifi cation (PEFC) (Figures 82 and 83; Table 2

Figure 82.

 Amount of the world’s forest area (in thousands o

hectares) certifi ed under a certifi cation program by type 

of certifi cation program and total amount between 2000 

and 2014. FSC = Forest Stewardship Council; PEFC = 

Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certifi cation. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

Table 2. Forest area under an international certifi cation program (in millions of hectares) by continent in 2014. 

Continent Africa Asia Europe

North and 

Central 

America

Oceania South 

America

Forest area certifi ed under an 

international scheme (million ha) 6.4 14 167 222 13 15

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Figure 83.

Forest area under an international certifi cation program 

as a percentage of total forest area by continent in 2014. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

 The number of forested hectares worldwide 

under forest certifi cation programs increased 

from 14 million hectares in 2000 to 438 

million hectares in 2014. The temperate and 

boreal ecozones had the greatest number of 

hectares under forest certifi cation programs 

(see Figure 12 on page 17).

If you didn’t take tests or submit schoolwork 

for your teacher’s review, would you know 

whether you have improved in school? You 

might have a feeling one way or another, but 

you wouldn’t know for sure. Forest managers 

are in the same situation! Without doing an 

assessment, or monitoring, of their practices, 

forest managers and others may not know how 

well they are doing. 

Worldwide, the condition of 83 percent of 

the world’s forests is monitored by forest 

managers and scientists in 116 countries. 

These countries periodically produce 

national reports about their forests. Eighty-six 

countries, covering 77 percent of the world’s 

forest area, include information describing 

how well their country is progressing toward 

sustainable forest management. 

HOW CAN FOREST MONITORING 

BE MADE EASIER?

More forest land area is being periodically 

monitored worldwide for forest management 

practices and benefi ts. The USDA Forest 

Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis 

(FIA) Program has created a way to assist 

countries with forest monitoring. The FIA 

Program has developed a 15-step process 

to help tropical countries better understand 

and monitor their forest management. The 

FIA Program has worked with Honduras, 

Peru, Guyana, and the Democratic Republic 

of the Congo (Figure 84).

Figure 84.

The countries using the FIA 15-step program 

to monitor their country’s forest management 

include Honduras, Peru, Guyana, and the 

Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Map by Carey Burda and Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

REFLECTION SECTION

Everyone benefi ts when forest 

managers use a forest management plan 

to guide them. Name a time when having 

a plan provided a benefi t to you. What was 

your plan, and how did you benefi t from 

having a plan? 

Observe Figure 82. Do you think the number 

of forested hectares under forest certifi cation 

will increase or decrease in the future? Why? 

Observe Figure 84. What is similar about the 4 

countries that used FIA’s 15-step program for 

forest monitoring? 

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FACTIVITY

PLANNING YOUR OWN FOREST

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS 

(for each student or group of students)

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Crayons, colored pencils, or colored markers

• Planning Your Own Forest Graphic Organizer

In this FACTivity, you will create a forest 

management plan for a 1-hectare (or 1-acre) 

forest. You will make this plan by using the 

Planning Your Own Forest Graphic Organizer 

on page 58. Since this forest is a creation of 

your imagination, it can contain any kind of 

trees, other plants, and animals that you want.

METHODS

1. Take a blank piece of paper. You will draw 

a picture of your forest on this paper.

2. Draw two native tree species that grow in 

your forest. Remember, you can make up 

any kind of tree, or you can draw trees that 

you are familiar with from your area or from 

your research.

3. Draw two native mammal species that 

live in your forest. You can make up these 

mammals or you can draw mammals that 

you are familiar with from your area or from 

your research.

4. Draw two native bird species that live in your 

forest. You can make up these birds or you 

can draw birds with which you are familiar.

5. Make a list of other features that are found 

in your forest. For example, you might find 

a stream or river in your forest. You might 

find waterfalls. You might find a lake in 

your forest. What other features are found 

in your forest? Once you have a list, draw 

these features in your picture.

6. On a separate piece of paper, make a 

list of the benefits your forest provides. 

If you need a reminder, review Inquiry 2: 

Benefits of Healthy Forests.

7. Once you have completed your forest 

picture, give your forest a name and write 

it on the paper.

Unfortunately, a cyclone, typhoon, hurricane, 

or tornado has recently passed across your 

forest, destroying the trees. Fortunately, the 

wildlife escaped unharmed. They have left 

your forest, however, because their habitat 

was destroyed. It is your job to make a plan to 

restore your forest. You will use the Planning 

Your Own Forest Graphic Organizer that 

follows to make a plan to restore your forest 

to a healthy condition. 

8. Using the Planning Your Own Forest 

Graphic Organizer, list your goals for 

restoring your forest. What benefits do you 

want the forest to provide? How are these 

benefits similar or different to the benefits 

your original forest provided? How long 

will it take to restore the forest?

9. Using a blank piece of paper, draw the 

shape of your forest. Draw features like 

streams, ponds, lakes, and trails you want 

within the forest.

10. Use the Planning Your Own Forest Graphic 

Organizer to detail how you will meet your 

goals for the forest. When will you complete 

each part of the plan? For example, will 

planting trees come before or after making 

trails? How many trees will you plant? Which 

species of trees? Where exactly will those 

trees be planted? 

11. If you want to use your forest for recreation, 

show on your map where you will put a 

trail. Identify when you will put the trail in 

place and how long you think it will take to 

complete the trail. Be sure to name the trail.

12. If you need to create a special habitat 

to attract your wildlife or bird species 

back to your forest, describe what you 

will do, where you will do it, and when it 

will be done.

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Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 58 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

PLANNING YOUR OWN FOREST GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Forest Management Plan for ____________________________Forest.

What are your goals for your forest? Your goals should include whether you want to have the 

forest managed for recreation, timber production, wildlife habitat, or other benefits.

My goals for _______________________ Forest are:

How long will it take to achieve these goals? 

I would like to achieve these goals in __________________. 

What will you do to achieve your goals? 

When you have finished your plan, look again at your original picture of your forest. How did 

your restoration activities improve your forest? 

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Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 59 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

WORLD’S FORESTS THIRD EDITION SUMMARY

FAO’s report, as well as this journal based on 

FAO’s report, summarizes the state of the world’s 

forests in 2015. Much of the report’s information 

also looks at trends in the world’s forests over 

25 years (Figure 85). Based on Figure 85, wha

can you conclude about the future of you

continent’s forests specifically, and the world’

forests overall?

Figure 85.

Direction of change (D = Downward, U = Upward) (1990 to posted year) (~ = Less than 1⁄2 percent change) by 

continent.

