Education must begin with our youth - enhancing their understanding and appreciation for the ecological, social, and economic values of our natural resources and instilling in them a commitment to take informed action on behalf of the environment. This awareness must continue into adulthood, as they become landowners and citizens making private and public decisions affecting the use and conservation of our forests. To prepare young people to care for and act responsibly on behalf of the natural world, PLT and other programs try to create a strong sense of place by connecting our youth to a natural place in their own backyard. Programs abound to help landowners and citizens make well-informed decisions about forests. Conservation organizations, private industries, and state and federal agencies offer regular workshops and trainings to share their knowledge and experience for using and conserving our forests and other natural environments.
Questions Consider a favorite field or forested area.
400 Acre Wood Students will play the roles of managers of a 400-acre piece of public forest. Through these roles, students begin to understand the complex considerations that influence management decisions about forest lands. In Action Democratic systems depend on the involvement of citizens in policy-making and decisionmaking. This activity helps students learn about the roles and responsibilities of citizen groups in environmental policies and decision making, and about how young people can become involved in the process. New Hampshire's state legislature is the third largest legislative body in the world.