World Forestry Center International Educators Institute




The dramatic landscapes and diverse forests of the Pacific Northwest of North America serve as the backdrop for this unique 7-day professional development program and forest study tour…
World Forestry Center International Educators Institute
July 7-13, 2013
Portland, Oregon – USA
The World Forestry Center International Educators Institute is the premiere professional development program for experienced leaders in education, research, natural resource management and strategic communication who are committed to advancing effective teaching and learning about the world’s forests.
World class scenery, special access tours, unforgettable interviews with local people, excellent meals and comfortable accommodations are combined each day with time for meaningful reflection, peer-to-peer- leadership development and outcome driven collaboration.
Content rich, hands-on outdoor experiences, individual and group exercises, user-friendly educational materials and media allow participants to capture and share their experience with colleagues at home.
Since 1996, the World Forestry Center International Educators Institute has attracted some the most successful and inspirational leaders working to advance conservation education in 41 countries and 36 states.
Registration is open for 2013:
Download Color Brochure
Download IEI Application

World Forestry Center International Educators Institute
“Each part of the week was absolutely amazing. Your ability to spark our thinking, bring ideas together and lead the group through each experience was inspirational…”
“All of us are concerned about the same kinds of issues. IEI provided the structure for understanding these concerns….”
The constant exchange with fellow educators of strategies and methods they used with teachers and students was so beneficial, rewarding and inspiring…”
“Providing us with the opportunity to meet and hear from world-wide participants and see their reactions first hand, gave me the chance to think about thinks on a more global level. The sessions where we interacted with others were the most valuable for me…”
Qualifications and Deadlines
The World Forestry Center International Educators Institute (IEI) is designed for experienced leaders actively working in education, research, natural resource management and strategic communication.
Applicants are typically affiliated with government, business, associations, NGO’s, universities, local schools, museums, and science centers.
Participation is strictly limited to 25 participants and staff.
To qualify for selection, applicants must have:
- Experience in natural resource fields.
- Current teaching or education-outreach responsibilities.
- Demonstrated leadership ability and professional level recognition.
- Proficiency in English language – written and verbal.
- Ability to travel outdoors for extended periods, sometimes in challenging conditions.
Applications are processed in order received with deadline for submission on March 1.
Participant selections will be announced on or before March 15.
Late applications will be accepted until the course is full.
International participants are responsible for securing necessary travel and VISA documents by May 15.
The Location – Portland, Oregon
Participants are encouraged to arrive in Portland to rest and acclimate a day before IEI starts or after the course for additional sightseeing and shopping. Staff can assist with trip planning and making local contacts for an extended stay.
The World Forestry Center International Educators Institute (IEI) is based 25 miles east of Portland, in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area adjacent to the Mount Hood National Forest. http://www.fs.usda.gov/crgnsa
Overnight facilities are provided at the historic Menucha Retreat and Conference Center: www.menucha.org
Ground transportation to and from the Menucha is provided from Portland International Airport (PDX) at the start and end of the course.
Portland, Oregon is a green, friendly and very livable city offering natural beauty and plenty of recreational opportunities. With 1.8 million people living in the metropolitan area, Portland is the largest city and business center in the state of Oregon. Vibrant, diverse neighborhoods are home to all manner of people, but it is the other things that give a place its soul: the cafes and markets, the art, parks, plazas, vistas and sanctuaries. Portland sits near the confluence of two of the West's mightiest rivers, the Columbia and the Willamette. Recently, Portland was proclaimed as North America's "Best Big City" according to Money magazine. Rivaling the city's man made art are the spectacular masterpieces by Mother Nature. Crowning the city's skyline is Mount Hood, the tallest peak in Oregon's Cascade Mountain Range. Within an hour of the city one can be on a mountain with glaciers, at an ocean beach, in the high desert or in the middle of a temperate rainforest.

Course Fee
$1,800 (USD). The course fee includes six nights of lodging in comfortable shared rooms with private baths, all meals (vegetarian options available), field trip transportation via deluxe motor coach, admission fees, and course materials. Transportation to and from the airport is provided. Course fee must be paid in full within 30 days of final acceptance. Various payment options are available.