Continent Africa Asia Europe

North and 

Central 

America

Oceania South 

America

Forest area 

(million ha) 2015 D U U ~ D D

Natural forest 

(million ha) 2015 D D ~ D D D

Planted forest 

(million ha) 2015 U U U U U U

Carbon (Gt) 2015 D D U U ~ D

Carbon (Gt per ha) 

2015 U D U U U U

Total wood removals 

(million cubic meters) 

2011

U U D D U U

Protection of soil and 

water (million ha) 2015 D U U U U D

Ecosystem services, 

cultural, and 

spiritual values 2015 

(million ha)

D U U ~ D U

Conservation of 

biodiversity 2015 

(million ha)

U U U U U U

Primary forest 

(million ha) 2015 D ~ U ~ D D

Forest area within 

protected areas 2015 

(million ha)

U U U U U U

Forest area certifed 

under an international 

program 2014

(million ha)

U U U U U U

ha = hectares; Gt = gigatonnes.

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Glossary words 60 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

GLOSSARY

Algae Simple plants that have no true 

root, stem, or leaf and that usually 

grow in water or on damp surfaces.

Amphibian Any organism that has gills and 

lives in water during the larval 

(juvenile) stage and has lungs and 

breathes air during the adult stage. 

Examples include frogs, toads, and 

salamanders.

Aromatic Having a strong smell.

Assessment The action or an instance of making 

a judgment about something. The 

act of assessing something.

Average (1) The usual kind or amount; 

(2) The number determined by 

dividing the sum of two or more 

quantities by the number of 

quantities added.

Axis A straight line about which a body 

or geometric figure rotates.

Bacteria Living things that only have one 

cell and can only be seen using a 

microscope.

Canopy (1) Anything that covers like a roof; 

(2) On a tree, the area of leaves 

that cover the ground.

Certifcation The act of confirming something as 

being true or as represented or as 

meeting a standard.

Collaborative Characteristically working jointly 

with others or together.

Compound Chemical substance formed from 

two or more elements.

Confrm (1) To assure that something is 

true; (2) To give approval to.

Conserve To avoid wasteful or destructive 

use of something.

Correspondent (1) One who has regular 

commercial relations with another; 

(2) Regarding the World’s Forest 

editions, a correspondent is a 

representative from each country 

who gathered and sent information 

to FAO.

Culture The set of shared attitudes, 

values, goals, and practices 

that characterizes an institution, 

organization, or community.

Deforestation (1) The action or process of 

clearing of forest; (2) Deforestation 

happens when a forest is 

destroyed and the area previously 

occupied by the trees is used for 

other purposes.

Degrade The act of impairing or bringing to 

a lower level of quality. 

Diversity (1) The condition of having or being 

composed of differing elements; 

(2) Variety.

Ecological Having to do with ecology, the 

study of the relationship of living 

things with each other and their 

environment.

Economic Of, relating to, or based on the 

production, distribution, and 

consumption of goods and 

services.

Edible (1) Fit to be eaten; (2) Safe to be 

eaten.

Element (1) Any of the parts or qualities of a 

thing, especially a necessary one; 

(2) One of a class of substances 

that cannot be separated into 

simpler substances by chemical 

means.

Emission Something discharged or sent out.

Endorsement The act of approving openly. 

Equator An imaginary circle around 

the middle of Earth at an equal 

distance from the North Pole and 

the South Pole.

Erode To wear away by water or wind.

Erosion The process or state of wearing or 

washing away.

Forest litter Dead plant material, such as 

leaves, bark, needles, and twigs, 

that have fallen to the ground.

Fungi Plant-like organisms that contains 

no chlorophyll and reproduce 

by spores, including mold, 

mushrooms, and mildew.

Genetic (1) Having to do with genes; (2) 

The hereditary material of living 

things.

Genus A class, kind, or group marked by 

common characteristics or by one 

common characteristic, specifically 

a category of biological 

classification ranking between the 

family and the species.

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Glossary words 61 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Germinate To start growing, sprouting, or 

developing.

Habitat The place or environment where a 

plant or animal naturally or normally 

lives and grows.

Harvest To gather, collect, or take a crop.

Indigenous Produced, growing, living, or 

occurring naturally in a particular 

region or environment.

Interact To act upon one another.

Invasive Tending to spread or infringe upon.

Landscape The visual land, such as trees, 

water, and sky.

Livelihood A means of obtaining the 

necessities of life.

Mammal Any warm-blooded animal with a 

backbone and glands to produce 

milk for feeding the young.

Medicinal Tending or used to cure disease or 

relieve pain.

Molecular 

compound

Chemical combination of two or 

more atoms that are usually nonmetal, such as water (H2

O).

Monitor To watch, observe, listen to, or 

check (something) for a special 

purpose over a period of time.

Native Living or growing naturally in a 

particular region.

Natural 

resource

A supply of something in nature 

that takes care of a human need, 

such as oil, forests, or water.

Nutrient Any of the substances found in 

food that are needed for the life 

and growth of plants and animals.

Pollutant (1) A substance that makes land, 

water, air, etc., dirty and not safe or 

suitable to use; (2) Something that 

causes pollution.

Population The whole number of individuals of 

the same type occupying an area.

Respiration The process by which a living thing 

takes in oxygen from the air and 

gives off carbon dioxide and other 

waste products.

Runoff Quantity of water discharged 

in surface streams, above 

groundwater level.

Sediment Material deposited by wind, water, 

or glacier.

Sustainable Of, relating to, or being a method 

of using a resource so that the 

resource is not depleted or 

permanently damaged.

Temperate Having a moderate climate, 

which does not have extremes 

in temperature; found in or 

associated with a moderate 

climate.

Toxic Containing or being a poisonous 

material, which may be capable of 

causing death or serious illness.

Trend A behavior pattern occurring and 

developing over a period of time.

Unit of 

measurement

A standardized quantity of a 

physical property, such as inches, 

meters, kilograms, etc.

247-937_AGRIC.indd 61 7/31/1
WORLD’S FORESTS IMAGE CHALLENGE!

These images appear somewhere in this edition of Natural Inquirer World’s Forests. As a class or individually, have students explain thsignifi cance of each image as it relates to the world’s forests. Hold a class discussion about these images. What story do these images teabout the world’s forests?Optionally, have students write a sentence explaining each image.

1 2

3

4 5 6

Photo courtesy of Chuck Murphy, http://boywithcamera.com.Photo courtesy of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/Sean Gallagher.

Photo courtesy of Alton Sparks, University of Georgia, http://www.bugwood.org

Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald. 

Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer. 

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Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 63 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

NOTE TO EDUCATORS

The lesson plans provided below are intended to provide a framework for presenting the informatio

contained in this Natural Inquirer. You may choose to develop your own lesson plans or to focu

on only one or two Inquiries. The Inquiries are best presented in order, however, as subsequen

Inquiries build on previous ones. 

Be sure to examine the Educational Concepts Addressed by the Inquiries on page 92.

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NATURAL INQUIRER WORLD’S FORESTS 

THIRD EDITION LESSON PLANS

INTRODUCTION TO THE LESSON PLANS

These lesson plans give you a blueprint for 

taking your students through the World’s 

Forests Third Edition Natural Inquirer. The 

introductory material includes “Welcome to 

the Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third 

Edition,” “Thinking About the World’s Forests,” 

and “Thinking About Science.” Using these 

sections to introduce your students to the 

remainder of the journal will give a foundation 

for better understanding what follows.

