This site is dedicated to informing and educating teachers on what the Forest Institute for Teachers consists of, hopefully encouraging potential applicants to, well, apply. For your ease, pertinent topics have been identified and addressed within the confines of this website. Upon exploring, you will find that there are descriptions of the FIT locations, actual teacher responses, eligibility information, and now you can go directly to on-line registration.

Introduction

The goal of the Forest Institute for Teachers (FIT) is to provide K-12 teachers with knowledge, skills, and tools to effectively teach their students about forest ecology and forest resource management practices. For one week, rural and urban teachers will be working side by side with natural resource specialists to gain a deeper understanding of the intricate interrelationships within forest ecosystems and human usage of natural resources. Students are ultimately the benefitors as attendants will develop, and take back with them, new and challenging curriculum materials about natural resource management in California.

In 2001 there will be three FIT programs offered througout California at the dates and times posted on the FIT website. Each session can accomodate up to 45 participants, providing meals, lodging, and educational items. Teachers are provided with award-winning classroom and curriculum materials, and a $200 stipend upon completion of a forest related curriculum unit for use in their classroom.

Each setting is ideal for on-site education on a variety of issues ranging from forest, meadow, and riparian ecosystems, types of natural resource management systems, timber harvest operations, stream restoration projects, and sawmill and cogeneration plants. Presenters and staff at each institute include public and private forest resource specialists and other natural resource managers, environmentalists, and science and environmental education curriculum specialists.

For more information or registration materials, contact the Forest Stewardship Helpline at 1-800-738-8733.

Teacher responses to "What did you like best and why?"

"Having foresters present and instructing made a great impact on my knowledge, understanding, and attitude. I respect this group as caring, knowledgeable, concerned individuals as members of a vital industry."

"Foresters teaching us about the things they love. The high caliber of all the speakers. The well thought out fast paced program and the very talented and caring staff. Wonderful people."

"The field trips were incredible and made everything we've and learned real and valid. Ideas and practices that we may not have agreed with or understood before now made sense and our views are more open-minded. Knowing just how complicated this whole industry is gives me a new respect for it. Everytime I see a wood product I will think about this week."