2:00 – 2:45 PM

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

2:45 – 3:15 PM

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Buddy Huffaker has been instrumental in leading Aldo Leopold Foundation’s efforts to advance a Land Ethic, including stewarding the Leopold Shack and Farm National Historic Landmark, and advocating for a conservation ethic, for over 20 years. Learn how the Foundation balances ecological, economic, and cultural values in managing their own property and engaging neighboring landowners and has benefited from greater collaboration, innovation, and community connections. Be further inspired to continue to address this convergence, which stands in front of all of us, for positive change.

3:15 – 3:45 PM

NETWORKING BREAK #1

3:45 – 5:00 PM

COLLABORATING TO MEET ESG TARGETS

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks are becoming increasingly important to investors, policy makers, regulators, consumers, employees, and civil society. Learn about the importance of ESG to investors, the forest sector’s evolution to meet ESG targets, and how SFI’s programs offer additional value in ESG/sustainability reporting.

5:00 – 7:00 PM

NETWORKING RECEPTION

7:00 – 8:30 AM

5K FUN RUN AND YOGA

9:00 – 10:15 AM

FIRE AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY: HEALTHY FORESTS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

10:15 – 10:45 AM

NETWORKING BREAK #2

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM CST

ADVANCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN THE FOREST SECTOR

Transformative solutions are needed to create more inclusive, sustainable communities. Learn about efforts by SFI and partners to support career awareness, recruitment, mentorship, and other opportunities that will help the forest and conservation sector advance a diverse and resilient workforce.

12:00 – 1:15 PM

SFI NETWORKING LUNCH

12:00 – 1:15 PM

PLT NETWORKING LUNCH

1:15 – 2:15 PM

COLLABORATING FOR COMMUNITIES AND FORESTS

We will officially kick off the joint portion of our conference with a welcome from national and local leaders. We will also present the SFI Leadership in Conservation Award.

Ho-Chunk Nation Representative

2:15 – 3:15 PM

FOREST LITERACY — GROWING FOREST LITERATE CITIZENS

3:15 – 3:45 PM

NETWORKING BREAK #3

3:45 – 5:00 PM

URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTS: COLLABORATING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL HEALTH

6:00 – 10:00 PM

SFI AND PLT OFFSITE EVENT

9:00 – 10:30 AM

CONCURRENT SESSION A: BUILDING A PROGRESSIVE  INDIGENOUS RELATIONS TRAINING PROGRAM 

The SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard requires SFI-Certified organizations to provide training to personnel and contractors to ensure that Indigenous Peoples’ rights are fully recognized and respected. Given the immense diversity among Indigenous Peoples and SFI-Certified organizations alike, there is simply no one-size-fits-all approach to Indigenous Relations training that will be appropriate in all circumstances. This interactive armchair discussion with forest sector leaders and tribal representatives will help navigate this complexity by illuminating key insights and common considerations that can be used to build an Indigenous Relations training program that is tailored to your own organization’s unique priorities and operating environment.

CONCURRENT SESSION B: INFORMATION SESSION: SFI 2022 CHAIN OF CUSTODY ENHANCEMENTS, PEFC ENDORSEMENT BENEFITS, AND SFI’S GLOBAL LABEL

The SFI 2022 Chain-of-Custody Standard has met the rigorous third-party assessment for the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Organizations certified to SFI’s 2022 Chain-of-Custody Standard can now use PEFC logos and claims, giving them more options to meet customer demand around the world. This interactive information session includes time for discussion after short presentations on enhancements to the SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard, benefits of PEFC endorsement, and information on the SFI Label Recognizing Global Standards.

CONCURRENT SESSION C: TEACHING FORESTRY TO KIDS THROUGH PLT FOR FORESTRY PROFESSIONALS AND NON-EDUCATORS

Teachers often call their local forestry professionals for help in the classroom. To help forestry professionals share their knowledge with students, the Minnesota DNR Forestry Outreach Team has been offering an annual SAF-approved course called Teaching Forestry to Kids with PLT activities and guides. Learn how this course equips forestry professionals to ask teachers the right questions, understand different age groups and how children learn, pick appropriate lessons, help with a field day, and set up a community event. Forestry professionals are terrific PLT allies because they live where the schools are.

