{"id":22935,"date":"2018-03-04T17:39:30","date_gmt":"2018-03-04T17:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?page_id=22935"},"modified":"2023-01-13T16:52:06","modified_gmt":"2023-01-13T21:52:06","slug":"grantncsaf100","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/grantncsaf100\/","title":{"rendered":"Grant – Northern California Society of American Foresters 100"},"content":{"rendered":"

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS<\/h3>\n

Teachers Across California Gain Valuable Forest Science Knowledge<\/h5>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Forestry Institute for Teachers<\/p>\n

Why this project matters<\/p>\n

Forestry Institute for Teachers (FIT) is an intensive six-day field workshop for K-12 grade teachers. The project will connect teachers with resource professionals who have a deep understanding of the importance of forestry on environmental, social and economic scales. The program is offered at four locations throughout California and includes hands-on fieldtrips for teachers to learn about forest science, management, and conservation from federal, state, environmental, forestry and advocacy professionals.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0FIT Program is underwritten by a consortium of public and private sources. Since 1993, over 2,100 teachers have graduated from the program. FIT engages teachers by focusing on natural resource education strategies through partners like Project Learning Tree (PLT), which is an SFI program. PLT uses trees and forests as windows on the world to increase students\u2019 understanding of the environment and actions they can take to conserve it. Partners will work with Northern California Society of American Foresters to identify and coordinate local forest products industry participation in the program, including field and mill site tours.<\/p>\n

Why is SFI involved?<\/p>\n

SFI values this project because it provides teachers with firsthand experience that exposes them to real\u2011life experiences in responsible forestry. FIT leverages resource specialists from conservation groups, state agencies, private industry and the California SFI Implementation Committee to inform teachers about the environmental values associated with well\u2011managed forests. FIT also provides a comprehensive understanding of the forest products process. In addition to the complex regulatory requirements of California forest practice rules and SFI certification programs, FIT instructs participants on how wildfire, erosion, fisheries, and invasive species issues are mitigated in well-managed forests.<\/p>\n

Certification of completion for FIT is contingent on participants developing a course curriculum project. The program requires that participants incorporate their subject material with PLT activities into a multi\u2011week teaching plan. FIT will promote the application of natural resource knowledge through implementation of the curriculum project. Participants are encouraged to implement the curriculum project in their classroom and provide documentation to FIT. Successful curriculum projects will be adopted as case studies for future FIT sessions to support teachers in developing robust activities.<\/p>\n

How the project builds SFI community engagement<\/p>\n

By\u00a0focusing on educators from urban environments who have limited opportunities to interact with forest ecosystems, FIT strengthens ties between teachers and well\u2011managed forests. FIT leverages experts from the research and management arm of the University of California and the USDA Forest Service to provide the most current and tested knowledge regarding proper forest management. In addition, FIT partners with the SFI community through Sierra Pacific Industries, a long time SFI Program Participant, the California SFI Implementation Committee and California Project Learning Tree.<\/p>\n

Partners<\/p>\n

This partnership includes educators, conservationists, researchers, SFI Program Participants and Forestry and natural resource professionals.<\/p>\n