Many people around the world have a growing interest in Forests because they sustain life, regulate climate, and provide food and recreation.
The United Nations 17 Sustainability Goals have gained attention internationally with governments, businesses, nonprofits, groups and organizations, as well as, communities concerned about the sustainable future of our environment.
Forests play a key role in sustainability. Managers of Forests are facing challenges that are rapidly growing, however, as governments around the world work to regulate and legislate forest use to promote sustainability and protection of this valuable resource – balancing the needs of forest industries and economic growth in our countries.
For many, new legislated planning changes are multi-faceted and somewhat confusing and are creating a burning need to make forest management processes and practices easier to understand so that those who want to use the forest for its many benefits can make wise decisions when working in the forest, follow appropriate government regulations, and maximize forest benefits to the communities where the forests exist.
International Research Teaching Forests Incorporated is currently working diligently with the assistance of business incubators designed for Women in the Business of working in Tech Innovation. The work is to create technological tools that are highly useful in educating on the topic of learning about Forests. We want to be part of the solution and are creating a growing interest in the concept we are developing. The development tool is new, innovative, and not yet currently available in the marketplace.
International Research Teaching Forests Incorporated is interested in communicating with interested capital funding partners to test market this development and ultimately bring it to the marketplace for consumer availability.
Contact us if you are an interested investor.
Watch for news on this exciting leading-edge venture!
Key areas featured in this Educational Tool.
Forest Food From Nature/ Food Security Solutions: Why are Educational Tools Important?
Food and medicine that are sourced from the Forests contribute directly to the health, well-being, nutrition, and food security of millions of citizens -often economically marginalized people. The Forest provides useful food, materials, and commodities, such as game animals, furbearers, nuts, seeds, berries, oils, sap, foliage, mushrooms, medicinal plants, peat, mast, fuelwood, fish, insects, spices, and more!
Harvest ranges from wild collection to farming.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that globally, 12% of the world population (over 925 million people) did not have enough to eat in 2022.
Facts from Food Bank Canada are that approximately 7 million Canadians did not have enough to eat in 2022.
Canada ranks as a country with the third largest forest area in the world – almost 400 million hectares (ha).
Food Security is one of the United Nations’ concerns as a Sustainability Goal. Exploring the resource of Food from the Forest is a worthy pursuit to further Food Security in the world.
Be Bold and Innovate!
Forest Work Mentorship: Why it is Important To Develop Educational Tools on this Topic
Forest-use planners often suffer from not seeing an overall view of the forest work they plan, (or fail to plan) in 50 to 100-year increments. This makes it extremely difficult to make assessments for remediation action and make correct management choices in the event of forest damage due to natural disasters. Not having a thorough understanding unfortunately also results in taking uninformed risks that may result in irreversible damage to the environment, ultimately creating an inability to gain benefits from Forests. From the environmental standpoint this results in Forest unsustainability.
Forests and Recreation: Why it is Important to Develop Educational Tools on this Topic
Due to recent global health issues, there has not been a greater time to educate people on the health benefits associated with the Forest. Ancient practices of Forest Bathing are being renewed and people are learning through practice and research there are far more benefits to well-being derived from being in the Forest than what has been originally considered. There is a growing body of international research on this topic which can instruct us what we may do to reduce our level of stress and increase our feelings of well-being and relaxation.
Recreating in the Forest for centuries has traditionally served spiritual and cultural purposes for the Indigenous People altogether. Outdoor education, Forest Schools from Pre- K- 12 and beyond to post-secondary education, is proving a more effective way of learning than indoor-only education. Many countries are very advanced in outdoor education practice, while other countries are in the learning stages of applying outdoor education beginning with a very young age group.
It is for these reasons it is important to develop education tools to further the use of Forests for Edu- Eco- and Experiential Tourism as well as for local community members to enjoy the Forests in proximity to their homes.
Upward outdoor forest use and other related identified trends also serve to further substantiate the creation of Accessible Forests for All – enabling all members of the community, inclusive of those of all ages with mental and physical challenges, to have the opportunity to understand and experience numerous ways Forests serve us as a place to recreate and enjoy our lives.
To maximize potential Forest benefits such as forest food, recreation, and forest resources for promoting well-being: education and planning tools are required. While there are highly sophisticated forest planning tools available in Canada and other countries of the world, these are often used by industry only because many private woodland stewards may not have access to these tools. It is for this reason, that tools designed for private woodland owners and small businesses can help to revolutionize forest education systems by building knowledge for this sector surrounding forests, forest foods, and other nontimber forest products including, and forest fun for citizens. Tools, such as those currently being developed by International Research Teaching Forests Incorporated, aim to provide an opportunity for individual citizens, groups, and associations interested in the Forest to find the benefits that can contribute to local food security and overall rural community and forest sustainability.