Airfare is not included in the course fee and participants must arrange for their own transportation to/from Portland International Airport (PDX) at the start and end of the course.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
All requests for refunds must be received in writing and receipt of the request acknowledged by IEI staff before funds can be issued.
- A refund of 100% of the IEI course fee paid by a participant is available up to 60 days before the start of course – Deadline May 7, 2013.
- A refund of 50% of the IEI course fee paid by a participant is available up to 30 days before the start of the course – Deadline June 7, 2013.
- Requests for refunds received less than 30 days before the start of the course cannot be honored, but credit for a future course may be granted.
Contact Us
Rick Zenn, Senior Fellow
World Forestry Center
4033 SW Canyon Rd. Portland, Oregon 97221 USA
Direct Telephone: 503-488-2103 (9 AM - 5 PM Pacific Time)
rzenn@worldforestry.org

About the World Forestry Center
We are committed to providing objective information on managing forests to meet economic, social and environmental needs though an active learning environment and constructive dialogue that seeks solutions to forest issues.
The non-profit World Forestry Center has for more than three decades offered world-class educational experiences for children and adults, as well as providing leading-edge professional development opportunities for educators and natural resource professionals. Based in Portland, Oregon, the World Forestry Center operates an internationally recognized museum; SFI/PEFC certified demonstration forests and education sites open to the public, a conference center, and a resident fellowship program for forest researchers from around the world.

World Forestry Center International Educators Institute
Program Highlights
July 7-13, 2013
Day I – Welcome to the International Educators Institute
Greetings, orientation and guided discussion about IEI content, best practices and leadership framework. A family style meal overlooking the spectacular Columbia River is followed by evening social time.
Day 2 – Make the Global Connection
Exchange success stories and challenges about your work and projects and travel to Portland’s beautiful Washington Park for a special tour and dinner at the World Forestry Center.
Day 3 – Re-Discover the Forest
Enjoy a guided hike through an old growth forest of giant trees and waterfalls as we share different perspectives on teaching and learning, conservation, climate change and sustainable communities.
Day 4 – Mount St. Helens: A Tale of Two Forests
Experience “the mountain” up close from the national Johnson Ridge Volcano Observatory and explore the region to examine diverse responses to changing landscapes and human communities.
Day 5 – The Forest Will Provide: Lessons from Warm Springs
Travel to Oregon’s high desert country of pines and sagebrush and meet with tribal leaders, natural resource managers, and educators of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Cultural presentations, traditional foods, and an unforgettable visit to Trillium Lake in high Cascades of the Mount Hood National Forest.
Day 6 – Advancing Effective Teaching and Learning: Linking Research and Education
See the forest with new eyes, top to bottom, with scientists at the historic Wind Rive Field Station, then return to Menucha for final benchmarking, sharing lessons learned, cultural exchange and evening awards ceremony.
Day 7 – Travel Day or Optional Sightseeing and Shopping
Farewell breakfast, then take the morning shuttle to the airport or explore the mountains, river, or city on your own.

“The great worth of outdoor education programs is their focus on the elements that have always united humankind: Driving rain, hard wind, warm sun, forests deep and dark – and the awe and amazement that our Earth inspires…”
Richard Louv, Author, The Nature Principle and Last Child in the Woods
“Teachers need opportunities to break out of the isolation and build professional networks of teachers who share a vision of education excellence.”
Educational Leadership, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
“Teachers need and want more time devoted to collaboration and professional development practices that will increase student achievement.”
Chalkboard Project
“We are asking individuals to go beyond the fact by fact, piece by piece examination of our environment and begin to understand and think in terms of systems bound together. We are asking individuals to develop a sophisticated set of skills that allow them to solve novel environmental problem and determine the best set of actions.”
Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning PreK-12, North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
World Forestry Center International Educators Institute
Course Objectives
1. Visit a cross section of public and private forest sites and communities in the Pacific Northwest as participatory case studies to examine the social, economic and environmental complexities of forest protection and sustainable development around the world.
2. Engage in active outdoor learning experiences to increase awareness and enrich personal content knowledge about the diverse interrelationships between forests and humans.
3. Model, share, and discuss a broad spectrum of best practices in conservation education which can be used to advance effective teaching and learning about the world’s forests and related topics.
