World Forestry Center June E-Newsletter

June 2015 Newsletter

2015 celebrates 50 years of the World Forestry Center!

The World Forestry Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating people about the world's forests and environmental sustainability.

50th Anniversary Gala

RSVP Here

International Connections

On May 18, Sara Wu and Eric Vines met with the Consul General from Angola, discussing his country's interest in finding US companies to export lumber from Angola. In addition to conversations around the global export market, we talked about ways to create value added wood products and a unique marketing proposition that could provide a premium for Angolan lumber. We also wondered about the possibility of securing ecosystem service payments that might allow the country to benefit from maintaining an intact forest for water, soil, and atmospheric enrichment.

Leadership Hall Spotlight

The Namesake of Miller Hall

The beautiful Harold A. Miller Hall stands today not only as a timeless monument to wood engineering, but to the man who, more than any other, made possible the construction of this renowned Portland landmark. Completed in 1980 just two months before his death, it was largely through his generous and tireless funding efforts that this stunning 10,000 square-foot education building came into being. It was his second contribution to what now stands as the World Forestry Center campus. Following the tragic destruction by fire of the popular "giant log cabin" old Forestry Building in 1964, he was also instrumental in obtaining widespread community support for construction of the original Western Forestry Center. There he served as Chairman of the Board from 1968 until his death in 1981, capping off an immensely successful career as a lumberman,

Harold was a key player in successfully helping the Stimson Lumber Company weather the Great Depression without having to lay off any of its workers in the Forest Grove area. Guiding its reinvestment in timberland holdings and its product diversification, he also helped it survive the Tillamook Burn fires of the 1930's and 1940's. His tenure there from 1929 through 1981 subsequently became known as the Harold Miller Era. Beyond that, he was a remarkably generous supporter of a wide array of health and education foundations and other charitable causes. Perhaps his attendance at and graduation from Stanford University's School of Economics set him on this path. But in so doing, he extended his broad reach to touch the lives of thousands of people throughout Oregon, Washington, and California and left this world a better place.

Read the full biography here.

Education Department Happenings

This year was the 22nd annual Children's Clean Water Festival on Tuesday March 10, 2015 at the University of Portland.

Featured Partner

Linking Forests, Resources, and Communities:

Society of American Foresters

Lori Rasor & Amanda Matten

The Society of American Foresters (SAF) is the largest professional society for foresters in the world. Founded in 1900 by Gifford Pinchot, the mission of the Society of American Foresters is to advance the science, education, technology, and practice of forestry; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish professional excellence; and, to use the knowledge, skills, and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society.

Since the founding of the Western Forestry Center, now the World Forestry Center, SAF members have played a central role in guiding, growing, and supporting our work in forestry, research, and education. Together, we have hosted national conventions, trainings, career events, lectures, tours, and countless networking meetings to advance the cause of sustainable forestry.

Thanks to the loyal support of foresters and friends around the region, SAF has maintained a professional staff and business office at the World Forestry Center to provide responsive, "one-stop" service to local SAF chapters in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and "The Inland Empire" of northern Idaho and northeastern Washington.

Led by Oregon State University College of Forestry graduate Lori Rasor for more than 25 years, and admistrative assistant Amanda Mattern, the SAF Northwest Office actively manages region-wide volunteers, committees, meetings, and conferences.

Known as "The Jills-of-all-Trades," Lori and Amanda coordinate member affairs with the national SAF office in Washington, D.C. and publish the respected Western Forester magazine. A 17-member committee oversees the operation and provides continual feedback and opportunities for innovation.

Leaders and members of the Society of American Foresters in the Pacific Northwest have been valuable partners for us and we look forward to another 50 years of cooperation.

Visit Their Website

World Forest Institute News

WFI Fellowship Program

The WFI Fellows are out in the field, visiting and learning from our local organizations that are managing our precious natural resources in the region. We would like to give a warm THANK YOU the following companies that have hosted Fellows this past month for field tours and informational meetings: IFA Nurseries, Blount International, Oregon Department of Forestry, and Oregon State University. The value of site visits to our visiting scholars is immeasurable, as it provides the real-time, on-the-ground learning opportunities that are the keystone of the Fellowship Program. Nepalese Fellow Sarita Lama commented after one field trip, "After visiting the IFA nursery which produces 35 million high quality seedlings per year with 98 percent germination rates, the question that came to mind was "why have I never dreamed such a thing in my life before?" These are eye-opening experiences for the WFI Fellows indeed!

Read all about these trip and see more photos on our blog.

WFI Fellows and staff learn how forestry machinery, such as chainsaws, are manufactured at a tour of Blount's Portland facility. From left: Miquel Sanchez (Bolivia), Sarita Lama (Nepal), Shadia Duery (WFI), Stuty Maskey (Nepal), and Rick Zenn (WFI).

IFA Nursery manager Mike Taylor shows Fellows how forest tree seedlings are produced in massive quantities for distribution throughout the region.

A full day of learning about Oregon state forests started in the Oregon Dept. of Forestry's Forest Grove district office and ended at the Tillamook Forest Center. A big THANK YOU to ODF District Forester Mike Cafferata, Assistant District Forester Wayne Auble, and TFC Director Fran McReynolds for the great learning experience.

WFI Alumni Updates

WFI Alumnus Victor Kawanga (Zambia 2008-2009) was recently re-elected to the Regional Focal Point (RFP) for the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) CSO Network representing the ten countries in the southern Africa sub region. The GEF-CSO Network is made up of accredited organizations whose work in environment and sustainable development is aligned with the GEF vision to enhance the role of civil society in safeguarding the environment by addressing issues in biodiversity, climate change, water, land degradation, ozone depletion and organic pollutants.

WFI Alumnus Sudiyah Istichomah (Indonesian Fellow 2014) has just landed a new position at the World Agroforestry Center/ICRAF, working on land governance and land use planning. She credits the WFI Fellowship program for giving her new knowledge and perspectives on river management and nature, which will form a big part of her new job.

Merlo Hall Improvements

A New Entrance Worthy of It's Inner Beauty

For more than twenty years, first-time visitors entering Merlo Hall have been faced with this image.

These revolving doors never quite worked as intended and after a few episodes of stuck strollers, blasts of air and rodent incursions the doors were locked and a signage was installed directing visitors to the diminutive emergency exit to the right.

Besides creating confusion for people, the doors had large gaps around the edges continued to allow mice to slip in underneath in spite of our efforts to seal them up with unsightly tape...driving staff crazy.

This year, we finally replaced those failing revolving doors with functional new glass and wood doors that provide an entry experience to Merlo Hall equal to it's inner beauty.

Welcome to the World Forestry Center.

We are glad you are here.

Donors

A Gracious Thanks to All 2015 Donors

It is with their support that we are able to carry on with our mission here at The World Forestry Center.

Please visit this page to view all of our 2015 donors.

If you would like to be a supporter, please feel free to make a donation here.

Art Gallery Now Open

Facility Rentals

Need a Yoga Facility?

The World Forestry Center is looking for yoga instructors who would like to rent our David Douglas Room for classes. We are offering very competitive rates in our beautiful, quiet, park setting.

Call (503) 488-2101 or email [email protected]