10:30 – 11:00 AM

NETWORKING BREAK #4

11:00 – 11:45 AM

CONSERVATION IMPACT — A DECADE OF SUCCESS

Research and relevancy of outcomes are central to SFI’s mission to advance sustainability. This session will review two critical projects which contributed to SFI’s Conservation Impact portfolio, and which are included in the recently released report: “SFI’s Conservation Impact: A Decade of Success”. These projects serve as a window into the importance of this groundbreaking body of work, foreshadowing the afternoon Conservation Impact Sounding Board meeting. Learn how Conservation Impact is changing the perception of how forest and fiber supply chains can drive conservation outcomes relative to climate change, biodiversity and water.

11:50 – 12:00 PM

SFI CLOSING REMARKS

12:00 – 1:00 PM

SFI CLOSING LUNCHEON

12:30 – 4:30 PM

SFI SIDE MEETINGS

12:30 – 4:30 PM

CONSERVATION IMPACT SOUNDING BOARD WORKSHOP

(open to all)

Following a buffet lunch with NatureServe, this session will review two critical projects which contributed to SFI’s Conservation Impact portfolio, and which are included in the report: “SFI’s Conservation Impact: A Decade of Success” (scheduled for release in early June). These projects serve as a window into the importance of this groundbreaking body of work, foreshadowing the afternoon Conservation Impact Sounding Board Workshop. Learn how Conservation Impact is changing the perception of how forest and fiber supply chains can drive conservation outcomes relative to climate change, biodiversity and water. Click here to register.

1:30 – 4:30 PM

SFI IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEES GENERAL SESSION

(open to all SFI Implementation committee members and partners)

SFI Implementation Committee members and partners will convene to:

• Hear PLT Keynote speaker and consider ideas for collaboration
• Discuss best practices relative to coordination on the standards, logger training, and community grants
• Learn about 2022 conservation grant projects relative to climate smart forestry and fire resiliency

1:45 – 2:00 PM

BREAK

3:45 – 4:00 PM

BREAK

6:00 – 9:00 PM

PLT OFFSITE EVENT

(Open to PLT network only)

9:50 – 10:00 AM

BREAK/TRANSITION TIME

10:00 AM – 12:10 PM

PLT NETWORK CONCURRENT SESSION A1: YOU CAN MAKE THAT WITH TREES?

(Open to PLT network only)

PLT NETWORK CONCURRENT SESSION A2: REACHING SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH PLT

(Open to PLT network only)

PLT NETWORK CONCURRENT SESSION B: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING FOR K-12 EDUCATORS

(Open to PLT network only)

Join ecoRise and PLT Facilitators for a workshop designed to foster environmental justice (EJ) literacy and develop the knowledge and skills necessary to engage with a wide range of stakeholders on topics relating to equity and justice. Through interactive activities and facilitated discussions, participants will develop an understanding of EJ history and concepts, explore the disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards on communities of color, and begin to cultivate the mindset necessary to integrate EJ into professional learning experiences for educators across the US.

12:20 – 1:30 PM

PLT AWARDS LUNCHEON

1:30 – 1:40 PM CST

BREAK/TRANSITION TIME

PLT CONCURRENT SESSION B: MINI WORKSHOPS 101 – TAKING A BITE-SIZED PIECE OUT OF PLT

(Open to PLT network only)

PLT CONCURRENT SESSION C: PLT GO VIRTUAL! STRATEGIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL AND BLENDED PD EVENTS

(Open to PLT network only)

In this collaborative working session, participants will have the unique opportunity to work side-by-side with PLT staff and fellow Coordinators on strategies to leverage online and blended learning to meet their program outcomes for PLT Facilitators and Educators. This session will focus on incorporating new and existing tools and resources, including the opportunity to discuss the potential use of digital badges.

PLT CONCURRENT SESSION D: REACHING UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN CAREER PATHWAYS THROUGH K-12 EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE.

(Open to PLT network only)

An informal roundtable with PLT State Coordinators will be held to collect insights and feedback on opportunities and potential barriers to reaching marginalized communities with PLT programming to increase access to green career pathways. If you are interested in participating, please check in with Jerri on Thursday or Friday before the session. You can e-mail her at jerri.taylor@forests.org.

2:50 PM – 3:30 PM

PLT CLOSING REMARKS

(Open to PLT network only)