The main body of the journal includes three 

Inquiries. These Inquiries provide information 

on forests worldwide, the benefits provided by 

forests, and how forests are being managed 

to keep them sustainable into the future. 

In these three Inquiries, students will examine 

charts and graphs that provide information 

about forests by continent. As students examine 

these charts and graphs, they will use graphic 

organizers. These graphic organizers will hel

students analyze their continent’s forest statu

and trends. The graphic organizers will als

enable students to compare their continent’

forests with forests on other continents.

Take a moment now to review the graphi

organizer beginning on page 58. You may, a

you and your students read the journal, provid

countrywide or local examples, or have student

research countrywide or local forests. 

Note the Glossary on page 60-61.Have student

use the glossary when they encounter a wor

in bold that is unfamiliar. If students encounte

unbolded words that they do not know, hel

them understand the word’s meaning or direc

them to use a dictionary.

To access forest data by country, go to http:

www.fao.org/3/a-i4808e.pdf. 

WELCOME TO THE NATURAL INQUIRER WORLD’S FORESTS THIRD EDITION!

TIME NEEDED

30 minutes

MATERIALS 

(for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

METHODS

Have students read this section individually or 

as a class. After they have read the section, 

have students do the math regarding the United 

Nations’ current age and how long the Food 

and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been 

collecting information about the world’s forests.

Have students observe Figures 1 and 2. As

students what they can learn about forest

from observing these two photographs. Hold 

discussion as appropriate. 

Have students examine Figures 3 and 4. Hav

students identify their continent, and the

answer the question posed in Figure 4’s caption

Have students continue reading to complet

this section.

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Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 65 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

THINKING ABOUT THE WORLDS FORESTS

Have students read this section individually or 

as a class. Briefly discuss the benefits provided 

by forests and that forests vary in appearance 

depending on the climate zone in which they 

grow. Using Figure 6, have students identify their 

climate zone. Have students identify difference

between the types of forest.

Ensure that students understand what is mean

by the term “trends.”

THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE

Have students read this section individually 

or as a class. The important message of this 

section is that all scientists, including the FAO 

scientists featured in this journal, must use 

data with the same unit of measurement if 

they are to meaningfully make sense of their 

data. Ensure that students understand units of 

measurement and why the unit of measurement 

must be the same for meaningful analysis. This 

section also describes how FAO collected 

forest-related data from all over the world. Not

that scientists usually work in teams, and hav

students examine Figure 8. Ask students for an

observations they have about the FAO team 

shown in Figure 8. 

Emphasize to students that the information the

will learn about the world’s forests was collecte

by the large team of correspondents (in Figure 8

from countries all over the world. 

INQUIRY 1: WHAT ARE THE WORLD’S FORESTS AND 

WHERE ARE THEY FOUND?

EARTH’S CLIMATES AND FORESTS

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS 

(for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 1: Earth’s 

Climates and Forests

• Writing utensils

METHODS

In the first pages, students will learn about 

Earth’s axis and its revolution around the Sun. 

They will learn about the Equator and lines of 

latitude. They will learn about sea level. Before 

leaving this section, make sure that students 

understand these terms and how the location on 

Earth affects an area’s climate. Remind students 

that climate is the average weather in a location. 

Some climates are cool and other climates ar

warm. What kind of climate is found wher

your students live? Have students read abou

rainfall. Have students do research to discove

the average yearly rainfall in their area. Student

should read through Figure 11.

Observe the ecozones map and th

photographs around it (Figure 12). Hav

students compare the ecozones figure wit

the climate figure (Figure 6 on page 13). Hav

students discuss why they think the map

compare as they do. Have students identify th

climate zone and ecozone in which they live

Ask students to examine the forest photograph

around the map. What do they notice abou

these forests?

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Discuss the Reflection Section questions as a 

class or in small groups:

Observe Figures 9 and 10. Do you think that a 

location at sea level and at the same latitude 

north and south of the Equator would have a 

similar average air temperature? Why or why 

not? Students will have individual answers to 

this question. You can test their conclusions 

by comparing the average air temperatures of 

seaside communities in Montevideo, Uruguay 

(24 °C), and Cape Town, South Africa (23 °C); 

and Jacksonville, Florida, United States 

of America (13 °C), and Hangzhou, China 

(15.6 °C). You may identify other seaside 

communities at similar latitudes to compare.

Observe the photographs in Figure 12. Wha

is one advantage of having a diversity of fores

types across the planet? Students will hav

individual answers to this question, and the

may need your help. They should conclude

however, that a diversity of forest type

worldwide is a good thing because a diversity o

forests supports a diversity of animal and plan

species and provides a wide range of product

and services to people. 

Using information discussed during thi

section, have students complete the Graphi

Organizer for Inquiry 1: Earth’s Climates an

Forests (on page 77).

INQUIRY 1: WHAT ARE THE WORLD’S FORESTS AND 

WHERE ARE THEY FOUND?

THE WORLD’S CHANGING FORESTS

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

 (for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 1: The World’s 

Changing Forests

METHODS

Read through Table 1 on page 18. Ensure that 

students understand the difference between 

natural and planted forests. Use the photographs 

in Figures 14, 15A, and 15B to emphasize the 

difference. 

Continue reading the text and have students 

examine Figure 16. Check students’ 

understanding of the size of a hectare. Now 

read and examine Figure 17. Check students’ 

ability to read tables and charts. 

Throughout these lesson plans, students w

be identifying their own continent’s fores

information on charts and graphs, and usin

that information to compare their continent’

forests with other forests on other continent

using graphic organizers. Where indicated i

these lesson plans, students will follow a simila

process to build this set of information. 

For example, in Figure 17, students living i

Africa will do the following:

Rank each continent from most to least amoun

of forest area according to data from 2015. Th

continent with the most will go at the top, an

the continent with the least will go at the bottom

Then, write the name of the continents in orde

from most to least in the graphic organizer in th

space provided for each figure. 

Africa 624 = 4

Asia 593 = 5

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Glossary words are defned on page 60-61 67 Natural Inquirer World’s Forests Third Editio

Europe 1015 = 1

North and Central America 751 = 3

Oceania 174 = 6

South America 842 = 2

Then, students should circle their continent’s name.

Continent in Rank Order 

From Most to Least

Fig. 17 – Forest Area 

(millions ha)

Europe

South America

North & Central America

Africa

Asia

Oceania

Students should do this exercise for Figures 17 

to 20.

Have students read page 23 and examine 

Figure 23. Ask students what they notice about 

the percentage of forest area worldwide.

Now, have students examine Figure 22. What is 

similar about Africa and South America? (Hint: 

Where on Earth are they located? Both are in 

the Southern Hemisphere at similar latitudes.)

Students should read the paragraph on page 

23 about decreases in forest area and observe 

Figure 24. Ask students to describe times when 

they observed forests being felled to construct 

buildings or roads, or for other uses such as 

agriculture.

Students will now read about trends in the 

amount of natural forests and planted forests. 

