Community forestry awareness campaign in a primary school of Butisongo – DRC. Photo by Axel Fassio / CIFOR-ICRAF

The world’s forests, from the taiga to the tropics, are incredibly diverse, shaped by both ecosystem processes and human stewardship. Their sustainable management, conservation and (their now urgent) restoration, depend on various actors —landowners, resource managers, policymakers, educators, researchers and the local and Indigenous communities who call them home. 

Moreover, the future of the global forest resource relies on these stakeholders having a diverse set of skills and knowledge to manage them sustainably, counting on Western science and Indigenous and traditional perspectives. However, education systems that prepare professionals and practitioners to manage forests are falling short in critical areas, according to findings of a global assessment of tertiary, vocational and technical forest education. The report revealed significant shortcomings in including diverse knowledge systems and student representation. 

A global effort 

Conducted in 2020 by an interdisciplinary team, including scientists from the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the study surveyed nearly 3,000 respondents—students, teachers, professionals and forest managers—from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, East and North Africa and North America. Data was gathered through online questionnaires and expert consultations, culminating in discussions at the 2021 International Conference on Forest Education.

The survey identified weaknesses in forest education programs using a gap analysis approach. Respondents rated the extent to which various thematic topics were covered, from the ecological and cultural values of forests to gender and ethnicity issues. The results were supplemented with expert consultations involving nearly 500 specialists worldwide. 

The findings revealed that forest education programs inadequately covered forest ecosystem services, social issues and cultural values. Critical topics such as wood as renewable energy, forest-based recreation, cultural values of forests and trees and the link between forests and human health were often overlooked. Notably, traditional and Indigenous knowledge was poorly integrated into most curricula. Indigenous knowledge, rooted in generations of stewardship, offers valuable insights into sustainable forestry. However, its localized nature makes it challenging to incorporate into broad educational frameworks. 

“Recognizing traditional and Indigenous forest knowledge is essential for forests to support climate action, ecological restoration, and sustainable development. While progress has been made, further improvements in research, policy, and recruitment remain crucial for forests to meet local, national, and global needs,” said CIFOR-ICRAF scientist Khalil Walji, a member of the Forest Education Secretariat in 2021. 

Successful forest management also requires incorporating gender, ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity in forest-related careers. Respondents from nearly all regions reported that topics such as gender and ethnicity received little coverage in forest education programs. Meanwhile, gender imbalances and racial or ethnic underrepresentation persist. Women, despite playing critical roles in forest economies, face barriers to entry and advancement. Most female students and professionals reported that gender “moderately” or “very much” influenced their employment prospects in the forestry sector. 

Similarly, the underrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples, smallholders, and local communities could limit their influence on policies and practices that directly affect their communities and environments. 

“We still need to work towards a more inclusive and socially just forest research environment—one that reflects how knowledge generation in forestry and forest conservation is conceived, produced, disseminated, and evaluated through transdisciplinary approaches,” said CIFOR-ICRAF research associate Manuel Guariguata, a coauthor of the assessment. 

A class of MA students in forestry at the University of Kisangani. Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo by Ollivier Girard / CIFOR-ICRAF

Strategies for change 

The sustainable management of the world’s forests requires a holistic understanding of ecosystems and their human connections. The study highlights the need to improve curricula, research, monitoring, policy, recruitment and promotion, along with decisive action to build a skilled, representative workforce of foresters who can meet local, national and global sustainability goals.

Among the recommendations, which included contributions from Indigenous Peoples, the assessment proposes several actions to enhance and diversify forest education: 

• Establish a robust research agenda to document and incorporate traditional and Indigenous forest-related knowledge into education, with leadership from Indigenous communities, and support from educators and policymakers to ensure ethical, responsible knowledge use. 

• Periodically monitor trends in social diversity to better inform recruitment strategies and curricular reforms. 

• Develop forest education curricula that balance scientific and traditional perspectives. 

•  Implement proactive recruitment strategies targeting underrepresented groups. Highlighting diverse career opportunities in forestry can attract a broader range of students. 

• Expand accessible, localized training models like forest field schools and context-specific teaching. 

• Strengthen primary and secondary school forest education to spark early interest in forestry careers. 

• Collaborate with diverse stakeholders—students, educators, policymakers, NGOs, and Indigenous organizations—to promote the value of inclusive education. 

• Align forest education initiatives with global agendas such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

“We may ask ourselves: What are the key stumbling blocks for transdisciplinary research in a forestry context? How do we translate what works and does not into the classroom?” reflects Guariguata. 

The key takeaway is that enhancing social and knowledge diversity in forestry education—on a large scale and across various landscapes—is essential for the future of forests. Everyone has a role to play.