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Toolangi Forest Education Program
Toolangi Forest Education Service provides education programs for people of all ages to experience the forest environment. During our four-hour programs, students visit the Toolangi State Forest to discover the giants of our Mountain Ash forests, the ancient beauty of cool temperate rainforest, and the many animal species that call our forests home. Students gain an understanding of how our forests are managed and conserved, and how they can play a personal role in forest sustainability.
Our programs are:
- led by experienced forest education staff
- able to be tailored to the specific needs and interests of your group
- designed to meet the Victorian Essential Learning Standards
Our programs
For bookings and enquiries contact:
Toolangi Forest Education Service
Toolangi Forest Discovery Centre
Main Road
Toolangi Victoria 3777
Ph: 5962 9318 Fax: 5962 9022
Email: foresteducation.toolangi@dse.vic.gov.au
Primary programs
| Program name | Program themes | VELS level |
| Natural Homes | Discover the forest environment – tall trees, soft ferns, mountain creeks, and prickly plants. Use all your senses to find signs of the wildlife that live in the forests. Get up close and personal with some forest animals! Learn what makes a healthy habitat and how we can protect habitat for wildlife. |
1 & 2 Science, Humanities (Grade Prep - 2) |
|
We All Need Forests |
We rely on forests for the air we breathe, the places we play and many things we use every day. Discover the different ways that people use forests and how we can all protect forests and wildlife for the future. |
3 & 4 Humanities (Grades 3 - 6) |
| Ecosystem Explorer | Explore the forest environment. Discover the plants and animals that call the forest home and how they all live together. Learn about the impacts humans have on forests and how we can ensure the sustainability of forests for the future. |
3 & 4 Science (Grades 3 - 6) |
| Bushfire Survival | Victoria is one of the most fire prone places in the world. Fires are a natural part of the forest environment. Learn about how fire affect the forest, what forest managers do to protect the community from fire and how people can be ‘fire safe’. |
4 Humanities (Grades 5 - 6) |
Secondary programs
| Program name | Program themes | VELS level |
| Bushfire and the Environment | Fires are a natural part of the forest environment. Many plants and animals have evolved to cope with fire. Investigate how fires affect the environment, plants, animals and communities. Learn how forest managers use planned fire to prevent future bushfires. | 5 & 6 Geography, Science (Years 7 - 10) |
|
Tale of Two Forests |
Forests are more than just a bunch of trees! Discover the characteristics of forests, types of forest environments and what affects their distribution. Learn about the interrelationships between humans and the forest environment. | 5 Geography (Years 7 - 8) |
|
Our Forests, Our Future |
Forests are vital for our future. The forests around Toolangi provide us with water, recreation, timber, carbon sink and conservation resources just to name a few. Explore the many values of our forests, how they are managed to reduce human impacts for future sustainability and how people can be involved in protecting the environment. | 5 & 6 Geography, Science (Years 7 - 10) |
|
Bush Biodiversity |
Our forests are diverse, dynamic environments! Investigate forest ecosystems and the interactions and interrelationships between forest plants and animals. Discover how we use science to understand and manage forest environments. |
5 & 6 Science (Years 7 - 10) |
|
Wood as a Resource |
State Forests are managed for multiple uses, including the provision of timber resources. Explore the use of forests as a source of timber for a range of uses. Investigate the path taken from forest to hardware supplier, and the role of forest managers and consumers in a sustainable timber industry. |
5, 6, VCE, Design and Technology (Years 7 - 12) |
VCE programs
| Program name | Program details |
| VCE Geography Unit 1 |
The Natural Forest Environment Explore the characteristics of the forest environment in Toolangi State Forest. Consider changes to the forests over time, human interactions with the forest environment, the impacts of human activities and how they can be managed and minimised. |
| VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies |
Unit 1: The Forest Experience: explore how people value and experience forests Unit 2: Impacts of forest Use: explore the characteristics of forest environments and the impacts of human activities in Toolangi State Forest Unit 3: Relationships with Forests: explore the relationships between humans and forests over time and the contemporary management of forests. Unit 4: Future Forests: explore the contemporary forest environment and forest issues, investigating options for sustainability, including personal responsibility as a forest user. |
|
VCE Biology Unit 2 Dynamic Forest Ecosystems |
Discover the diverse forest ecosystems within Toolangi State Forest. Through fieldwork and activities, investigate the interrelationships between organisms in the forest, change to the forest environment over time and human impacts on the forest. |
| VCE Environmental Science |
Unit 1: The Forest Environment: Discover the forest environment, its structure, functions and natural processes. Through fieldwork, examine the changes occurring in the forest, including human-induced changes and how forests are managed and conserved. Unit 3: The Leadbeater’s Possum: Toolangi State Forest is a key habitat for the Leadbeater’s Possum within the Central Highlands region. Experience first hand the forest environment that supports this species and explore the issues surrounding its future conservation and management. |
Tertiary programs
Programs can be tailored to meet the needs and interests of groups. Topics can include:
- Forest Management
- Fire Management in Forests
- Endangered Species Management – eg. Leadbeater’s Possum
- Timber harvesting and Resource Management
- Ecotourism
- Forest Ecosystem Science
Other programs
Ranger Presentations are available for community groups eg. Probus, U3A, International visitor groups.
Ranger presentation brochure
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