For Figures 25 and 26, have students rank order 

the continents from most to least in hectares of 

both natural and planted forest in 2015 in the 

graphic organizer. Have students circle their 

continent’s name in both columns. Note that for 

negative numbers, the highest negative number 

indicates the least value.

Now, have students read the paragraph that 

follows Figure 26 on page 24.

Ask students to summarize the trends in natura

and planted forest land, based on the text and th

information in Figures 25 and 26. Using 100 sma

stones, coins, or some other item, illustrate how 

much 7 percent is compared with 93 percen

Students should understand that even thoug

planted forests are increasing in area, they are st

a small percentage of total forest land worldwide

Next, have students read about the amount o

forested land per capita (page 24). Check t

make sure that students understand what pe

capita means. Then, ask students to observ

Figure 27. What is the general trend shown b

this figure? Have students rank order the value

for 2015 and write the continent names in th

graphic organizer, from most to least amount o

forested hectares per capita. Then have you

students circle their continent’s name.

Read the paragraph that follows Figure 27. 

Have students read about urban forests o

page 25 and observe the photographs of urba

forests. If you have an urban forest nearby, hol

a class discussion about the benefits the fores

provides to your community. Using the Graphi

Organizer for Inquiry 1: The World’s Changin

Forests (page 78), have students draw the

idea of an urban forest and identify the benefit

provided by the urban forest.

Have students read the sidebar abou

the world’s urban population (page 25

Ask students to identify whether they liv

in an urban or a rural area. What are th

characteristics of each?

Ensure that students have completed eac

column of the Graphic Organizer for Inquir

1: The World’s Changing Forests. Student

should now summarize what they have learne

about their continent’s forests by comparin

and contrasting the rank ordering they hav

completed so far. Students can write importan

ideas in the designated space. 

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Discuss the Reflection Section on page 25 as a 

class or in small groups:

Has an area of forest been felled in or near 

your community? If so, with what was this forest 

replaced? Students will have individual answers 

to this question. One response, which has 

not yet been introduced in this journal, is that 

following harvest new trees may be planted. 

Other responses may include buildings, roads, 

parking lots, pastureland, and food crops. 

Describe in your own words the differenc

between a natural forest and a planted fores

Students should realize that planted forests ar

created by planting, usually one species of tree

in straight rows, similar to food crops. Natura

forests have a variety of native tree species an

other vegetation, and the trees are differen

ages. The ecological processes of a natura

forest are left to function normally.

INQUIRY 2: WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

FORESTS ARE MORE THAN TREES

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

 (for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: Forests Are 

More Than Trees

METHODS

Individually or as a group, have students read 

the first paragraph and observe Figures 30 to 

33. Have students think about the photographs, 

then have them identify a tree, mammal, bird, 

and insect found in the forests on their own 

continent. Have students write the name of this 

tree and these animals, as well as their continent, 

in the Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: Forests 

are More than Trees (page 81).

Ask students to read page 29-30. Have them 

examine Figure 34, which shows the water cycle 

and how trees transpire water. 

Optional: Read the box on page 30 describing 

communication between trees by way of 

underground hyphae. Hold a class discussion 

about the advantages of using hyphae to 

transfer nutrients and information between trees. 

If students need help, remind them that hypha

are found underground. Have students observ

Figure 35 and discuss how hyphae can hel

move nutrients and chemical signals betwee

underground fungi and tree roots. 

Read the text on page 31. Hold a clas

discussion about biodiversity. Examine Figur

36. Ask students if they think these two specie

of geese are related. Describe how a goos

may become different from its ancestors afte

years of living in a new ecosystem. Geese

or any species, may adapt over time as the

live in their new environment. Over time, sma

adaptations might be advantageous in the new 

environment. The individuals of that specie

with the advantageous adaptations will pas

these traits on to successive generations.

Optional: Have students read the sideba

and compare and contrast what is show

in Figure 36 with how Persian walnuts hav

developed genetic diversity across 1

countries. Hawaiian geese adapted on the

own. Persian walnuts were cultivated b

people, and this cultivation, along with the new 

environments, enabled Persian walnut trees t

diversify genetically.

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Discuss the Reflection Section questions on 

page 31 as a class or in small groups:

Are you surprised that trees can share nutrients 

with each other through underground hyphae? 

Name one other way that two different forest 

plant or animal species work together to 

maintain a healthy forest environment. Students 

will have individual answers to this question 

and may need hints. One example is that bird 

species carry tree or other plant seeds to a new 

area and drop them. In this way, birds help trees 

grow in new areas. These young trees, in turn, 

provide habitat for the birds. Another way that 

forest species interact is when ants live in a tre

and by living there protect the tree from bein

eaten by another animal. Pollination is a goo

example of how plants and animals provid

beneft to each other. Students may have man

examples to share.

Is biodiversity present in the human species

How do you know? Students will have individua

answers to these questions. Human biodiversit

is evident in the variety of skin color, eye colo

height, hair texture and color, facial features, an

many other individual human characteristics.

INQUIRY 2: WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

PRIMARY FORESTS

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

 (for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: Primary Forests

METHODS

Have students read the first paragraph on page 

32. Ensure that they understand the concept 

of a primary forest. Note that a primary forest 

is distinct from a planted forest. Primary forests 

are self-generating and natural ecological 

processes are not disturbed. Have students 

answer the questions posed in the text. 

Have students examine Figures 38 and 39. For 

each of the figures, have students rank order 

the values from most to least. Then, as they 

did with earlier figures, have students write the 

continent names in order from most to least in the 

Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: Primary Forests 

(page 82). Then have the students circle their 

continent’s name. 

Have students examine Figure 40. Ask them t

identify the pattern they see in this figure. 

Have students read the paragraph abou

biodiversity on page 33 and examine Figure

41 and 42. As students have done for previou

figures, have them rank order the value

from most to least in each figure and writ

the continent names in order in the Graphi

Organizer for Inquiry 2: Primary Forests. Hav

students circle the name of their continent. 

Have students read the next paragraph. As

students to describe the difference betwee

the number of forested hectares and th

percentage of forested hectares in a country

The next two paragraphs introduce the concep

of protected areas. Have students read thes

paragraphs and examine Figures 43 an

44. If any students have had experienc

with protected areas, ask them to share the

experiences with the class. If no students hav

had experience with protected areas, explor

why this might be so. 

Using Figures 43 and 44, have students ran

order the values by continent, then write th

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continent names in order from most to least in 

the Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: Primary 

Forests. Have students circle the name of their 

continent on each figure.

Have students do the You Do the Math 

sidebar on page 36. Discuss the implications 

of the tropical ecozone having such a large 

percentage of legally protected forest. This 

percentage is important because the tropical 

ecozone is also losing the largest amount of 

forested hectares worldwide (see Figure 21).

Discuss the Reflection Section questions on 

page 34 as a class or in small groups:

Do you have a natural area nearby where people 

are not allowed to do some activities? If so, what 

is that area, and what activities are people not 

allowed to do? How do the rules help protec

the natural land?