4. Explore potential leadership opportunities for personal and professional development.
5. Focus on meaningful, take-home outcomes which combine collaborative action, new resources, and support provided by colleagues and friends around the world.
Outcomes and Documentation
IEI is a non-credit professional development course and all participants will receive a signed certificate of completion. College and university credits as well as continuing professional education credits or hours can be arranged in advance with the institution of your choice. Staff can provide program documentation as necessary.
All participants will receive the 2013 IEI Global Connections Handbook which includes summaries of daily content, best practices and leadership activities, benchmarking exercises, worksheets and personal journal pages, In addition, participant information, forest profiles, project summaries, and updated alumni directory are published each year in advance of the course.
All participants will also receive the Global Connections: Forests of the World curriculum guide and related web-based resources developed by the World Forestry Center.
Leadership Team
Gary Hartshorn, PhD is president and CEO of the World Forestry Center. He is an adjunct professor of the practice of tropical ecology in the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment; in the Oregon State University College of Forestry he is an adjunct professor of tropical forestry. Gary is particularly interested in promoting the sustainable use of forests.
Rick Zenn is an award-winning educator with more than 30 years professional experience as a naturalist, teacher, program manager, trainer, consultant and non-profit leader. He is Senior Fellow at the World Forest Institute and he directs the state, national, and international education and outreach initiatives at the World Forestry Center focusing on partnerships, training, and institutional development. He has directed IEI since 1996.
Chandalin Bennett is the International Fellowship Manager at the World Forest Institute. She supervises a wide range of forest sector research projects and leads regional tours and seminars for visiting professionals. She has broad-based background in forestry and forest health issues in the West.

World Forestry Center International Educators Institute
Planning For Success: Important Information
The World Forestry Center International Educators Institute (IEI) is an intensive, seven day (7), six night (6) residential professional development program operating continuously Sunday to Saturday.
Participants are expected to fully participate in the program from approximately 8 AM – 8 PM with breaks for meals, rest and social time.
All participants must have the ability to travel outdoors for extended periods, sometime in challenging conditions. Facilities we visit are generally handicap accessible, but stairs, roads, and trails with uneven surfaces are common in the field. Please contact staff to discuss any health, medical, or other limitations which may impact your ability to fully participate in the program.
In advance of the course, all participants are expected to submit information about their work and projects, as well as a simple “forest profile” slide show for their country or state. This information will be published and distributed to all participants in hard copy and as electronic file.
IEI based in a beautiful, safe, rural setting away the city. Shopping and access to travel supplies is limited. Gifts, post cards, T-shirts, maps, educational materials and some personal items are available at many sites throughout the week.
Wireless internet and cell phone service are available at Menucha.
Each day we travel together via deluxe motor coach to field sites in Washington and Oregon. We return to Menucha each evening. There is no need to re-pack luggage each day during the course.
Modern and clean restroom (WC) facilities are generally available throughout the day.
Overnight accommodations are modern, shared rooms (2 adults) with private baths. Bedding and towels are provided.
Full breakfast is served each morning and the lunch meal is served “picnic style” in the field. Dinner is provided in the early evening often in a more formal, sit-down venue. Some meals are provided by our hosts in the field. Assorted beverages and healthy snacks are available throughout the day.
Average daily temperature should be a comfortable 70-80 F (20-25 C) with possibility of light rain and fog. Due to mountain conditions at 2,000-4000 feet above sea level (600-1200 meters), daily temperatures can range widely from 40-100 F (5-38 C). We may see snow in a few high elevation locations. Having access to a range of appropriate and comfortable clothing options for the duration of the course is necessary. A suggested clothing and equipment list will be provided.
The risk of insects, poisonous snakes, bears and other natural threats are minimal here.
Participants are encouraged to arrive in Portland to rest and acclimate a day before IEI starts or after the course for additional sightseeing and shopping. Staff can assist with trip planning and making local contacts for an extended stay.
