Oregon Forest Resources Institute

Created by the Oregon Legislature in 1991 to improve public understanding of the state’s forest resources and to encourage environmentally sound forest management through training and other educational programs for forest landowners.

OFRI programs

K-12 student and teacher programsLandowner workshopsPublic education and outreachPublic Tours Speakers bureau presentationsRediscovery Forest at

the Oregon Garden

www.oregonforests.org

Kids

K-12 Education is Important to OFRI Stakeholders

OFRI and its partners have been successfully providing forestry education

to K-12 students and

their teachers since 1991.

An innovative approach

was taken in 2007…

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Goals

• Help school districts use forestry education as a pathway to student success

• Help school districts

integrate forestry

education throughout

K-12 grades

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Goals

• Help natural resource providers better

understand and meet the needs of school districts

• Inform schools about the materials and natural resource professionals available to support forestry education in their community

OFRI partnered with• Oregon Department of Education

• Oregon Department of Forestry

• Oregon State University-College of Forestry

• Tillamook School District

• Local forestry companies

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Collaboration

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Participants

District Teams• Superintendent, principals, teachers and

specialists from district (approximately 5 total)

Community Partners• Natural resource

professionals and community providers were invited to join district teams

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Components

Host site

Highlighted a school districttaking pride in its success in integrating forestry education into all K-12 grades(Tillamook, Oregon 2007)

General Session Speakers

(Place Based Education)

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Components

Field SessionsParticipants visited outdoor sites where students often engaged in natural resource activities during the school year.

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Components

Pride in Community

• State and private forestry locations were utilized as conference sites

• Forest sector career opportunities were highlighted

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Components

Session topics included• Funding/Grant

Opportunities

• Assessment

• Professional

development models

• English as a

Second Language

• GPS

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Outcomes

Each district team developed a (or enhanced an existing) plan to integrate forestry education through K-12 grades

District plans were presented at the end of the conference

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Evaluation

• High marks were received from participants in all areas surveyed.

• A system was established to monitor the status of each district’s K-12 programs over time.

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Lessons Learned

School district/natural resource professionals partnership

• This pathway of partnership leads to NR professionals enhancing what a school needs/wants

• Assists NR professionals in knowing where to allocate resources.

K-12 Forestry Education Conference Long-term Success

• Integration of forestryeducation across K-12 grades to improve student achievement

• Long-term relationship between natural resource professionals and school districts

• Continuous evaluationand monitoring.

OFRI Follow-UpPublications and Communication

Oregon Forest Resources Institute

Thank You!!

Julie Woodward Norie Dimeo-Edigerwoodward@ofri.com dimeo-ediger@ofri.com

503-584-7259 971-673-2956

www.oregonforests.org