- Hello, my name is Kelly French.
I am the programs and outreach coordinator
for the Maine Timber Research
and Environmental Education Foundation,
otherwise known as Maine TREE.
Founded in 1989,
Maine TREE is a small environmental nonprofit
whose mission is to educate and advocate
for the sustainable use of the forest,
and the ecological, economic, and social health
of Maine's forest community.
Maine TREE hosts a variety of programs
that uphold forestry and environmental education,
research and community here in Maine.
And today, I just wanted to give you a brief overview
of these programs.
On the education side, we are very committed
to environmental education for all folks,
from K through 12 students, to teachers,
to forestry professionals and the general public alike.
Every year we host the Forests of Maine Teachers' Tours.
These week-long tours take place during the summer
and provide an opportunity for Maine educators
to engage in project-learning tree activities,
learn about Maine forest communities,
and meet with forestry professionals and woodland owners.
The goal of these tours is to help teachers learn
and develop methods to integrate forests and forestry
into their curriculum,
regardless of if they are science, math, or art teachers.
Next, there is Forests for Maine's Future.
For 10 years, Forests for Maine's Future
published feature articles called "Fresh from the Woods,"
highlighting forest stewardship,
economics, science, and recreation.
The article archive can be found on Maine TREE's website,
and I encourage everyone to check it out
and read the abundance of articles on topics
from white pine diseases to old growth forests.
We also organize
the certified logging professional program or CLP.
Founded in 1991, this program provides training
and education to loggers in Maine,
and was developed to establish a standard
for professionalism in the Maine woods,
reducing injury and illness rates for loggers
while promoting knowledge and skill.
And lastly, we proudly house Maine Project Learning Tree,
a sustainable forestry initiative program
that is found nationwide.
This environmental education program and curriculum
were designed for use in a variety of educational settings,
inside and outside of the school system.
PLT is a fantastic way to teach anyone about forests
and the environment in an adaptable,
easy to understand, and fun way.
Moving to research, Maine TREE proudly took ownership
of the Holt Research Forest,
located in Arrowsic, Maine in 2014.
The Holt Research Forest is home
to a very longterm ecosystem study
of coastal oak pine forests, which was started in 1983.
Over the years, the research has long-term changes
in the forest populations,
and understanding the effect that forest management has
on those populations.
Another priority of Maine TREE is focusing on how to deliver
and disseminate our applied research,
with a particular emphasis on research
that can inform decisions made
by Maine small woodland owners.
We also host the Forest Ecology Research Network, or FERN,
which you may have also heard about referred to
as the Forest Inventory Growth Program or FIG.
FERN is a field-based program
that helps students learn about Maine's forest
through a combination of project learning tree curriculum
and the US Forest Service forest analysis program.
If you're interested in setting up a FERN plot
with some of your students, please reach out
and we would be happy to help.
Maine's forest community is also of highest importance
to Maine TREE, and we are honored to work
with multiple programs to support and uplift this.
Maine TREE sponsors the Maine Tree Farm Program,
part of the National American Tree Farm System.
I'm sure many of you have seen these signs
hanging on properties you work on or drive by,
and some of you may be tree farmers yourselves.
Maine Tree Farm helps Maine Woodland owners
realize the full potential of their woods
by following a set standards of sustainability
in their forest management to provide forest products
and other woodland benefits.
Next, Keeping Maine's Forests is a collaboration of leaders
from public, private, and nonprofit organizations
with a vested interest in the future of Maine's woods.
This is a rare venue for discussion, information sharing,
and the promotion of sustainable forest management.
And finally, Maine TREE actively seeks to recognize
and celebrate the members of our community.
Every year, Maine TREE awards
the Austin Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award,
as a foremost recognition for land owners, individuals,
and organizations who are outstanding examples
of managing Maine's working forests.
At Maine TREE, we are always looking to build partnerships
and help implement and deliver programming
that supports sustainable forestry within Maine
and across the Northeast.
And so I would invite anyone who is interested
in learning more about one of our programs,
or in working with Maine TREE to please reach out to us.
Thank you so much for your time.
Please give us a call or send us an email at any time.
Thank you.