World Forestry Center International Educators Institute
July 7-13, 2013
Portland, Oregon – USA
Download Color Brochure
Download IEI Application
Contact Us
Rick Zenn, Senior Fellow,
World Forestry Center
4033 SW Canyon Road
Portland, OR 97221 US
Direct Telephone: 503-488-2103 (9 AM - 5 PM Pacific Time)
rzenn@worldforestry.org

IEI Alumni 1996-2012
Maya Adra, Lebanon – 2012
Ina Ahern, USA New Hampshire - 2009
Josh Ahmann, USA, Oregon - 1998
Tina Aldinger, Germany - 2008
Osama Aljoabeh, Palestine - 2007
Mark Allhands, USA, Oregon - 1996,1997,1998
Thobayet Alshahrani, Saudi Arabia – 2012
Cristina Alves, Brazil – 2012
Harold Anderson, USA, Mississippi – 2012
Penny Arentsen, USA, Oregon - 2007
Kwangho Baek, Korea – 2011
Sue Baker, Tasmania - 2010
Luke Balcombe, Australia - 2002
Monica Ball, USA, Arkansas – 2010
Eduardo Barbosa, Brazil - 1997
Wanda Barrs, USA, Georgia - 1996
Rob Beadel, USA, Arkansas - 2011
Chandalin Bennett, USA, Oregon – 2010, 2011, 2012
Marie Belfast, USA, California - 1997
Joyce Bender, USA, Kentuchy - 1998
Christy Bianchini, Costa Rica - 2009
Bjorn Helge Bjornstad, Norway - 2004
Anne Bohnet, USA, South Carolina – 2006
Maggie Arrington Bonds, USA, Texas - 2002
Lu Boren, USA, Colorado – 2012
Eugene Bormann, USA, South Dakota – 1998
Carlos Alberto Cano Bracamontes, Mexico - 2010
Patty Breece, USA, Colorado – 1998
Kati Brueckner, Germany - 2009
Mariane Bueno de Camargo, Brazil - 2008
Vanessa Bullwinkle, USA, Washington DC - 2008
Melinda Burbank, USA, Connecticut - 2005
Heidi Campbell, USA, Arkansas - 2008
Paulina Canales, Chile - 1996
Mary Carr, USA, Washington - 2011
Linda Carson, USA, New Hampshire - 2004
Carolina Cavedon, Brazil/USA, Oregon - 2008
Tiong Hock Chai, Malaysia - 1998
Jim Chandler, USA, Maine - 2007
Marianne Chang, USA, California 1998
Xiaoqian Chen, China – 2011
Ju Chou, Taiwan -2012
Alison Coe, USA, China - 1997
Katie Collins, Australia - 1999
Melanie Cornelius, USA, Texas - 2007
Joy Cowart, USA, Georgia - 2010
Susan Cox, USA, New Hampshire - 2011
Harriet Crawford, USA, New Mexico - 2005
Kathy Creech Felder, USA, South Carolina - 2003
Sue Cummings, USA, Washington DC - 2008
Mary Cutler, USA, Indiana - 2005
Jesus Delgado, Brazil - 2005
Linda Desai, USA, California - 2005
Lucy Diggins-Wold, USA, Wyoming - 2009
Angie DiSalvo, USA, Oregon – 2002-2009
Caroline Dixon, USA, Washington DC - 2005
Guy Patrice Dkamela, Cameroon - 2009
Michele Docy, USA, Oregon - 2002
Paul Dolan, USA, Rhode Island - 1998
Paul Donaldson, Australia - 2004
Ke Dong, China/USA, Oregon - 2010
Ed Donovan, USA, South Carolina - 1999
Dennis Dykstra, USA, Oregon - 1999
David Eburne, Canada - 1997
Jody Einerson, USA, Oregon - 2011
Wong Ling Eiong, Malaysia - 1998
Ridrigo Gonzalez Escobar, Mexico - 2011
Bianca Eskelson, Germany/USA, Washington - 2008
Catherine Estes, USA, Virginia - 2004
Sherry Evans, USA, Oregon - 2009
Rosa Flores, Chile - 2005
Ana Lucia Fonseca, Mexico/USA – 2008
