Testimonials

Here you will find a random selection of reports and comments from academic institutions on our training, workshops and development education work over the years...

The following quotes are taken from the letters below:

Tom, I wanted to thank you for adding so much to our 'Earth Day' celebration in our school. Your expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm was evident to all who participated. Development education has become an integral part of our curriculum at The Donahies Community School and requires a passionate person such as yourself to highlight the issues involved. In particular our students and the invited primary school students, were fascinated by your display pieces and inspiring presentation on sustainability.Elissa Reilly,
Earth Day 2016 coordinator,
Donahies Community School, Dublin

We take a very practical hands-on approach to learning. From this practical and critical engagement, the information from the Just Forest Exhibition might mean even more to the children. The exhibition itself opens up direct links to the Geography, Music, Religion and Science curricula. The panels offer statistics which can support Maths development. Exploring trees in the vicinity of the school opens up possibilities for visual arts and creative writing. Without any effort on the teacher's part the exhibition involves children in cross curricular learning. Theresa Hegarty,
DICE Lecturer,
Froebal College, Dublin

We had been discussing how to link content and language for English language learners and the importance of visuals when supporting language use. The Wood of Life was an opportunity for the students to see how the teacher could use a topic to make cross curricular links while also developing language and literacy skills. The large scale posters were a good example of how to use visual graphics to develop higher order thinking skills, for example: de-forestation (cause and effect), species of trees/timber (compare and contrast). Therese McPhillips, B Ed 3 Elective,
'Literacy for English Language Learners',
St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Letterfrack has had the pleasure of being involved with Just Forests over the past 12 years on their journey of highlighting the importance of sustainability and awareness of global deforestation and illegal logging. We fully support the work of Just Forests.
Dr. Dermot O'Donovan,
Head of Department,
GMIT Letterfrack-The Furniture College

Thinking Trees is an easy-to-use, curriculum-linked resource that will open the eyes of primary pupils and their teachers. Starting with simple activities such as investigating the many uses of wood in the classroom and home, Thinking Trees asks us to consider the impact of humans on the natural environment. Thinking Trees introduces issues of sustainability, interdependence and global justice in an innovative, appealing and timely way.
IDEA
(Irish Development Education Association)

The work of Just Forests provides teachers and teacher educators with practical suggestions for the integration of a global perspective in the primary curriculum. The [Wood of Life] exhibition is unique and ‘hands-on’ and delivers a valuable learning experience which was appreciated by all of our students. It highlights, in a very meaningful way, the beauty of wood and the role and significance of timber and forests in the overall debate on sustainable human development.

In this, the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014, the focus on education for sustainable development by organisations such as Just Forests provide invaluable support for student teachers who are trying to teach topics pertaining to sustainable development in the classroom.
Dr. Anne Dolan
Mary Immaculate College
Limerick.

This particular project identifies and endeavours to bridge a serious gap in the formal education sector where practical, hands-on education resources with a development education perspective on environmental sustainability and human development leading to poverty eradication is urgently needed if Ireland is to meet its global responsibilities.
Dr. Colm Regan
80:20
Educating and Acting for a Better World

Tom Roche's passionate commitment to the cause of sustainable forestry and the environment is an inspiration to me as a campaigner. Fearlessly tackling injustice, Tom is willing to put himself on the front line and take direct action where he feels it's necessary. Through innovative projects, Just Forests has brought Development Education (DE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) perspectives to unique settings: To schools, through the woodwork curriculum; to children visiting the Zoo, through the Wood of Life hands-on exhibition; and to high-profile musicians through the Just Music 'tone wood' project, to name but a few. Just Forests is an active contributor to policy discussions in Ireland on EU timber regulation, and is a recognised UN Partner for the Decade on Biodiversity from 2011 to 2020. This breadth of work and level of influence is astounding for such a small organisation.
Trish Groves Campaigns Officer, Trocaire

Your expert knowledge, experience and inspirational words were well received by our students and it is hoped that this will become an annual event in the School of Education calendar.
Seán Ó Grádaigh
Development Education Day Co-ordinator
School of Education, NUI Galway.