If you do not have a natural area in which som

activities are not allowed, can you think of 

natural area that might benefit if some activitie

were not allowed? What is that area, and wha

kinds of activities should not be allowed? How 

would these rules benefit the land? Students w

have individual answers to these questions.

How do primary forests help conserv

biodiversity? Students will have individua

answers to this question. Students should realiz

that by restricting damaging human activitie

from occurring in primary forests, manager

are protecting the primary forest and allowin

a variety of trees, other vegetation, and wildlif

to maintain a balanced and healthy ecosystem

INQUIRY 2: WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

CARBON AND THE WORLD’S FORESTS

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

 (for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: Carbon and 

the World’s Forests

METHODS

Have students read the first paragraph and the 

Did You Know? sidebar on page 34. Ask which 

students were aware that their body contains 

carbon. Ask students if the baboons in Figure 

5 on page 12 contain carbon. (The answer is 

“yes.” All living things contain carbon.)

The two paragraphs and the figures on page 

35 provide information about carbon. Have 

students read the paragraphs and examine 

Figure 46. In particular, students shoul

understand the difference between the natura

carbon cycle and the influence of humans o

the carbon cycle. Students should understan

the role that Earth and its living beings pla

in holding carbon on Earth and maintaining 

better balance to the carbon cycle. 

Have students read the next two paragraph

about carbon storage and examine Figures 4

and 48. Again, have students rank order th

values by continent, then write the continen

names in order from most to least in the Graphi

Organizer for Inquiry 2: Carbon and the World’

Forests (page 84). Have them circle the nam

of their continent on each figure.

Optional: Have students do the You Do th

Math sidebar on page 34. Discuss the amoun

of carbon held by the world’s forests. 

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Have students read the next paragraph. 

Discuss the possible implications of a decrease 

in carbon storage in the world’s forests. 

Optional: Have students read the sidebar 

describing the United Nations REDD and 

REDD+ programs on page 37. Discuss putting 

a value on forests because they hold carbon 

on Earth. Do your students think this is a good 

idea? Why or why not?

Discuss the Reflection Section questions on 

page 37 as a class or in small groups:

In an earlier section of this journal, you learned 

that forests provide benefits to humans. Would 

you say that holding carbon on Earth is a benefit 

to humans? Why or why not? Students will have 

individual answers to this question. They shoul

realize that by holding carbon on Earth, tree

help keep the carbon cycle in better balance

Climate change occurs as the carbon cycl

remains unbalanced. A better balanced carbo

cycle reduces the rate of climate change an

provides benefts to everyone. 

What happens to the carbon that is found i

wood furniture and buildings? Students will hav

individual answers to this question, and ma

need your help thinking the question through

Because the wood is not destroyed when it i

made into furniture or a home, the carbon that i

in the wood stays in the wood. 

INQUIRY 2: WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

 (for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: Ecosystem 

Services

METHODS

Have students read the first three 

paragraphs about ecosystem services 

and examine Figures 50 to 52 (page 38). 

Hold a class discussion about ecosystem 

services. Check student comprehension to 

ensure that they understand the concept of 

ecosystem services.

Now have students read the next paragraph on 

page 39 that introduces cultural and spiritual 

values as ecosystem services. Examine Figure 

53. Ask students to identify any cultural or 

spiritual ecosystem services of which they ar

aware. Ask students to identify the trend show

in the figure. Examine Figures 54 and 55. Again

have students rank order the values from mos

to least by continent, then write the continen

names in order from most to least in the Graphi

Organizer for Inquiry 2: Ecosystem Service

(page 85). Have students circle the name o

their continent on each figure.

Have students read the sidebar on page 40 abou

water quality. Hold a discussion about watersheds

Have students discuss the importance of wate

quality in their community. When student

understand what a watershed is (Figure 56 on pag

40), have them identify their closest waterway. Thi

could be a stream or a river. 

Optional: Order free copies or downloa

copies of the Natural Inquirer’s Ecosystem 

Services edition for more informatio

and activities about ecosystem services

http://www.naturalinquirer.org. 

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Discuss the Reflection Section questions on 

page 40 as a class or in small groups:

Describe three ecosystem services provided by a 

nearby natural area. Students will have individual 

answers to this question. Some potential answers 

include ecosystem services such as water 

protection, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, recreation, 

and places to feel renewed. The type of ecosystem 

services mentioned will depend on the area under 

consideration. 

Do you live in a watershed? Explain wh

or why not. Students will have individua

answers to this question. Every place on Eart

is a part of a watershed, even if no stream

or rivers are nearby. When any rain falls o

runs underground, it fows in a direction tha

makes it a part of a watershed. Do additiona

research if needed so that students becom

more familiar with their own watershed.

INQUIRY 2: WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

SOIL AND WATER PROTECTION

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS 

 (for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: Soil and 

Water Protection

METHODS

Have students read the first two paragraphs 

and examine Figures 57 and 58 (page 41 to 

42). Discuss these photographs with your 

students. Ask your students if they have seen 

soil erosion. Ask them to discuss how trees and 

other vegetation protect the soil from eroding.

Have students read the text on page 42 

describing clean water and forests. Ask 

students to examine Figure 59. What does this 

photograph demonstrate about freshwater?

Ask students to explain why clean water is 

important to them. Have students write a 

sentence summarizing the importance of clean 

freshwater in the Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 

2: Soil and Water Protection (page 86).

Now, have students read and examine Figure

60 and 61 on pages 42 and 43. As before, hav

students rank order the values by continent, the

write the continent names in order from most t

least in the Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 2: So

and Water Protection. Have students circle th

name of their continent on each figure.

Have students examine Figure 62 and describ

the patterns shown by the figure. Discuss th

implications of these patterns for the future. 

Optional: Order or download the Natura

Inquirer Freshwater edition for more informatio

and activities about freshwater. http://www

naturalinquirer.org.

Discuss the Reflection Section questions o

page 43 as a class or in small groups:

What is the source of the freshwater you use

Students will have individual answers to thi

question, and may need help answering th

question. Sources of freshwater include streams

rivers, lakes, reservoirs, wells, and springs.

Explain in your own words how forests buil

new soil. Students will have individual answer

to this question. They should, however, realiz

that when leaves or needles fall to the ground i

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a forest, they begin to decay and build a layer of 

rich soil. When trees fall to the ground and are 

left in the forest, they begin to decay, and this 

decay also contributes to building soil.

Explain how forests protect soil and water. 

Students will have individual answers to this 

question. They should, however, mention that 

forest canopies slow down rainfall, causing less 

soil to be washed away. They may also note 

that forest foor litter allows rainfall to seep int

the ground, protecting the soil from washin

away. Roots also help hold soil in place

Students should also realize that by protectin

soil, forests also protect water resources b

reducing silt and sediment in waterways. Whe

water seeps through the ground, it is fltere

by the rocks and other materials underground

reducing the amount of pollutants and sedimen

entering waterways. 

INQUIRY 2: WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

WOOD AND NON-WOOD FOREST BENEFITS

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

(for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

METHODS

Have students read the first two paragraphs 

on pages 44 to 45 and examine Figures 

63 to 66. As they read the paragraphs and 

captions, stop and hold a short discussion to 

answer the questions posed. For example, 

what wood products do students observe 

around them? Why do they think roundwood 

is called roundwood? 

