Designed for teachers, other educators, parents and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12, PLT’s mission is to use the forest as a “window on the world” to increase students’ understanding of our complex environment; stimulate critical and creative thinking; develop the ability to make informed decisions on environmental issues; and instill the confidence and commitment to take responsible action. It is a widely recognized, well-tested educational curriculum.

PLT’s training workshops involve a partnership of trained educators and foresters. The materials offer a balanced picture of natural resource conservation, emphasizing neither economic nor environmental factors but blending both in a comprehensive perspective. Connecting youth to the outdoors is central to PLT.

The Florida PLT program is disseminated through educator workshops conducted by a large network of volunteer facilitators. Both place-based workshops and on-line workshops are offered. Florida PLT offers two designation programs: PLT Schools and PLT EE Centers.

In Florida, Project Learning Tree is coordinated by the University of Florida’s School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences in partnership with the Florida Forest Service, the Florida Forestry Association, and UF/IFAS 4-H Extension program.