Foresters Fund Awards $15,600 to Local Units in February

March 29, 2024

Foresters Fund grants provide resources for local units to support education and outreach projects and cultivate future leaders. This February, eight projects received $15,600 of regular grant funding for big events and a summer of outdoor education.

  • The North Puget Sound chapter of Washington SAF is participating in the Women in Timber Woods Tour. This annual event brings elected officials and the public into the woods to learn about the complexity of both public and private forest management in the Northwest.
  • Appalachian SAF’s Southwest Virginia Chapter is providing transportation for teams to attend this year’s 4-H Forestry Invitational Competition. During the event 4Hers will test their forestry skills and knowledge alongside students from across the country.  
  • The North Carolina Division of APSAF is planning a North Carolina SAF Leadership Summit to foster and enhance local unit leadership.
  • The Flathead Chapter of Montana SAF is supporting the Family Forestry EXPO, a week-long hands-on outdoor education experience for 5th graders in northwest Montana that is followed up with a public event. 
  • In a second project, Montana SAF will support the Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp, a one-week camp at Lubrecht Experimental Forests designed to provide youth ages 14-18 an opportunity to study in an outdoor classroom and gain exposure to many natural resource management fields including forestry, wildlife, and geology.  
  • California SAF is partnering with Reedley College and Bakersfield College to host Forest Conservation Days, a multi-day outdoor education event for 4th and 5th grade students from underserved communities. Students will visit exhibits and work with field guides to learn about ecology, geology, history, and more.
  • Wisconsin SAF is partnering with Trees for Tomorrow on two separately funded projects. The first is Forest Fest, a free community event in Eagle River, that will promote forestry education and outreach to a variety of stakeholders to enhance understanding of sustainable forest management with hands-on demonstrations, exhibits, and activities. The second project, Natural Resources Career Exploration for Students from Underserved Populations, is in partnership with Michigan SAF and will promote the goal of encouraging diversity in the forestry profession. The project could be a springboard to a pipeline of youth for future internships and jobs.
Congratulations to all our state societies that are inspiring the next generation of foresters and leaders and promoting sustainable forestry practices.
 
Apply for a Foresters' Fund Grant by June 15
Have a local unit project proposal of your own? Proposals for regular (up to $2,000) and special (up to $5,000) grants are due June 15. Don’t forget that all proposals must be approved by your state society board, so be sure to plan ahead. You can find an application form and additional details here. 

Donate to the Foresters' Fund 
The Foresters’ Fund was established to promote forestry education and enhance public understanding of forest management. Grants are awarded to SAF local units to financially support projects and activities at the grassroots level that increase our impact and grow our organization. Interested in donating? Learn more here.