Northern California SAF Holds Forestry Institute for Teachers

A select group of 25  teachers gained hands-on experience in forest ecology, forest management, and curriculum development in sessions facilitated by Lassen National Forest staff and the Northern California SAF during the Forestry Institute for Teachers program.

The Forestry Institute for Teachers is a week long workshop developed for K-12 teachers. The program brings together teachers and natural resource specialists from urban and rural settings for one week, working side by side to gain a deeper understanding of forest ecosystems and human use of natural resources. Teachers met with practicing resource professionals from nonprofit organizations, universities, private companies and government agencies who present college-level instruction in forest management, wildlife biology, watershed management, archaeology and fire science. These lessons are followed by field trips, where participants see natural and planted forests, active timber harvest sites, a state-of-the-art lumber mill, stream restoration projects, projects to reduce fuels on the forest to reduce fire hazards and more.

Since 1993, half of all participants have come from Southern California, a third from the Bay Area and Sacramento, and 16 percent from the rest of the state. Ultimately, the program seeks to create an informed citizenry that understands the many values of the forest and the competing demands for its resources.

Organized by the Northern California Society of American Foresters, FIT is supported by public and private funding with the Northern California Society of American Foresters and the University of California Cooperative Extension providing overall leadership.

For more information, visit http://www.forestryinstitute.org.

Read about one teacher's experience in the Turlock (CA) Journal.