About
European Youth for Trees Project
Y4T - For the future of trees and young people
The main focus of the European Y4T project is young people's interest and concern for trees and forests. Four European organisations with a range of experience in forestry and environmental education have developed some learning resources for youth/ student group leaders and educators.
Many young people feel a strong urge to protect trees as a heritage from previous generations and to plant them as a legacy for future ones. So the project has focussed on both promoting the value of trees and forests, as well as developing more entrepreneurship in young people related to their own future work and lifestyles. The resources will enable youth workers, educators and organisers to support youth and student group projects and activities.
A 2 year project from September 2019 to September 2022 funded by EC Erasmus + Youth Strategic Partnership
Target audience
Youth/ student educators and coordinators working with youth, trees and forests eg. in National Parks, Regional Parks, nature and forest parks, environmental education centres, forest organisations, land management and environmental organisations, local authorities.
Rationale
The main focus of the Y4T project is young people's interest in trees, forests and wood products. There is huge concern by young people, often from an early age, about trees and forests. This is significant as 38% of the EU area is covered by forest or woodland. In terms of campaigning there are many forest-related matters that concern young people across Europe. Most significantly for the future of humanity and especially young people, they act as carbon sinks in helping to mitigate against climate change. In Europe forests and woodland are also the largest contributors to renewable energy. The project will support young people in their responsible citizenship and political engagement.
But forests are also under threat from unsustainable felling, competing land uses, poor management, pollution, and the international spread of pests and diseases etc. In terms of entrepreneurship, young people, especially in rural areas, have many opportunities for developing new sustainable forestry-related projects and enterprises eg. related to forestry, nature conservation, agroforestry, eco-tourism, hospitality, food production, wood manufacturing and non-wood forest products.
Aim
The Y4T project aims to enable youth workers, educators and organisers to support youth group projects and activities on trees, forests, wood products and people in terms of both entrepreneurship and promotion. This will stimulate youth entrepreneurship related to the sustainable management of trees, forests and wood products as a matter of local rural economic development. It will also support young people in their responsible youth citizenship and political engagement.