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ALBERTA – GRADE 10
Sustainable Forestry
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, students will watch short video clips that show forest harvesting in the boreal
forest. Next, they will complete a research assignment on the effects of forest harvesting
and access the Forest Products Association of Canada website to determine five key
principles of sustainable forestry in Canada’s boreal forest.
Grade Level
Grade 10
Time Required
One 60 minute class
Curriculum Connection (Province/Territory and course)
Alberta – Social Studies
Grade 10 explores multiple perspectives on the origins of globalization and the local,
national and international impacts of globalization on identity, lands, cultures, economies,
human rights and quality of life.
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required

Access to a computer, the internet and a projector
Websites:
CTS: Forestry
www.education.gov.ab.ca/cts/forestry/
Forest Products Association of Canada
www.fpac.ca
www.canadianborealforestagreement.com
United Nations Forum on Forests
www.un.org/esa/forests
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34195
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
ALBERTA – GRADE 10
Access to internet video clips:
Greenpeace Canada - Taking Action for the Boreal Forest; A Look Back
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtcwFVeYna4
Canadian Boreal Initiative, Suzuki Foundation, Boreal Songbird Initiative Conservation Value of the North American Boreal Forest from an Ethnobotanical
Perspective (three short video clips at the bottom of the page)
http://www.borealbirds.org/ethnobotany.shtml#video

Appendix A: Student Worksheet (attached)

Appendix B: Answer Key (attached)
Main Objective
Student will understand the causes and effects of global deforestation and explore the idea
of sustainable forestry in Canada.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Define and explain the terms deforestation and conversion;

Distinguish between a primary forest, secondary forest, disturbed forest, frontier
forest and forest plantation;

Communicate the value of forests to humans;

Argue for changes in global forest management;

Propose what can be done to preserve, manage and restore forests;

Indicate the five key principles of forest sustainability.
The Lesson
Introduction
The Lesson
Teacher Activity
Ask the class if they are familiar with the term
deforestation. Based on its etymology, have the
students create a definition.
Student Activity
Respond to the
question.
Show the Greenpeace Canada video clip.
Watch the video.
Record students’ reactions to video.
React to the video.
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Lesson
Development
ALBERTA – GRADE 10
Indicate to the class that they will be doing
research on the topic of global deforestation.
Draw their attention to the following websites:
 CTS Forestrywww.education.gov.ab.ca/cts/forestry/
Conclusion

Forest Products Association of Canada
website www.fpac.ca for in-depth
information about the boreal forest in
Canada and the Canadian Boreal Forest
Agreement

United Nations Forum on Forests website
www.un.org/esa/forests for information
about International Year of Forests 2011.
Distribute Appendix A: Student Worksheet.
Provide one worksheet for each student. Review
the instructions with the class. Assist students
with research as required.
Ask students to submit the completed
worksheets. Show the second forest harvesting
video.
Record students’ reactions to the second video.
Ask concluding questions:
 What is global deforestation?
 How does it affect all people?
 Did your knowledge of deforestation
change:
-after the first video?
-after the research?
-after the second video?
If so, how?
Listen and ask
questions as they
arise.
Conduct research.
Complete worksheet
as instructed.
Submit completed
worksheet.
Watch the second
deforestation video.
React to the video.
Respond to the
questions.
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ALBERTA – GRADE 10
Lesson Extension

Organize a field trip to the Devonian Botanic Garden at the University of Alberta.
www.ales.ualberta.ca/devonian/EducationCourses

Visit the Government of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development website at
http://srd.alberta.ca/ and create a class collage of imaginary newspaper headlines
detailing the latest news in forest management in Alberta.

