Michael Kern, Director of The William D. Ruckelshaus Center, kicked off our Collaboration webinar series yesterday with an introduction to Collaborative Governance. If you missed the presentation, you can watch the recording here, then sign up and join us next Wednesday at noon.

Charlie Walkinshaw is a great friend of AgForestry and advocate for agriculture. As the founder of Experience International, Charlie has led the charge to achieve his mission to “promote leadership development, capacity building, and technical and cultural exchange in fields related to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, natural resource management and conservation.”

Since its founding, Experience International has facilitated over 3,000 trainings and cultural exchanges at U.S. farms, ranches and businesses for individuals from across the globe, as well as outbound programs for U.S. students and young farmers to work abroad. Over the years, numerous AgForestry graduates have hosted and provided practical work experience to trainees and interns! Experience International also takes U.S. citizens on tours abroad. In fact, Charlie was Class 40’s guide for their International Seminar in Ecuador.

We asked Charlie about his most important realization about these exchanges . . . Head to our website to see what he had to say, and to learn about how Experience International launched an exciting new business, Bike Northwest, when the pandemic “shook up” business as usual. Then check out the Class 41 Graduation auction and bid on Edible Everson, a Farm to Table Bike Tour. The tour was donated by Charlie and Bike Northwest. Among other stops you’ll visit Cloud Mountain Farm Center, which was started by Tom (Class 9) and Cheryl (Class 18) Thornton.