Minnesota teachers had the opportunity this week to go behind the scenes to learn about the importance of our forests, from logging to maple syrup, in a virtual tour.

Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom began their summer teacher tours five years ago as a way to show education professionals about how to bring the world of agriculture in their classrooms. This year, they had to switch to a virtual system that allowed teachers to get up close and personal with different agricultural sites around the state.

This week took the teachers to Bemidji for a tour of the logging industry. Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but it is also home to 2.5 billion trees, and teachers had a chance to learn more about them.

Tours like this help teachers gain more resources for teachers who have pivoted to online learning. Another added benefit is showing students a variety of different career options and opportunities in the world of agriculture.

The last tour in the series will be next week. Teachers will be able to learn more about crops and honeybees.

By — Betsy Melin