Celebrate National Forest Week
How to participate in National Forest Week
Explore our contests, activities and more below to help you celebrate NFW in your neck of the woods!
2026 THEME
National Forest Week
September 20-26, 2026
Forest Pathways: Innovation and Sustainability
The sustainable future of Canada’s forests is shaped by science and innovation. From advanced monitoring technologies to evolving management practices, innovation-driven forestry balances ecological integrity with economic opportunity. By embracing science, innovation and diverse global perspectives, we support resilient forests that will provide environmental, social, and economic benefits in a changing world.
Discover how innovation is shaping a sustainable forestry future by following #NationalForestWeek.
WAYS TO PARTICIPATE
From September 20-26, 2026, we’re inviting Canadians to learn more about the forest sector and its significance to Canada’s culture, history, and future, while also supporting a greater recognition of forests as a valuable, renewable and green resource.
Participate Online
- Like and share/re-tweet posts created by the CIF-IFC or posts using the hashtag #NationalForestWeek or #SemaineNationaleDeLArbreEtDesForêts
- Share National Forest Week digital creatives via social media using the hashtag #NationalForestWeek or #SemaineNationaleDeLArbreEtDesForêts
- Create your own content using the daily sub-themes from the Social Media Content Schedule and share them using the hashtag #NationalForestWeek or #SemaineNationaleDeLArbreEtDesForêts
Creative Downloads
Promotional poster
Bilingual Download
- Large size (24″ x 31.5″)
- Medium size (11″ x 17″)
- Standard size (8.5″ x 11″)
Print Orders
The CIF-IFC is pleased to offer 2026 National Forest Week promotional materials, including posters (large size (24″ x 31.5″) and medium size (11″ x 17″) and postcards (5″ x 7″) free of charge!
How to place your order: Please place your order by completing and submitting an online order form by July 3, 2026. Orders have closed.
Promotional postcard
Print Orders
The CIF-IFC is pleased to offer 2026 National Forest Week promotional materials, including posters (large size (24″ x 31.5″) and medium size (11″ x 17″) and postcards (5″ x 7″) free of charge!
How to place your order: Please place your order by completing and submitting an online order form by July 3, 2026. Orders have closed.
Social media shareables
Social media banners
Bilingual
Virtual Backgrounds - NEW!
Bilingual (1280 x 720 pixels)
Social Media Content Schedule
Sunday, September 20, 2026
Daily Sub-Theme: Forest Pathways: Innovation Begins Here
Proudly sponsored by: Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor)
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#NationalForestWeek
Monday, September 21, 2026
Daily Sub-Theme: Growing Sustainable Forests
Proudly sponsored by: Natural Resources Canada
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#NationalForestWeek + #MyForestMonday – Show us how you are spending time in a forest near you!
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Daily Sub-Theme: Smart Monitoring & Management in our Forests
Proudly sponsored by: PEFC Canada
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#NationalForestWeek + #TreeviaTuesday – Participate in the Special Edition of Treevia Tuesday and test your forest knowledge for a chance to win a prize!
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Daily Sub-Theme: Learning from Our Forest History
Proudly sponsored by: Tolko Industries Ltd
This year marks Tolko’s 70th anniversary, offering an opportunity to reflect on the people, partnerships, and experiences that have shaped our company. Learning from our forest history reminds us that the knowledge gained over generations continues to inform today’s forestry practices and tomorrow’s innovations. Explore Tolko’s journey at www.tolko.com
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#NationalForestWeek + #WildlifeWednesday – Forests are full of wildlife! Let’s see your favourite forest friends.
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Wednesday, September 23rd also marks #NationalTreeDay!
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Daily Sub-Theme: Innovation Through Collaboration
Proudly sponsored by: Tree Canada
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#NationalForestWeek
Friday, September 25, 2026
Daily Sub-Theme: Forest Innovation in Action
Proudly sponsored by: Forests Canada
- Growing a Connected Landscape Across the Bruce Trail Corridor
- Report: Forest Restoration After Wildfire | Forests Canada
- National Forest Week Forest Fun Booklets
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#NationalForestWeek + #ForestFactFriday – Follow along for some neat forest facts that may surprise you!
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Daily Sub-Theme: Forest Education: Inspiring Future Forest Leaders
Proudly sponsored by: College Boréal
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#NationalForestWeek
Additional Ways to Participate
- Declare NFW in your town/municipality through a proclamation, lighting of a town/municipal/provincial building, or both!
- Take a walk in woods nearby and get to know your forest
- CIF-IFC Trees of Celebration Program
- Arrange a tree planting: Tree Canada
- Care for a newly planted or neglected tree, and study its species
- Identify all the things at home or school that are made of wood
- Learn about organizations that demonstrate sustainable forest management
- Tour a forest sector industry or processing site
- Learn about the prevention of forest fires
- Contact a provincial forestry association for teaching materials.
- Visit the NFW-BC Coalition website for information about NFW in the west!
- Lead a National Forest Week event
- Paticipate in our Annual National Forest Week Photo Contest, Youth Drawing Contest, or Treevia Tuesday
- Download our National Forest Week resources and activity sheets
Photo Contest
To celebrate National Forest Week, the Canadian Institute of Forestry is inviting you to participate in our 7th annual national photo contest! The contest will run through the duration of National Forest Week (September 20-26, 2026).
