Teaching the Teacher About Maine's Working Forest

WHEN YOU THINK OF TEACHERS, YOU PICTURE THEM IN THE CLASSROOM. BUT THESE TEACHERS ARE GETTING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN THE FOREST.

Angela Ferrelli: I know that I am a visual, hands-on sort of learner...

EACH YEAR, THE MAINE TREE FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH LANDOWNERS TO GIVE MAINE TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE EXACLTY HOW THE FOREST INDUSTRY OPERATES.

SHERRY HUBER HAS BEEN LEADING THE MAINE TREE FOUNDATION FOR 15 YEARS.... AND FOR HUBER, TEACHERS ARE THE INDUSTRY'S GREATEST AMBASSADOR.

Sherry Huber: Teachers are very respected people, professionals in their communities, and when they come in to the forest or the mill and see what's going on there and they return home, they bring with them that respect

THE TEACHERS TOUR EDUCATES THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW WORKING FORESTS -- LIKE PLUM CREEK'S-- ARE A SUSTAINABLE, RENEWABLE RESOURCE THAT CAN COEXIST WITH WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION.

THE FOUNDATION WORKS WITH ABOUT 350 EDUCATORS AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS EACH YEAR TO DEMONSTRATE HOW MAINE'S FORESTS ARE ONE OF OUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCES.

Sherry Huber: Maine Teachers Tours and our other educational programs are all geared to trying to help the public learn more about the great resource we have here in Maine -- the forest -- and the people who work in it.

LANDOWNERS PARTNER WITH THE FOUNDATION BY HOSTING THE TEACHERS TOURS, SPEAKING ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF FORESTRY, ANSWERING TEACHERS' QUESTIONS AND SERVING AS VOLUNTEER GUIDES FOR THE PROGRAM.

Mark Doty: We've been growing and harvesting forest products in the state of Maine for hundreds of years now and it's a tradition of many communities in Maine.

EDUCATORS WHO TAKE PART ALSO LEARN ABOUT RESEARCH AND NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY IN UNIVERSITIES, LABS AND COMPANIES THROUGHOUT MAINE.

Angela Ferrelli: I feel a lot of students don't get to be outside a lot, so learning about the forest would give them a great understanding of the importance of their environment and protecting the resources that they have.

BY GETTING TEACHERS INTO THE WOODS, WE CAN BRING THE FOREST INTO THE CLASSROOM.....HELPING TEACH THE VALUE OF MAINE'S FORESTS FOR OUR ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND FUTURE.

Sherry Huber: We obviously have a tremendous resource, which we need to take care of, let people know about and make sure that it is here in the future for the well-being and hopefully better economic conditions for our people who live here.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Plum Creek
• Maine
• Maine Tree Foundation
• tree
• teachers tour
• workshop
• forestry
• working forest
• education
• teach the teacher
• outdoor education