Backpacks are zipped, pencils are sharpened – and Georgia’s forests are open for learning! Whether you’re taking part in a classroom, homeschool, youth group, or library, GFC is here to help you connect with our forests and trees. We have a wide variety of resources available on many different platforms!

  • Did you know that we offer school programs for all ages? Starting last Fall, GFC staff from across the state have been actively learning more about delivering effective programming and received educational kits to assist with their outreach. Topics include careers, benefits of prescribed fire, ecology, stewardship, land management, and more! Contact your local unit or reach out to me, Chelsea York, Education Coordinator to learn more and request a program.
  • Career Days – Want your students to meet a real-life forest first responder? We can make that happen! And the vehicles and equipment we can show them always make an impression!
  • Smokey Bear is still the star and a huge hit for our littles – and we make it easy to bring him to your classroom and find digital content.

It’s been a busy summer of learning for kids and their teachers. Many educators took time out of their vacation to enhance their skills. Teachers from all over Georgia joined GFC at the week-long Teacher Conservation Workshop to learn how to bring hands-on, experiential opportunities to their classrooms. They took part in a wide variety of activities designed to connect forests and natural resources and are bringing those lessons back, linking them to larger ecological themes and learning standards.

  • Get in on the learning! Project Learning Tree is your go-to resource for all things forestry. It offers structured lessons with built-in standards and outdoor connection. Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning environmental education program that offers; hands-on activities for PreK–12; activities aligned to Georgia Standards of Excellence; resources for both classrooms and non-formal educators; career-connected activities like Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers.

When in-person isn’t possible, there are many virtual resources to explore:

  • Who doesn’t love Georgia Public Broadcasting and what they produce? Their Virtual Learning Journey: Georgia’s Forests features videos, virtual field trips, and interactive resources that bring forest science, careers, and management practices to life. It is an amazing resource to connect real-world STEM with the #1 Forest Resource in the Nation.
  • A Tree’s Dream is a short, animated video produced in the Southeast in partnership with The Langdale Company, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the South Carolina Forestry Commission, and other sponsors. It follows the journey of a tree from seedling to final product—highlighting the importance of sustainable forestry along the way. Paired with lesson plans for grades 3–8, this video helps students understand how trees are used, managed, and renewed in Georgia’s working forests. A Trees Dream (3rd – 8th)
    https://www.thelangdalecompany.com/a-trees-dream/.
  • People of Forestry: Discover Careers in the Forest activity booklet for grades 3-5. https://gatrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/People-of-Forestry-Careers-Activity-Book_SGSF_outpub.pdf
  • YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=georgia+forestry+commission
    • Educational videos on all kinds of topics, including some lead by me, the Education Coordinator! Subscribe and get ready because we are also starting work on a video series featuring forest rangers, fire tools, and good fires vs bad fires that will be launching before the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

Additional Resources and Partnerships:

  • Forest education doesn’t stop at the school door. We’re proud to support youth organizations like FFA, Ag Ed programs, 4-H, and Scouting groups across Georgia.
  • From Tree ID and forest health checks to learning how to spot invasive species and read tree rings, our team can help students explore Georgia’s forests through hands-on activities and real science skills. Let us know how we can help support your goals!

With fall just around the corner, outdoor activities become terrific learning opportunities. Watch for the first leaves to change and plan your activities around our north Georgia foresters’ #LeafWatch recommendations. You’ll find them by early October on our social channels and website.

Here’s to your great new school year!

Chelsea York – cyork@gfc.state.ga.us