Rules
- Contest begins on September 20, 2026 at 12:00 am ET and ends on September 26, 2026 at 11:59 pm (local time)
- Contest is open to residents of Canada, including both CIF-IFC members and non-members
- Purpose of contest is to celebrate National Forest Week (September 20-26, 2026)
- Photos submitted must showcase forests/trees in Canada
- Contest winner will receive a prize and a special feature of their photograph in various CIF-IFC digital communication outlets
How to enter
- Entries are to be a digital photograph (JPEG or PNG) and submitted electronically by email to nfw-snaf@cif-ifc.org
- Entries must be submitted and received by September 26, 2026 at 11:59 pm
- Submissions must include:
- Digital photograph (JPEG or PNG) showcasing forests/trees in Canada
- Photographer name and contact information
- Short caption describing the photograph, including the location of where it was captured
Youth Drawing Contest
Get your markers and pens ready! We are inviting you to participate in our 6th annual Canada-wide youth drawing contest for NFW!
This makes for a great summer project or classroom activity!
How to participate
- Download the drawing contest form here.
- Show us what a healthy forest looks like by completing your artwork in the dedicated space provided on page 2 of the form
- Fill out your contact information on page 3 of the form
- Submit entries via email to nfw-snaf@cif-ifc.org
- Entries must be received by October 16, 2026
Who can participate
- Youth from the ages of 4-12
Contest winners
- One participant in each age category (4-6, 7-9, and 10-12) from each province/territory will be chosen as a winner
- Winners will be announced in November 2026 and will receive a nature activity book!
Treevia Tuesday
Mark your calendars! The 7th annual National Forest Week Special Edition of Treevia Tuesday will take place on September 22, 2026.
Join in on the fun and test your forest knowledge! The top 3 players will receive a prize.
How to participate
When: Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Where: Link coming soon!
- Go to the link above on September 22nd
- Enter your name and email
- Select “Go!” when ready
- Participate in the quiz before 11:59 pm ET
Past Contest winners
Congratulations to the top 3 players from 2025!
- Erin Pearson
- AJ Wood
- Deanna Stad
Congratulations to the top 3 players from 2024!
- Kate Nahirnick
- Erin Pearson
- Daniel Thibodeau
Congratulations to the top 3 players from 2023!
- Lindsay Clark
- Hui Xiong
- Zachary Stride
Poetry Contest
Get creative and express your imagination! In celebration of National Forest Week, we are inviting youth to participate in our 5th Annual Canada-wide poetry contest!
How to participate
- Write a poem (50-200 words) in the dedicated space on the form here.
- The poem should be unique, creative, free of spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors
- Fill out page 3 with your contact information
- Submit entries via email to nfw-snaf@cif-ifc.org
- Entries must be received by October 16, 2026
Who can participate
- Youth in Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12
Contest winners
- One participant in each Grade category (Grades 9 & 10, and 11 & 12) from each province/territory will be selected as a winner
- Winners will be announced in November 2026 and will receive a nature activity book!
Educational Resources & Activity Sheets
National Forest Week is a perfect time to learn more about one of Canada’s most valuable resources!
Activities
- NEW! Urban Forest Explorer: Discovering the Green Spaces Around Us – English / French
- NEW! Green Guardians: Junior Stewardship Challenge – English / French
- Linear Vegetation Plots – English / French
- Vegetation Study – English / French
- Build Your Own Nest – English / French
- Create Art Using Natural Canvas – English / French
- Forest Fire Watch – English / French
- This or That? Fun in the Forest – English / French
- Tree Terms and ID – English / French
- Forest Friends Alphabet Sheet – English /French
NEW! Lesson Plan
Discovering the Acadian Forest: Trees, Leaves, and Indigenous Connections
Lesson Plan
Turtle Island: Indigenous Connections to Nature
*Includes a supplementary colouring book
highlighting native flora and fauna!
Lesson Plan
Web of Life: Indigenous Knowledge and the Interconnectedness of Forest Species
Lesson Plan
The Carbon Cycle, Canadian Forests, and Shrinking our Ecological Footprint
Lesson Plan
International Model Forest Stewards: Exploring Model Forest Frameworks in Canada
Check out our Forest Education page for more free resources including inforgraphics, teaching kits, factsheets and more covering a variety of different topics.
Declaring National Forest Week
Building off the success of a pilot project launched in 2020 in collaboration with Resource Works (which encouraged forest communities in BC to formally declare NFW in their municipalities), the CIF-IFC engages with communities in provinces and territories across Canada to help bring awareness to NFW. This outreach includes ways to participate in NFW as well as encouraging towns, municipalities and provinces to declare NFW through a proclamation, lighting of a town/municipal/provincial building, or both!
Participating communities/regions for 2025
British Columbia
- Esquimalt, BC
- Richmond, BC
- William’s Lake, BC
Alberta
- Airdrie, AB
- Grande Prairie, AB
- Medicine Hat, AB
- Red Deer, AB
- Stony Plain, AB
Saskatchewan
- Prince Albert, SK
- Regina, SK
Manitoba
- Selkirk, MB
Ontario
- Aurora, ON
- Aylmer, ON
- Bradford (West Gwillimbury), ON
- Brampton, ON
- Greater Sudbury, ON
- Orillia, ON
- Ottawa, ON
- Richmond Hill, ON
- Thunder Bay, ON
Québec
New Brunswick
- Miramichi, NB
Nova Scotia
- Halifax, NS
Prince Edward Island
- Summerside, PEI
- Three Rivers, PEI
Newfoundland and Labrador
- St. John’s, NL
- Paradise, NL
Show us how you will be celebrating 100+ years
of National Forest Week!
Use the hashtag #NationalForestWeek or #SemaineNationaleDeLArbreEtDesForêts and tag us at:
Twitter/Instagram: @CIF_IFC
Facebook: @CIF.IFC
LinkedIn: @Canadian Institute of Forestry
Thank you to our 2026 National Forest Week sponsors!
