Project Learning Tree (PLT) is the flagship program of Colorado State Forest Services for reaching younger audiences via workshops for K-12 educators.

Project Learning Tree (PLT®) is an award winning, multi-disciplinary environmental education program for educators and students in PreK-12. PLT is one of the most widely used environmental education programs inside and outside the United States. The CSFS delivers the program to an average of 500 teachers per year in workshops around the state, which translates into approximately 15,000 students reached annually.

PLT is our flagship program for reaching younger audiences via workshops for K-12 educators. Colorado natural resource educators helped create PLT in 1973, and the Colorado program has been coordinated by the CSFS since 1984, training 500-800 educators annually.

PLT staff development workshops are 3 - 16 hours long, typically cost $20-$30 and offer optional college credit. Workshops are active and content-rich, and incorporate reading, technology and differentiated-learning techniques. Activities demonstrate best practices in education methodology such as constructed, cooperative and facilitated learning.

Workshop participants receive the basic PLT Activity Guide and additional materials including posters, videos, CDs, DVDs and other resources about Colorado's trees, forests and environmental issues.

For information about upcoming PLT workshops, visit the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education website or click here.

Single-Topic Modules for Secondary Students may be purchased from the state coordinator after completing a basic PLT workshop. GreenWorks! mini-grants for service learning projects also are available to PLT-trained educators.

All activities have been correlated with Colorado Education Standards, as well as national science, social studies and environmental education standards.

Project Learning Tree materials are continually revised to reflect changing trends in classroom and natural resources education. New resources include our Urban Forestry Connections, Earth & Sky Radio Connections and the PLT-BLM Fire Education Initiative.

The Branch Newsletter is published quarterly and contains a collection of PLT updates, environmental education news, educator tips, environmental education resources and feature articles.

Contact Information

Shawna Crocker, Project Learning Tree

Colorado State Forest Service
Box 25286, MS-306
Denver, CO 80225
Telephone: (303) 202-4662
FAX: (303) 202-4188
scrocker@lamar.colostate.edu