Forest-Based Sector Launches Children’s Book During European Forest Week

“The Unexpected Forest” features adventures from Spik and Booksy in the forest – a lovely story that describes sustainable forest management and timber use without the usual facts and figures.

The four main European forest-related associations – namely the European State Forest Association (EUSTAFOR), the Confederation of European Forest Owners (CEPF), the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries (CEI-Bois), and the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) –together published a children book that explains in a carefully scripted story the concept of sustainable forestry and forest industries. They launched the book in four languages together with Santa Claus during the European Forest Week in his hometown Rovaniemi, Finland this week.

The charmingly illustrated booklet entitled “The Unexpected Forest” features Spik the pencil and Booksy the notebook, who go into the woods and discover the secrets of the forest. They realise they are part of a large cycle, that starts with sustainable forest management. Spik and Booksy meet with people who work in the forest and with forest products and learn that they themselves once came from the forest.

The book was written by Magali De Rijck and beautifully illustrated by Roseline d’Oreye. Published by EUSTAFOR, CEPF, CEI-Bois, and CEPI, it is already available in English, French, Swedish and German. It is meant to reach youngsters between the ages of 5-8 years old, to help educate them on the importance of forests and forest products in their daily lives.

Paper copies of this limited edition booklet are available on request.

Note to the editor

European Forest Week, 9-13 December 2013: http://www.fao.org/forestry/efw2013/events/en/
The European Forest Week constitutes events in Rovaniemi and throughout Europe, highlighting the contribution of forests, forest products and services to a green economy. It raises the visibility of the forest sector and the multiple services forests contribute to daily life.