Global Connections. Regional Roots. November 2019
To Create and Inspire Champions of Sustainable Forestry
From Joseph Furia, Executive Director 

We at the World Forestry Center believe that creating a sustainable forestry future for tomorrow means shaping society today. We are hard at work creating a culture that values and takes action to support the economic, ecological, and social values of forests.

I hope you will consider making a year-end gift to aid us in this effort.

Your donation allows us to build on existing programs to drive problem‐solving by professionals, create events and experiences to connect the public to its interdependence on forests, and steward a place that supports a community of sustainable forestry champions.

In the last year, thanks to the support of donors like you, the World Forestry Center:

  • Welcomed more than 60,000 people to our Washington Park campus via conferences, events, workshops, and visits to our iconic Discovery Museum;

  • Empowered natural resource professionals from Brazil, China, Costa Rica, France, Malawi, Nigeria, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom through our award-winning International Fellowship Program;

  • Amplified emerging voices and megatrends in forestry at our lectures, conferences, and mission-driven events;

  • Hosted key policy-makers engaged in critical conversations, like the Oregon Governor’s Council on Wildfire Response.

We are proud of what we have accomplished this year, yet we know there is so much more to do. To create a sustainable forestry future, we need you to renew your support today.

Please make a year-end gift to support the World Forestry Center as we create and inspire champions of sustainable forestry.

Forestry Leader John Warjone Added to Leadership Hall
Leadership Hall inductee John Warjone addressed the assembled group.
Earlier this month, the World Forestry Center inducted John Warjone into our Forestry Leadership Hall . Warjone, a former World Forestry Center Board Chair and retired President of Port Blakely, was added to this illustrious group of forestry leaders at an intimate reception.

In attendance, were past and present World Forestry Center board members, Leadership Hall inductees, several members of the World Forestry Center leadership team, and John's friends and family.
World Forestry Center Executive Director Joe Furia welcomed guests to the induction.
L-R John Warjone, Mike Warjone, and Joe Furia
John's son Mike emceed the event, offering his perspective on his father's successes.
Port Blakely Chairman & Chief Executive Officer René Ancinas
"Looking back on it now, I realize that my dad wanted me to be as enthusiastic about working in the woods as he was," shared John's son Mike, the evening's master of ceremonies. "His enthusiasm for this business was, and is, the motivating force behind all of his career accomplishments."

Join us in congratulating John Warjone on his induction to Forestry Leadership Hall.
The induction was attended by a large group of the Warjone family and Port Blakely leadership.
Forest Education Foundation of Australia Hosts Senior Fellow
World Forestry Center Senior Fellow Rick Zenn delivered the keynote address at the first Australian Story of Our Trees conference. The two-day conference, hosted by the Forest Education Foundation , was held at the University of Tasmania School of Architecture & Design in Launceston, Tasmania.

The event brought together a broad cross-section of forestry professionals, teachers, and school administrators for lively group discussions, hands-on learning, and study tours.
The World Forestry Center's Senior Fellow, Rick Zenn opens FEF conference at University of Tasmania.
The mission of the Forest Education Foundation is to “develop teacher and student knowledge about forest landscapes by providing educational opportunities that explore forest environments, resources and the future role of forests.”

Following the ceremonial opening of the conference, Zenn spoke about the importance of collaboration and encouraged participants to “add wood” to their activities and to take advantage of local expertise from business, government, universities, and non-profits. “They don’t have to be foresters,” said Zenn. “Find the connections. Social, economic, or environmental.” 
Narawntapu National Park
Touring Mount Wellington. L-R Darcy Vickers of Forest Education Foundation, Norie Dimeo-Ediger, Joan Mason Ruud, Liz Langford, Rick Zenn
While in Australia, Zenn also attended the regional leadership meeting of the Australian ForestLearning program . ForestLearning is pioneering the use of virtual reality to bring forest and mill tours to classrooms across Australia.

Zenn also participated in pre-conference tours of Western Tasmania, which included mountain, river, and coastal forests, a craft Huon Pine mill in Strahan, a driving tour of the Forico Surrey Hills Estate near Bass Straight, and a morning visit to the remote Pieman River Hydrowood reservoirs where native hardwoods are recovered from hydroelectric projects. In addition, Zenn visited the historic Hollybank Reserve operated by Sustainable Timber Tasmania and the Narawntapu National Park.
Dr. Sue Baker guiding forest tour on Mt Wellington
Rick Zenn on Hydrowood barge examining the cutting blade of harvester
While overnighting in Hobart, Zenn met with Dr. Sue Baker, 2010 World Forestry Center International Fellow and The Hagenstein Lectures speaker in 2016. Baker now works at the University of Tasmania as a Research Fellow for the School of Natural Sciences and the Australian Research Council Centre for Forest Value .

“There’s a huge value to these types of exchanges,” said World Forestry Center Deputy Director Sara Wu. “Hearing how our colleagues around the world are addressing the most pressing forestry issues is important because we’re all facing similar natural resource challenges.” 
Thank you to the Forest Education Foundation for sponsoring Zenn's trip.
TREEmendous Second Saturday Highlights
Museum's Langdon Collection

Exploring the Langdon Plate Collection | December 14, 2019 | 10am - 5pm
Frequent visitors to the Museum might be familiar with the Langdon Plates. But the 150 wooden plates currently on display are merely a fraction of the entire collection.

Created from woods from around the world by woodcarver and retired forester James Porter Langdon, this stunning array marries the natural beauty and diversity of wood with fine hand-craftsmanship. 

On December 14, visit our Discovery Museum for the final event in our 2019 TREEmendous Second Saturday series, The Beauty of Wood: Exploring the Langdon Plate Collection . We’re bringing more of the collection out of our archives for guests to view up close.

Former World Forestry Center President and CEO and t ropical forester Gary Hartshorn will be on hand from 11am-1pm to answer questions about the plates and the varieties of wood from which they were carved.

Mark your calendars for every second Saturday as the Discovery Museum hosts hands-on learning opportunities for all ages. Dive into a particular topic and learn more about trees, forests, and how they relate to our daily lives.
Museum Celebrates Columbia Bank Community Day
with Bloodworks NW Blood Drive

December 21, 2019 | 10am - 5pm
As a thank you to our community, the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum offers free admission four times a year. The next is Saturday, September 21.

For this Community Day, we're partnering with Bloodworks NW on a blood drive at the Museum. Bloodworks NW provides more than half of all blood in the Portland area.

To donate during your free Museum visit, schedule an appointment online with sponsor code 104B, call 1-800-398-7888, or text “bloodapp” to 91985. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are always welcome.

All donors will receive a mini northwest nature poster, four Museum passes, and be entered to win a raffle prizes!


Community Days are generously sponsored by

The World Forestry Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are proud to recognize
For more information about the World Forestry Center,
please contact Tyler Quinn, Director of Communications at 503-488-2128