Marguerite Forest, USA, Florida – 2012
Debbie Frankel, USA, Oregon - 2002
Valeria Freixedas, Brazil - 2006
Wendy Fulmer, USA, New Hampshire - 2003
Melissa Fung, USA, Oregon - 2004
Indroneil Ganguly, India/USA Washington - 2008
John Gardner, Ireland -1998
Bonny Glendenning, USA, Oregon - 2011
Caroline Gonzales, USA, California - 2005
Gabriela González-Olimón, Mexico - 2010
Sandy Greene, USA, Virginia - 2004
Chuck Gresham, USA, South Carolina - 2011
Sandy Gresham, USA, South Carolina - 2011
Hamish Gunn, New Zealand – 2004
Cristian Gutierrez, Bolivia – 2012
John Guyton, USA, Mississippi - 2003
Sam Hagglund, USA, Oregon - 2010
David Hamilton, Tasmania - 2005
Stacy Hanlon, USA, Colorado 1999
Christy Wuertz Hardy, USA, Washington - 1998
Casey Harris, USA, Texas - 1999
Reeda Hart, USA, Kentucky - 2010
Ron Hellstern, USA, Utah - 1997
Roslyn Henricks, Australia/USA, Washington - 2009
Brianna Henry, USA, Oregon - 1999
Guann-Lin (Lynn) Her, Taiwan - 2002
Peggy Herbert, USA, New Hampshire - 2005
Patricia Hernández de la Rosa, Mexico - 2006
Sheryl Holliday, USA, Lousiana - 2007
Erin Walsh Hollingsworth, USA, New Hampshire – 2008
Amber Horn, USA, Oregon - 2008
Trish Horner, Australia - 1999
Ning Hou, China - 2011
Frances Howard, USA, Texas - 1997
Michelle Hunter, USA, Florida - 2007
Kris Irwin, USA, Georgia - 2002, 2003
Eiichi Ishino, Japan - 1998
Nobutaka Isoda, Japan - 2002
Rodney Ivey, USA, Florida - 1996
Kerry Jantz, Canada - 1996
Peter Karsono, Indonesia - 1996
Elizabeth Kent, USA, Alaska - 2008
Cindy Kilpatrick, USA, Lousiana - 2011
Jorn Kjersheim, Norway - 2006
Masahito Kobayashi, Japan - 1998
Vijay Kolinjivadi, India/USA - 2010
Kurtis Koll, USA, Oklahoma - 2010
Larry Kowalski, USA, South Carolina – 2005
Eric Awuah Kyei, Ghana – 2012
Phil Lacy, Australia - 2003
Lori La Marche, USA, Oregon - 2009
Claudia Leyva Aguilera, Mexico – 2008
Zitian Li, China/Canada – 2012
Elena Lien, USA, Washington DC - 2009
Jiunn-Cheng (David) Lin, Taiwan - 2004
Yu-Jen Lin, Taiwan - 2009
Chiung-Pin (Bonnie) Liu, Taiwan - 2002
Ling-Yu (Nancy) Liu, Taiwan - 2004
Alex Lokopio, Solomon Islands - 1997
Bea Long, USA,Texas - 2010
I-Chun Lu, Taiwan - 2010
Gail Lutowski, USA, Georgia -2007
Zengwang Ma, China - 2007
Teresa Cristina Magro, Brazil - 1997, 1998
Ali Malekghasemi, Iran/USA, Oregon – 2012
Rob Marohn, USA, Minnisota 2008
Derenda Marshall, USA, South Carolina - 2004
Ralph Martin, USA, Ohio - 1997
Sueli Sato Martins, Brazil - 1999
Milan Mataruga, Bosnia-Herzegovina - 2009
Salomon Matchoudo, Benin - 2009
Leon Mays, USA, Florida - 2005
James McGirt, USA, Washington DC – 2012
Becky McNeely, USA, Mississippi -1997
Mark Medland, Canada – 1997
Tendayi Mhlanga, Zimbabwe – 2012
Guanping Miao, China - 2011
Cheryl Miller, USA, Arizona - 2010
Nerijus Miskinis, Lithuania/USA - 2007
Dennis Mitchell, USA, California - 1999
Shimboku Miyakawa, Japan – 1999
Brooke Mohr, USA, Florida – 2012