Have students read the next paragraph and 

examine Figure 67. Have students look at the line 

position for each continent in 2011. Have a class 

discussion about where the students’ continent 

stands in relation to others on this topic.

Ask students to examine Figure 68 to learn how 

cubic meters of wood are measured. You can 

also have them read Figure 67 describing how 

many cubic metres of wood are removed from 

the world’s forests. Then have students read th

paragraph on page 46 about woodfuel removals

Discuss any experience students have with usin

wood for fuel. 

Have students read the next two paragraph

and examine the photographs of non-woo

forest products (Figures 69 and 70). Hold a clas

discussion about non-wood forest products

Have students describe experiences they hav

had using non-wood forest products. 

Examine Figure 71 and discuss the concep

of non-wood forest products as an economi

resource for some countries. 

Optional: Read the sidebar about Hawaiian lei

on page 47. Ask students how leis might be a

economic resource for Hawaiians.

Discuss the Reflection Section questions as 

class or in small groups:

What is one advantage of using wood as 

material? Students will have individual answer

to this question. Advantages that students ma

identify are that wood is renewable, it hold

carbon on Earth, and it may be readily availabl

to many communities.

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How is wood used in your community? Students 

will have individual answers to this question. 

Brainstorm with your students to identify the 

many ways that wood is used.

Name two non-wood products that you have 

used in the past six months. Were these nonwood products gathered from a nearby forest

Students will have individual answers to thes

questions. You can also have students identif

how these non-wood forest products wer

used. For example, were they used as food

decoration, or for clothing?

INQUIRY 3: HEALTHY FORESTS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE

PLANNING FOR HEALTHY FORESTS

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

(for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 3: Planning 

For Healthy Forests

METHODS

Have students read the first two paragraphs on 

pages 52 and 53 and examine Figures 76 and 

77. Ensure that they understand that people take 

action to manage forests so that desired benefits 

are realized. Have students name some of the 

forest benefits they learned about in Inquiry 2. 

Have students read about the definition of 

“sustainable” and sustainable forest management. 

Have students examine Figure 78 and ask them 

to explain how the photograph demonstrates 

sustainable forest management. 

Have students read the text on page 53. As 

they read the last paragraph, emphasize that 

people take actions, called sustainable forest 

management. These actions are taken so that 

forests provide desired benefits such as forest 

products and environmental protection today 

and into the future.

Have students discuss forest management 

plans. Ensure that they understand that a forest 

management plan is a written document tha

describes what forest managers will do to gai

forest benefits. Have students discuss whethe

and why having a forest management plan is 

good idea. 

Have students examine Figure 79. Ask them t

describe the pattern shown in the graph. 

Have students examine Figures 80 and 81. A

students did with previous figures, have them 

rank order the values by continent, then write th

continent names in order from most to least i

the Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 3: Planning Fo

Healthy Forests (page 87). Have students circl

the name of their continent for each figure on th

graphic organizer.

Optional: Have students read the text on page 5

that defines a forest management plan. Remin

them that a forest management plan identifie

actions to be taken.

Discuss the Reflection Section questions as 

class or in small groups:

Describe in your own words what “sustainable

means. Students will have individual answers t

this question. Sustainable means that somethin

is used in such a way so the benefts it provide

continue into the future.

Do you think having a forest management pla

is a good idea? Why or why not? Students w

have individual answers to these questions. The

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should, however, conclude that having a forest 

management plan is a good idea because through 

such a plan, specifc benefts are identifed an

then actions are taken to achieve those benefts. 

INQUIRY 3: HEALTHY FORESTS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE

PUTTING FOREST MANAGEMENT TO THE TEST!

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

(for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 3: Putting 

Forest Management to the Test

METHODS

Have students read the first two paragraphs on 

page 55. Ensure that they understand what is 

meant by forest certification. 

Have students read the third paragraph 

that introduces monitoring. Ensure that they 

understand that monitoring is done to certify 

that forests are being managed according to a 

sustainable management plan. 

Have students read the next two paragraphs. 

Ensure that they understand that forest 

monitoring and certification are meant to 

protect the rights of people and to protect the 

forest environment. Discuss, if appropriate, any 

indigenous peoples who live or work in a nearby 

forest or a forest on the students’ continent. 

Have students examine Figure 82. Ask 

students what pattern is shown by this graph. 

Ask students whether, and why, they think this 

pattern is positive or negative.

Have students examine Table 2 and Figure 83. 

As they did with previous figures, have students 

rank order the values by continent, then write 

the continent names in order from most to least 

in the Graphic Organizer for Inquiry 3: Putting 

Forest Management to the Test (page 88). Have 

them circle the name of their continent for eac

figure in the graphic organizer.

Have students read the first paragraph o

page 56 about the number of forested hectare

worldwide under forest certification programs

They may want to review the map of the world’

ecozones (see Figure 12). 

Have students read the second paragrap

on page 56 and discuss the role of tests an

schoolwork as a way to monitor their own schoo

progress. Compare and contrast studen

schoolwork and tests with forest monitorin

and certification.

Have students read the third paragraph on pag

56. Hold a class discussion about the journa

they are reading. Discuss whether the journa

might be considered an international repo

about how the world’s forests are progressin

toward sustainable forest management. Discus

why or why not this journal would be considere

such a report. Discuss whether the FAO repor

on which this journal is based, is such a report

At this point, you can tell students that they w

be doing their own analysis to determine how 

well their own continent is progressing towar

sustainable forest management. 

Optional: Students may read the sidebar o

page 56 about the Forest Service’s Fores

Inventory and Analysis Program.

Discuss the Reflection Section questions as 

class or in small groups:

Everyone benefits when foresters use a fores

management plan to guide them. Name a tim

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when having a plan provided a benefit to you. 

What was your plan, and how did you benefit 

from having a plan? Students will have individual 

answers to this question. They could have used 

a plan to study for a test or to accomplish some 

other goal that was important to them. 

Observe Figure 82. Do you think the number 

of forested hectares under forest certification 

will increase or decrease in the future? Why? 

Students will have individual answers to thes

questions. They should notice the trend in th

chart showing an increase in the number o

hectares under forest management certifcatio

over time. 

Observe Figure 84. What is similar about th

four countries that used FIA’s 15-step program 

for forest monitoring? All of these countries ar

in the tropical ecozone.

WORLD’S FORESTS THIRD EDITION SUMMARY

TIME NEEDED

One class period

MATERIALS

(for each student or group of students)

• World’s Forests Third Edition

• Blank paper

• Writing utensil

• Graphic Organizer: Summary

METHODS

Have students read the summary on page 59. 

Their next step will be to review their graphic 

organizers, as well as the Graphic Organizer: 

Summary (pages 89 to 91). In small groups

have students review all of the informatio

they have gathered about their continen

in comparison with other continents. Thi

information, along with the trend informatio

in the Graphic Organizer: Summary, shoul

give them enough information to evaluate the

continent’s progress toward sustainable fores

management. 

