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 programs
Landowner workshops
Public education and outreach
Public Tours
Speakers bureau presentations
Rediscovery 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
K-12 Forestry Education Conference
Collaboration
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
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 district
taking 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 Sessions
Participants 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 forestry
education across
K-12 grades to
improve student
achievement
• Long-term relationship
between natural resource
professionals and school districts
• Continuous evaluation
and monitoring.
OFRI Follow-Up
Publications and Communication
Oregon Forest Resources Institute
Thank You!!
Julie Woodward
Norie Dimeo-Ediger
woodward@ofri.com
dimeo-ediger@ofri.com
503-584-7259
971-673-2956
www.oregonforests.org