Knowledge and wonder: introducing forests to Europe’s youngest learners

After Growing Knowledge: Forest Education Across Europe, a new chapter is unfolding. Children and toddlers, through fairy tales, muddy hands, and days spent under the trees, are learning about forests and sustainability, thanks to new FSC programmes. 

Last year, FSC highlighted the expansion of forest education across Europe for secondary students and young adults, equipping them with the knowledge they need to become informed citizens. 

Now it is time to turn the spotlight on younger audiences. In Romania, Spain, Italy, and the UK, FSC is bringing forest literacy to children under 10 through fairy tales, outdoor kindergartens, bookshop programmes, and school projects. 

United Kingdom and the forest-friendly school project 

FSC UK’s 2024 consumer research revealed that many children couldn't correctly identify where everyday materials come from. The research highlighted widespread confusion about which materials actually come from trees. For example, few people know that viscose and cork come from trees. These findings prompted FSC UK to develop education materials for younger age groups, to address the knowledge gap early. 

FSC UK’s Forest-Friendly School Project, designed for ages 9–14, helps students explore links between their school and forest environments and to identify practical ways to reduce environmental impact. They watch educational videos, research FSC’s work, and conduct questionnaires to measure awareness levels among friends and family, learning by connecting theory and practical activities. Students are encouraged to investigate what it means to be a 'forest-friendly school' by examining purchasing choices and ways to reduce waste.  

All materials are freely available at uk.fsc.org/education and are linked to the national curriculum for Geography and Education for Sustainable Development. 

Spain updates a classic fairy tale 

On 5 June 2025, FSC Spain and Pol·len Edicions launched 'The three little pigs of the 21st century' at Madrid’s Book Fair, where FSC Spain participated as a main collaborator. The book, written by architect Pablo Saiz and illustrated by Ángela León, reimagines the classic tale to address misconceptions about wooden construction. 

“Every time I talked about building houses in wood, someone would say that a real house is made of brick, because wooden ones get ‘blown away by the wind’,” Saiz explained. “We have the tools and products for sustainable construction, but not the training. We need to invest in education, so people understand the benefits of wood in construction, its connection to carbon sequestration, the value of wood as a renewable resource, and how forest management works.” 

About 100 eight-year-old kids participated in book presentations during the fair. The initiative is part of FSC Spain’s strategy to change cultural perceptions about wood construction and sustainable forestry from an early age. 

Romania promotes forest literacy in a bookshop 

In Brașov, FSC Romania partnered with a bookshop, the Libris Șt. O. Iosif, to deliver forest education to children. They were introduced to sustainability, forest benefits, and the role of harvesting wood as well as to practical activities, such as learning to identify the tracks of large carnivores and how to behave safely in areas where bears and other wildlife are present. Animal footprints were presented as the 'forest alphabet,' connecting reading and literacy with forest knowledge.  

During the event the bookshop became an extension of the forest environment to enhance learning opportunities. The event was part of FSC Romania’s wider project 'FSC for Young Generation' project, with the aim of bringing children and forest stewardship closer together. 

Italy’s forest kindergarten in FSC-certified woodland 

Every day, Raìse, a forest kindergarten in FSC-certified Bosco Limite in the Veneto region, welcomes children aged between 2 and 6 years old. They spend their days outdoors, with lessons shaped by natural events and their own curiosity. Daily activities include observing wildlife, identifying plants, and learning through outdoor play in all weathers. 

Children’s activities are a clear social good and recreational service provided by Bosco Limite, but the woodland is also FSC-certified for its positive impacts on four other ecosystem services: biodiversity conservation, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, and watershed services. 

Building an education continuum 

The use of experiential learning, storytelling, and daily contact with the reality of forests creates a continuum of forest education across Europe. Forest kindergartens serve toddlers. Activities with bookshops, fairy tales and school projects reach primary school children. Simulation games and forestry curricula prepare secondary and tertiary students and young professionals. 

Our forest education materials are free and accessible for all. To read more: 

Forest and Sustainability Education - FSC UK 

Forest Knowledge Boxes - FSC Adria-Balkan 

Exploring Sustainable Forestry through Experiential Immersion - FSC Switzerland 

A Tale of Three Forests: Oasis along the Italian Po River Valley