Have student groups present their results to th

class and give reasons for the conclusions the

have drawn. 

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 1

WHAT ARE THE WORLD’S FORESTS AND WHERE ARE THEY FOUND?

EARTH’S CLIMATE AND FORESTS

Write your location. Include your local community name, your country name, and your continent name

Local community Country Continent

Identify your location’s latitude using this image. If you have access to a media center or the Interne

identify your latitude to the closest whole degree. Note whether the latitude is north or south of th

Equator. Identify a place on Earth at the same latitude but on the opposite side of the Equator.

My latitude is ___________________________° ___________________________ (North or South)

Using available resources, identify your location’s elevation. Using Figure 9 as a guide, hav

students estimate their location above sea level and label the figure with that information. Usin

available resources, identify your location’s average yearly rainfall amount and write it here:

Using Figure 11, identify what kind of forests your location should have. Write the vegetation type here

Identify two similarities and two differences in the forests represented in Figure 12.

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 1

WHAT ARE THE WORLD’S FORESTS AND WHERE ARE THEY FOUND?

THE WORLD’S CHANGING FORESTS

Rank order your continent by writing the continents in order from most to least forest area. Circl

your continent’s name in each column.

Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Fig. 17 – 

Forest Area

(millions ha) 

Fig. 19 –

Natural Forest

(% TFA)

Fig. 19 – 

Planted Forest 

(% TFA)

Fig. 20 –

Net Annual Forest 

Change

(millions ha)

ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Fig. 25 –

Natural Forest 

Change

(thousand ha)

Fig. 26 –

Planted Forest 

Change

(thousand ha)

Fig. 27 –

Per Capita 

Change

(ha)

ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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Draw a picture of an urban forest.

Write a paragraph on what you have learned about the world’s changing forests.

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 2 

WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

FORESTS ARE MORE THAN TREES

I live on the _______________________________________continent.

Some plants and animals that live on this continent include:

Tree: _______________________________________________________

Mammal: ____________________________________________________

Bird: ________________________________________________________

Insect: _______________________________________________________

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 2

WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

PRIMARY FORESTS 

Rank order your continent by writing the continents’ names in order from most to least. Circle you

continent’s name in each column.

Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Fig. 38 –

Primary Forest

(millions ha)

Fig. 39 –

Primary Forest

(% TFA)

Fig. 41 –

Biodiversity

(millions ha)

Fig. 42 –

Biodiversity

(% TFA)

ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Fig. 43 –

Protected Areas

(millions ha)

Fig. 44 –

Protected Areas

(% TFA)

ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 2 

WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

CARBON AND THE WORLD’S FORESTS

Rank order your continent by writing the continents’ names in order from most to least. Circle you

continent’s name in each column.

Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Fig. 47 –

Carbon Storage

(Gt)

Fig. 48 –

Carbon Storage

(average Gt per ha)

Gt = gigatonne; ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 2 

WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

Rank order your continent by writing the continents’ names in order from most to least. Circle you

continent’s name in each column.

Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Fig. 54 –

Ecosystem 

Services

Cultural and 

Spiritual

(millions ha)

Fig. 55 –

Ecosystem 

Services

Cultural and 

Spiritual

 (% TFA)

ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 2 

WHAT BENEFITS DO THE WORLD’S FORESTS PROVIDE?

SOIL AND WATER PROTECTION

Clean freshwater is important because 

Rank order your continent by writing the continents’ names in order from most to least. Circle you

continent’s name in each column.

Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Fig. 60 –

Soil and Water 

Protection 

(millions ha)

Fig. 61 –

Soil and Water 

Protection

(% TFA)

ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 3 

HEALTHY FORESTS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE

PLANNING FOR HEALTHY FORESTS

Rank order your continent by writing the continents’ names in order from most to least. Circle you

continent’s name in each column.

Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Fig. 80 –

Forests Under a 

Management Plan

(millions ha)

Fig. 81 –

Forests Under a 

Management Plan

 (% TFA)

ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR INQUIRY 3 

HEALTHY FORESTS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE

PUTTING FOREST MANAGEMENT TO THE TEST!

Rank order your continent by writing the continents’ names in order from most to least. Circle you

continent’s name in each column.

Continents in Rank 

Order from Most to 

Least

Table 2 –

Forests Under 

Certifcation 

Program

(millions ha)

Fig. 83 –

Forests Under 

Certifcation 

Program

 (% TFA)

ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

SUMMARY

Ranking of the _________________________________ continent as it compares with other continent

worldwide.

Check the correct ranking in each column for each figure or table that corresponds to the rankin

you identified for your continent on the previous pages of this graphic organizer. For example, 

your continent was ranked #2 in Figure 17, Forest Area (in millions of hectares), check the colum

labeled “2” in the row marked “Fig. 17, Forest Area (millions ha).”

Ranking 123456

Fig. 17 – Forest Area (millions ha)

Fig. 19 – Natural Forest (% TFA)

Fig. 19 – Planted Forest (% TFA)

Fig. 20 – Net Annual Forest Change (millions ha)

Fig. 25 – Natural Forest Change (thousands ha)

Fig. 26 – Planted Forest Change (thousands ha)

Fig. 27 – Per Capita Change (ha)

Fig. 38 – Primary Forest (millions ha)

Fig. 39 – Primary Forest (% TFA)

Fig. 41 – Biodiversity (millions ha)

Fig. 42 – Biodiversity (% TFA)

Fig. 43 – Protected Areas (millions ha)

Fig. 44 – Protected Areas (% TFA)

Fig. 47 – Carbon Storage (Gt)

Fig. 48 – Carbon Storage (average Gt per ha)

Fig. 54 – Ecosystem Services, Cultural and Spiritual (millions ha)

Fig. 55 – Ecosystem Services, Cultural and Spiritual (% TFA)

Fig. 60 – Soil and Water Protection (millions ha)

Fig. 61 – Soil and Water Protection (% TFA)

Fig. 80 – Forests Under a Management Plan (millions ha)

Fig. 81 – Forests Under a Management Plan (% TFA)

Table 2 – Forests Under Certification Program (millions ha)

Fig. 83 – Forests Under Certification Program (% TFA)

Gt = gigatonne; ha = hectare; TFA = total forest area.

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With this summary ranking of your continent on these variables, you can more easily assess th

progress your continent is making toward sustainable forest management.

Note that not all continents have the same amount of land area or forest area. A better comparison

therefore, may be to look closely at the percentages rather than the total number of hectares. Fo

example, look at the ranking for Figures 41 and 42 in the graphic organizer above. The rankin

for Figure 42 may be the better measure of how well your continent is doing compared with othe

continents. Why might using percentages be a better measure than using the total number o

hectares?

REFLECTION SECTION

In which areas do you believe your continent is doing well in progressing toward sustainable fores

management?

In which areas do you believe your continent needs to focus to improve its progress towar

sustainable forest management?

Compared with continents worldwide, how well is your continent doing to conserve biodiversity i

your forests?

