Have you ever stopped to think about how much you rely on forests? What about water? These natural resources support our everyday lives in so many ways.
That’s why we happen to think it’s no coincidence that International Day of Forests (March 21) and World Water Day (March 22) fall right next to each other on the calendar!
Trees & Water: A Mutually Beneficial Relationship
More than 80% of all terrestrial species of plants, animals, and insects call forests around the world H-O-M-E. Hello, rich biodiversity! But we humans also depend quite a bit on trees, too. Trees are our source of lumber, fuel, paper products, many foods, and some products you may have never guessed, like soap, cosmetics, cinnamon, and dyes.
And, of course, forests rely on water for obvious reasons – we all know plants and trees need water to grow. The wildlife, insects, fungi, and more that live in forests rely on the same water sources.
But did you know that forests aren’t just using up water? Trees give back – they are vital to the quality of our drinking water. They absorb rainfall, cool and cleanse water, reduce flooding, refill underground aquifers, and slow storm runoff. Nearly 80% of freshwater resources in the U.S. originate in forests!
Activities to Explore Forests & Water
Here are some hands-on activities to celebrate International Day of Forests and World Water Day with the learners in your life.
Forest Literacy Framework
Check out PLT’s Forest Literacy Framework, a guide to teaching and learning all about forests, why they matter, how we sustain forests, and our responsibilities to forests. Organized by grade level, the framework lays out age-appropriate concepts and activities to do with learners.
Early Childhood / Elementary School
Gratitude Tree
Have students build a gratitude tree out of construction paper, twigs, and small branches, and display it in your classroom. Students can write why we need trees and water or why they are thankful for these critical natural resources on cut-out leaves and drops of water. For example, on a leaf, you could write, “Thank you for being an important part of the process to make my drinking water clean!” or “Thank you for being the source of this construction paper!” Pair this with PLT’s K-2 activity “We All Need Trees / Todos Necesitamos a los Árboles” from Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide / Explora tu Ambiente: Guía de Actividades K-8 as you explore the many products that come from trees. For the littlest of learners, this is a fun activity to pair with “Three Cheers for Trees” from Trees & Me: Activities for Exploring Nature with Young Children.
Every Drop Counts
In the “Every Drop Counts / Cada Gota Cuenta” activity from PLT’s Explore Your Environment / Explora tu Ambiente, students in grades 3-5 monitor how much water they use (and waste) daily. They’ll identify ways to save water (i.e., reduce your shower by 5 minutes, turn the water off while brushing teeth, etc.) and implement their action plan.
Pond Viewers
If you are near a pond or creek, this fun activity lets learners peek underwater to see all the organisms living there. Maybe it’s algae or little bugs dancing on the water’s surface. This is a great learning opportunity to explain what you might see on and in stagnant water (like a pond) versus moving water (a creek or river) and how forests contribute to cleaner water quality.
Middle & High School
Field, Forest, and Stream
How do nonliving elements influence living elements in different ecosystems? In the “Field, Forest, and Stream / El Campo el Bosque y el Arroyo” from Explore Your Environment / Explora tu Ambiente, students in grades 6-8 conduct a field study of three different environments to understand how living organisms interact with non-living components like sunlight, moisture, and wind.
Forests, Water & People Activity Collection
Last fall, we released our newest activity collection for high school students (with variations for grades 6-8). Featuring three investigation-based activities, students explore how communities rely on trees and water sources. Students use GIS technology, map community changes over time, and more!
You really can’t go wrong with any of PLT’s activities! There is something for every age to explore and celebrate International Day of Forests and World Water Day. Just get out there and have fun learning!!