Knut Monssen, Norway - 2005
Richard Moorer, USA, Virginia - 1998
Aline Moreira, Brazil/UK - 2009
Susan Morre, USA, Oregon – 2007
Mikkel Nielsen, Denmark – 2004
Richard O’Hanlon, Ireland – 2012
Kathryn Overton, Australia - 2007
Cristopher Lopez Paniagua, Mexico - 2007
Nancy Peterson, USA, Florida – 2012
Rob Pierce, USA, Oregon - 2008
Matthew Pope, Australia - 2007
Jagdish Poudel, Nepal – 2010
Dick Powell, USA, Oregon – 2012
Margaret Price, USA, Oregon - 1998
Florence Pwele, Malwawi - 2010
Larry Rand, USA, New York - 1999
Amber Reese, USA, Oregon - 1998, 1999
Jennifer Richardson, USA, Arkansas – 2012
Roy Roe, New Zealand - 1997
Gabriel Salako, Nigeria - 2011
Arja Salminen, Finland - 1997
Tim Sanders, Australia - 2011
Adi Sasongko, Indonesia - 1998
Hazel Scharosch, USA, Wyoming - 2007
Tony Scherl, Australia – 2004, 2005
Alyssa Schultheis, USA, Pennsylvania - 2009
Vivienne Seedman, Australia - 1998
Elyne Semenoff, New Zealand - 2006
Vera Serrão, Portugal - 2010
Colleen Sexton, USA, Illinois – 1998
Hwa-guang Shang, Taiwan - 2012
Khurram Sheikh, Pakistan/Canada - 2011
Gui Shen, China - 2009
Twyla Sherman, USA, Kansas - 1996
Jerry Shrum, USA, South Carolina - 2010
Carlos Sierra, Columbia - 2007
Fedor Sigida, Russian Federation - 1997
Eva Skytte, Denmark - 2007
Anita Smith, USA, Maine - 2002
Cristina Solis, USA, California - 2010
Chang-sok Song, Korea - 1999
Belinda Spears Hester, USA, North Carolina -1997
Jaclyn Stallard, USA, Washington DC - 2009
Kelly Stanley, USA, Washington - 2011
Chris Stanton, USA, Oregon - 2010
Diane Steltz, USA, North Carolina - 1998
Janis Stewart, USA, Alabama - 2004
Michael Sullivan, USA, Indiana - 1999
Galina Suvorova, Russian Federation - 2006
Patrice Taah Ngalla, Cameroon - 2005
Daisuke Tajima, Japan - 2010
Deepak Tamang, Nepal – 2008, 2009
Robert Taylor, USA, Maine - 2011
Jane Thornes, USA, Idaho – 2006
Denise Trufan, USA, South Carolina - 2009
John Turland, New Zealand/USA - 2006 (WFI Fellow)
Arlaine Tyler, USA, California - 1996
Cecilia Valmores, Philippines - 2010
Peggy Vaughn, USA, Colorado - 2003
Miljan Velojic, Serbia - 2009
Darcy Vickers, Tasmania - 2005
Gabriela Valeria Villavicencio, Mexico - 2009
Arvin Vista, Philippines - 2008
Jon Vogel, USA, Oregon - 2009
Debra Wagner, USA, Florida - 2010
Jasjit Walia, India - 2006
Rajni Walia, India - 2006
Sally Wall, USA, Texas - 2002
Lanhui Wang, China - 2009
Pei-jung Wang, Taiwan - 2006
Xiaoli Wang, China - 2005
Ron Ward, USA, South Carolina - 2008
Susan Ward, USA, South Carolina - 2008
Fred Wiechmann, USA, Florida – 2004
Lynn Wilson, USA, Georgia – 1999
Bill Wood, USA, Oregon - 2002-2008
Chia-Chen Wu, Taiwan - 2011
Cherie Wyatt, USA, Colorado - 2008
Jialu Xie, China - 2004
Shouxin Xie, China - 2009
Min-Chung (Galy) Yang, Taiwan - 2003
Ghazala Yasmeen, Pakistan/USA, - 2011
Cindy Ybos, USA, Lousiana - 1997
Carlos Yruretagoyena, Mexico – 2002, 2006, 2008
Hehe Zhang, China - 2006
Min Zhao, China - 2008