Compared with continents worldwide, how well is your continent doing to conserve ecosystem 

services and spiritual and cultural values in your forests?

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Compared with continents worldwide, how well is your continent doing to manage your forest

under a forest management plan?

Compared with continents worldwide, how well is your continent doing to certify the sustainabilit

of the continent’s forest management?

What else have you learned about your continent’s forests in comparison with the world’s othe

continents?

Overall, how do you think we are doing worldwide to manage our forests sustainably?

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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 11–15.

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 describ

the following physical Earth processes:

• Global carbon cycling

• Carbon cycling in trees

• Climate change 

• 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 hav

consequences: immediately and in the futur

and locally, regionally, and globally.

NATURAL RESOURCES FORESTS

Learners understand that natural resource

(forests) are unevenly distributed across th

planet.

Learners understand and can describe th

multiple benefits offered by forests.

Learners understand that forests can chang

because of natural and human activity.

Learners understand that a variety of forest

exist on Earth, and this variety may be create

naturally or may be caused by people.

TECHNOLOGY

Learners understand the increasing human abilit

to shape and control the environment as a functio

of the development and use of technology.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Learners understand that environmental issue

occur at all scales and that people in other places i

the world experience environmental issues simila

to the ones they are concerned about locally.

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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.

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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 worl

without hunger? Its work is divided into fou

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-todate and trustworthy information about all sorts 

of things: food production, prices, trade, land 

use, nutrition levels, food aid, and population

FAO is the world’s leading source for this sort o

information and has been so for more than 5

years. Find out more about how FAO provide

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 these data to put them to practical use. 

When governments request assistance, FAO’s 

experts offer advice on how to establish policie

on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and rura

development that can truly benefit the hungry. 

A MEETING PLACE

Individual countries working on their own cannot 

bring an end to world hunger. This is 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 an

poor countries can come together to reac

international agreements that can help th

world’s hungry. 

FIELDWORK

FAO also helps countries bring technical 

knowledge and expertise directly to farmers 

and others. 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 i

response to humanitarian emergencies arisin

from natural disasters or armed conflict. 

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WHAT IS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 

AGRICULTURE (USDA), FOREST SERVICE?

The USDA Forest Service is an organization of 

people who manage, teach about, and study 

the forests and ranges in the United States of 

America 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 creat

the Natural Inquirer World’s Forests editio

so that students worldwide can learn abou

the forests that sustain life on Earth. For mor

information and to order Natural Inquirer, vis

http://naturalinquirer.org. 

WHAT IS THE CRADLE OF FORESTRY 

IN AMERICA INTERPRETIVE ASSOCIATION?

The Cradle of Forestry in America 

Interpretive Association (CFAIA) is a nonprofit organization based in Pisgah Forest, 

North Carolina. The CFAIA strives to help 

people better understand ecology through 

recreation and education opportunities. Their 

projects include the following:

• Campground and recreation area 

management

• Educational programs and services, 

including Natural Inquirer, Investi-gator, 

Natural Inquirer Reader Series, NSI: Natur

Science Investigator, scientist cards, an

Leaf Prints (formerly Nature-Oriente

Parenting)

• Sales of forest-related gifts and educationa

materials

• Workshops, newsletters, and publications

• Partnership with the Forest Service to provid

programming at the Cradle of Forestr

Historic Site

http://www.cfaia.org

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In accordance with Federal civil rights law 

and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, 

its Agencies, offices, and employees, and 

institutions participating in or administering 

USDA programs are prohibited from 

discriminating based on race, color, 

national origin, religion, sex, gender identity 

(including gender expression), sexual 

orientation, disability, age, marital status, 

family/parental status, income derived from a 

public assistance program, political beliefs, 

or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights 

activity, in any program or activity conducted 

or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to 

all programs). Remedies and complaint filing 

deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative 

means of communication for program 

information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, 

American Sign Language, etc.) should contact 

the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET 

Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) 

or contact USDA through the Federal Relay 

Service at (800) 8778339. Additionally

program information may be made available i

languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination complain

complete the USDA Program Discriminatio

Complaint Form, AD-3027, found onlin

at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint

fling_cust.html and at any USDA office o

write a letter addressed to USDA and provid

in the letter all of the information requested i

the form. To request a copy of the complain

form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit you

completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mai

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of th

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 140

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington

D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; o

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provide

employer, and lender.

The use of trade or frm names in this publicatio

is for reader information and does not impl

endorsement by the U.S. Department o

Agriculture of any product or service.

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NOTES

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NOTES

247-937_AGRIC.indd 98 7/31/1
WELCOME TO THE THIRD 

EDITION OF THE WORLD’S 

FORESTS NATURAL INQUIRER!

2019

Hiroto Mitsugi

Assistant Director-General

Forestry Department, FAO

Victoria Christiansen

Chief

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

Alex L. Friend

Deputy Chief, Research and Development

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

Patti Hirami

Acting Deputy Chief, State and Private 

Forestry

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

With thanks to:

Tracy Hancock

Staff Director

Knowledge Management and 

Communications

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

Michiko Martin

Staff Director

Conservation Education

USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC

Carlton Murrey

Executive Director

Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive 

Association, Pisgah Forest, NC

Monica Garzuglia

Örjan Jonsson

Anssi Pekkarinen 

Forestry Department, FAO

Rome, Italy

Babs McDonald

Editor

USDA Forest Service, Athens, GA

Jessica Nickelsen

Brian Cooke

Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive 

Association, Pisgah Forest, NC

Michelle Andrews

University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Jérôme Agostini

Layout

Paris, France

Natural Inquirer is an integrated scien

education journal for students aged 11–

In the United States of America, where t

journal was fi rst published, Natural Inqui

presents research from scientists work

for the Forest Service, an agency of the U

Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This edition of Natural Inquirer presents t

results of a worldwide effort to understa

the world’s forests, organized by the Fo

and Agriculture Organization of the Unit

Nations (FAO). The Global Forest Resourc

Assessment 2015 (FRA 2015), wh

contains information from 234 countries a

territories around the world, was the sour

of information in this Natural Inquirer. T

is the third edition of the World’s Fore

Natural Inquirer.

Visit:

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

http://www.fao.org/forest-resource

assessment

247-937_cover.indd 2 
EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD 

The Natural Inquirer Editorial Review Board is made up of students between the ages of 11 and 

15. The Editorial Review Board reads an early copy of the Natural Inquirer and makes suggestion

for improvement. The review board for this edition is Mr. Omar Azim’s 8th grade class, Royal Oa

Middle School, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. 

INTERNET RESOURCES

United Nations: http://www.un.org

Food and Agriculture Organization: http://fao.org

Natural Inquirer: http://www.naturalinquirer.org

International Year of Forests: http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/

Forest Service for Kids: http://www.fs.fed.us/kids/

Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4793e.pdf

Member States (countries) of the United Nations: http://www.un.org/en/members/index.shtml

FS-1102

Summer 2019 I9938EN/1/12.18

ISBN 978-92-5-130633-8

9 7 8 9251 306338

247-937_cover.indd 1