Research Project One

Exploration of Research Teaching Forests:

Understanding Transferable Innovation, Best Practices, and Solving Challenges.

Research Teaching Forests exist around the world serving communities in many ways. They are highly useful and valuable to further Forest education, increase appreciation for our environment, and demonstrate new discoveries. Research Teaching Forests open potential for partnerships and collaboration, for learning, recreation, and furtherance of well-being. Research Teaching Forests lead to rural employment related to environment and sustainability.

Forests are the cornerstone of Sustainability by virtue of their amazing processes and functions. Man continues through history to hope to emulate and benefit from these functions by gaining a greater understanding of traditional and nontraditional paths of Forest discovery.

Because there is such a variety of Research Teaching Forests around the globe, it is merited to learn more about Research Teaching Forests and what innovations and positive practices could be transferable between regions of the world. This is the essence of Research Project 1 – Exploration of Research Teaching Forests to understand transferable innovation and best practices and solve challenges.

This research project serves as a snapshot in 2024 looking through a global lens. The goal of this research is to gain knowledge on challenges and benefits related to Research Teaching Forests through the exploration of approximately 50 Teaching Research Forests in the northern hemisphere. The objective is to add to the body of knowledge surrounding the many facets of Forests and discover potential new benefits to communities through best practices.

Teaching Forests were selected from forests that are in regions that are in the northern hemisphere -like Canada –to assess possibilities that would be similar to Canadian conditions.

Image: Pacific Rain Forest, British Columbia, Canada

Researcher: Melody Rooyakkers

Dr. David P. Bernard Adjunct Faculty Member and Instructor, Master of Environment and Management Program RRU, with expertise in systems ecology, natural resource management, and sustainability science.

The Research Proposal

Teaching Forests for promoting environmental and rural community sustainability.

Project Title:

Teaching Forests as Living Museums: A Case Study in Innovative Practices in National, Community, and Environmental Sustainability.

Innovation and change are critical in the management of environmental, social, and economic stewardship. Developing avenues for innovation growth is a worthy objective. This research examines the potential for innovation surrounding Teaching Forests in the Northern Hemisphere. Through evaluative and exploratory research, an inductive approach is taken using tools of survey and interview of key Forest Managers to create new knowledge on this topic. The benefits of this research are the identification of new ideas, potential innovation transferable to best practice, social and cultural enhancement opportunities, environmental wisdom for the use and conservation of our natural environment. and the aid to community, and policymakers. through the provision of additional tools to implement forestry management transformation.

Researcher: Melody Rooyakkers, Master’s Candidate, Royal Roads University:

Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Ann Dale

University: Royal Roads University (western Canadian)

Committee Supervisors:

Dr. Denise Golden Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Dr. Gina Mohammed, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Brooke McWherter Mitacs Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Dalhousie University Adjunct Professor (eastern Canadian)

Sector: Professional, scientific, and technical services

Discipline: Environmental sciences

Research for partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Arts in Environment and Management

Research Description

The term ‘Teaching Forest’ refers to forested lands that have been dedicated for the purpose of education and promotion of sustainable management, co-management of forest resources, and preserving forest ecosystem services. Teaching Forests exist globally. In Canada ‘Teaching Forests’ have not intentionally been considered as “set-asides” in national or provincial forest management plans. This research aims to examine the effectiveness of existing ‘Teaching Forests in advancing economic, social, and environmental innovation. The research explores the benefits of dedicating forested areas as ‘Teaching Forests’ to realize the potential for innovation and regional advancement.

Research Approach

Interviews will be conducted to examine the general successes and challenges in a select sampling of Teaching Forests in Canada, northern areas of the United States, and northern Europe. The data will be coded and analyzed to create a framework that may be applied in pan-Canadian forest policy to assist community, regional, provincial, and national forestry planners in setting aside lands as Teaching Forests. Further exploration of the data will be explicitly applied toward the potential planning of two new dedicated Teaching Forests in Canada as pilot projects: one in the Northern Boreal forest in Alberta, Canada, and an Eastern Acadian forest in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Research Methods

Approximately fifty (50) dedicated Teaching Forests will be examined in the Northern hemisphere. The forests are located across Canadian provinces and territories, the northern United States, and Europe. The ‘Teaching Forests” sample selections vary in scale and governance, including university, government, and private sector forests. Interviews will be conducted with individuals in the identified forests asking specific questions relevant to the purpose of the research objectives. The interviews will be done virtually as either a podcast which will, by permission, air after the research project’s completion, in the form of one-on-one interviews (e.g., Zoom), or interview questions by written submission that will remain anonymous if requested. The option of format will be at the discretion of the individual participant. The interviews will be approximately thirty (30) minutes in duration. The scope of the interviews is regarding innovation and the social, economic, and environmental impacts of a Teaching Forest. It includes topics in i) Teaching Forests operational structures (i.e., partnerships with government and industry), ii) innovations in forest management, and iii) the strengths and challenges for a Teaching forest to achieve its objectives. Interview questions will be provided prior to the interview for review. Verbal interviews will be recorded digitally, along with memoing. Participants will be provided a transcript of their interview to ensure accuracy and the interviewees’ intended message. Collective results will be made available to the project participants upon completing the data analysis and thesis.

Research Benefits

The research is intended as a general overview and to identify further research opportunities.

While the research gathers a general overview of Teaching Forests, nationally and internationally, it also examines Teaching Forests for key innovations, in a ‘snap-shot’ picture of active Teaching Forests operating in 2024. The data seeks to discover how Teaching Forests’ innovations globally may be transferable to further advance environmental sustainability from a community development standpoint on a regional scale.

For more information on the research, please email Melody Rooyakkers: learningforests@gmail.com

Professional Women of Science – Thank you for sharing your high level of expertise with patience in Professional Mentorship/Supervisory/Committee capacities!