Mr. Tom Roche from Just Forests liaised with programme staff to outline the problem to the students and Tom was actively involved in two workshop/presentations with staff and students. Both workshop/presentations generated a very positive response from students. The existence of organisations like Just Forests (with its very useful website and web based resources) and Tom Roche’s own practitioner knowledge are invaluable assets to the educational community.

We would therefore like to promote and support the work of Just Forests and look forward to further collaboration in the future. We are also participants in the UBUNTU network and have witnessed the contribution that Just Forests makes to Teacher Educators.
Dr. Michael Ryan and Dr. Clifford Guest
Limerick Institute of Technology
Thurles Campus

Student teachers and the primary school children were fascinated by the display pieces within this [Wood of Life] exhibition and by the stories that Tom Roche was able to give as background to the display. The multiplicity of resources which Just Forests had on display allowed for some very practical hands-on work.

The children from the primary school classes for instance set about sorting pieces of timber according to characteristics which they had noticed, an activity which they thoroughly enjoyed.
Dr. Geraldine O’Connor
Church of Ireland College of Education
Rathmines,Dublin.

See Development Education Day 13th February 2013 at National University of Ireland-Galway (NUIG)

See Development Education Day 15th February 2012 at National University of Ireland - Galway(NUIG)

See activities hosted jointly by Just Forests and GMIT-Letterfrack to mark National Tree Week 2012

March 2013: Change Makers Development Education programme-Inishowen Peninsula, Co Donegal.
	Teacher evaluation summary-2.xlsx (13.85 KB)
March 2012 -GMIT Letterfrack Partnership with Just Forests
	JF-GMIT.pdf (2.58 MB)
GMIT Letterfrack
	gmit-jf.pdf (470.73 KB)
March 2012 - NUI Galway Development Education Day and Just Forests
	NUI Galway DE Day.docx (38.14 KB)
February 2012 - Problem Based Learning Project (PBL) at Limerick Institute of Technology-Tipperary and Just Forests
	LIT-Tipperary.docx (215.66 KB)
Report on the Wood of Life exhibition at Portlaoise Library
	Wood of Life Report-Portlaoise Library.docx (25.79 KB)
Mary Immaculate College Limerick
	Wood for Life exhibition statement by Anne Dolan.docx (91.83 KB)
Church of Ireland College of Education, Rathmines, Dublin.
	CICE ReportonWood for Life Exhibition and Follow up Work.doc (57 KB)
University of Limerick: The Good Wood guide is being used by students of the Bachelor of Technology (Education) in Materials & Architectural Technology at the University of Limerick. It is part of a Development Education action research project on raising awareness about the importance of using certified wood products for global sustainability. The project is being conducted in association with the Ubuntu Network .
	Proposal for Sustainable Wood project.doc (34 KB)
Report from Bishopstown Library on the Wood of Life Exhibition-all the documents referred to in this report are available on request
	Report for Opening of Just Forests 3a.doc (56 KB)
Rose Hogan: Assessment and Report on Wood of Life exhibition at Ballybane Library, Galway
	Report on Wood of life2 rose hogan.pdf (40.99 KB)
Report from Wexford Library on the Wood of Life exhibition
	wexford Report on Wood of Life Exhibition March 2011.doc (33.5 KB)
Report from Kildare County Council on the Wood of Life exhibition at Naas Library
	Wood of Life report Kildare County Council Nov 2009.doc (24 KB)
Report on Wood of Life exhibition at Tralee Library
	Wood of Life Report-Tralee.doc (30 KB)
Laoise Education Center: Evaluation of the PILOT was carried out by Dr. Colm Regan of 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World
	Wood of Life PILOT Project Report fin.doc (73 KB)