Education has been characterised as ‘the golden thread that runs through all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’. SDG4 (Quality Education) broadens the depth and breadth of ‘education’ to people of all ages, and expands its scope to a lifelong process spanning formal, non-formal and informal settings. SDG4 emphasises quality of educational access, particularly for girls and women and marginalised groups. Literature exploring ‘pro-environment’ behaviour informs our consideration of how progress towards SDG4 might impact on forests, forest ecosystem services and forest-related livelihoods. The concept of ‘pro-forest’ behaviour describes those elements of pro-environment behaviour related to forests; encouraging and enabling pro-forest behaviour is the basis of building a positive relationship between SDG4 and forests. Inclusive education that builds and reinforces positive attitudes to forests, relevant knowledge and competencies, and that helps individuals and communities feel or stay connected to forests will foster and sustain pro-forest behaviours. Progress towards SDG4 will benefit forests if education informs, encourages and enables pro-forest behaviour. This requires that education systems respect, nurture and enable Indigenous and traditional knowledge; promote forest-related Environment and Sustainability Education; strengthen forest-related professional, technical and vocational education and capacity development; and capitalise on the power of both established and new media.