MAINE TREE FOUNDATION

Educating Maine’s Guidance Counselors about Forests and Green Career Pathways

Encouraging youth to consider forest-based career pathways so they will continue to live and work in Maine

Why this Project Matters

The sustainability of Maine’s communities and forests depends on an understanding of forest benefits and career pathways among educators and young people. Maine continues to lose a steady stream of residents, as people, especially youth and younger adults, seek employment in other states. The Maine TREE (Timber Research and Environmental Education) Foundation offers programs to learn about sustainable forestry during K-12 schooling. These efforts also encourage youth to consider forest-based career pathways so that they will continue to live and work in Maine.

How the Project is Engaging Educators about Sustainable Forestry and Green Careers

Maine school career counselors will be trained to use Project Learning Tree (PLT) resources about forest-based career training. PLT’s Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers curriculum will introduce career pathways including training options at a variety of post-secondary levels in Maine. A field component will explore the high-tech nature of forestry and professional logging in Maine. PLT is an initiative of SFI.

SFI’s Contribution

The SFI Community Grant Program is supporting Maine Tree’s conference for guidance counselors, which will also rely on members of the SFI network — professional foresters, professional logging organizations, and industry representatives — as co-planners and speakers. This will help raise awareness among Maine’s educators across the state about the importance of sustainable forests and forestry and the availability of green jobs careers in Maine.

Partners

This partnership includes educators, forestry professionals, and SFI certified organizations.

• Project lead: Maine TREE Foundation
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative
• Maine SFI Implementation Committee

Related Information

Maine SFI Implementation Committee: SFI Is Helping Maine’s Family Forest Owners Keep Forests as Forests

Maine SFI Implementation Committee Wins Award for Community Leadership, Education Outreach and Growth

Maine SFI Implementation Committee

Maine TREE Foundation

The foundation was formed in 1989 by a group of dedicated timberland owners, forest products producers, tree farmers and others interested in the Maine forest. The Maine TREE Foundation educates and advocates for the sustainable use of the forest and the ecological, economic, and social health of Maine’s forest community.  Its mission is realized through implementing research and education programs for schools, government, media, and the general public.  Partnerships within the forest community and support programs for forest owners, forestry workers, and recreational users assist in the effort. The Maine TREE Foundation has a vision of a public that values and supports Maine’s healthy forest ecosystems, forest professionals, scientific forest management, and sound public policies that sustain Maine’s forest-dependent people and communities. Learn more.