Visit the Canadian Forestry Association website at www.canadianforestry.com
Assessment of Student Learning

Students can be assessed based on their participation, classroom discussions and
their successful completion of the Student Worksheet.
Further Reading

Canadian Geographic/FPAC Boreal Forest poster-map

Canadian Atlas Online Future of Forestry theme
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas

Canadian Geographic/FPAC Boreal Forest interactive map
www.canadiangeographic.ca/boreal
Link to Canadian National Standards for Geography
Essential Element #2: Places and Regions
 Physical and human processes shape places and regions
 Changes in places and regions over time
 Interdependence of places and regions
 Critical issues and problems of places and regions
 Regional analysis of geographic issues and questions
Essential Element #5: Environment and Society





Global effects of human modification of the physical environment
Global effects on the human environment by changes in the physical environment
World patterns of resource distribution and utilization
Use and sustainability of resources
Environmental issues (e.g. global warming, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, ozone
depletion, air pollution, water pollution, acid precipitation, disposal of solid waste)
Geographic Skill #1: Asking Geographic Information

Plan and organize a geographic research project. (e.g. Specify a problem, pose a
research question or hypothesis and identify data sources)
Geographic Skill #2: Acquiring Geographic Information

Systematically locate and gather geographic information from a variety of primary
and secondary sources.
Geographic Skill #5: Answering Geographic Questions

Evaluate the answers to geographic questions.
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ALBERTA – GRADE 10
Appendix A: Student Worksheet
Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability and in complete sentences.
1. What is global deforestation/conversion?
2. Distinguish between a primary forest, secondary forest, disturbed forest, frontier
forest and forest plantation.
3. Why are forests important for human use and consumption? Provide examples.
4.
Why do we need major changes in global forest management?
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ALBERTA – GRADE 10
5. What can be done to preserve, manage and restore forests?
6. According to the Forest Products Association of Canada:
Increasingly, when buying wood or paper products, consumers are seeking
assurances that the products derive from producers that are sustainable and
environmentally responsible. But just how do consumers identify a responsible
supplier of sustainable forest products?
Visit: http://www.fpac.ca/index.php/en/our-committments/ and answer this question:
Consumers should look for wood and paper that come from responsible sources that respect
five key principles of sustainability. List and describe each principle.
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ALBERTA – GRADE 10
Appendix B: Answer Key
1. Global deforestation/conversion: The conversion of forest to another land use or the
long-term reduction of the tree canopy cover below a 10 percent threshold. Deforestation is
the long-term or permanent loss of forest cover and its transformation into another land
use.
2. Primary forest: is a forest that has never been logged and has developed following
natural disturbances and under natural processes, regardless of its age.
Secondary forests: are forests regenerating largely through natural processes after
significant human or natural disturbance, and which differ from primary forests in forest
composition and/or canopy structure.
Disturbed forests: any forest type that has in its interior significant areas of disturbance
by people, including clearing, felling for wood extraction, anthropogenic fires, road
construction, insects, disease, etc.
Frontier forests: large, ecologically intact, and relatively undisturbed forests that support
the natural range of species and forest functions (WRI definition).
Forest plantation is one established by planting or/and seeding in the process of
reforestation. It consists of introduced species or, in some cases, indigenous species.
3. Importance of Forests:
Forest products: wood to burn for cooking, lumber, plywood for building homes, pulp for
paper and boxes, dyes for clothing, nuts and berries for food, maple syrup, medicines and
mushrooms.
Forests influence our climate: fluctuations in carbon dioxide levels which can affect us
globally
4. Need for forest management: Some of the world’s plant and animal species are
becoming critically rare (loss of biodiversity).
5. What can be done?
Involve indigenous people in forest management; adopt better laws and law enforcement
tools; teach others about the importance of the environment and how they can help save
rainforests; restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests have been
cut down; encourage people to live in a way that doesn't hurt the environment; establish
parks to protect rainforests and wildlife; support companies that operate in ways that
minimize damage to the environment.
6. Five Principles:
Harvest legally, prompt regeneration, no waste, welcome independent scrutiny, reduce
greenhouse gases. (Descriptions of the principles will vary.)