AUGUSTA – The Maine Timber Research and Environmental Education Foundation’s (Maine TREE) annual Maine Forest Teacher Tours kicked off Tuesday, July 12 in the mountains of western Maine. Now in its 25th year, the nationally acclaimed tours, which other states have since emulated, is a four-day professional development program for Maine educators to experience and learn about Maine’s forests. Two tours will take place in 2022, July 12-15 based in Carrabassett Valley and July 26-29 based in Bethel.

Headlining the list of supporters, major underwriters for the 2022 Maine Forest Teachers Tours are Farm Credit East, Seven Islands Land Company, Stratton Lumber, Inc. and Hancock Lumber. Farm Credit East is part of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide agricultural network providing credit and affiliate services to agriculture and related industries across the United States. Founded in 1964 in Bangor, Maine, Seven Islands Land Company manages the Pingree family forest lands in northern and western Maine. Stratton Lumber is a state-of-the-art spruce/fir sawmill in Stratton. Hancock Lumber operates high-performance sawmills, lumberyards, component manufacturing facilities and full-service kitchen design showrooms.

During this immersive experience, educators from across the state will join Maine TREE staff and volunteers to learn forest-based activities for students of all ages and methods of growing, harvesting and processing forest products. Each tour includes stops where foresters, loggers, and other professionals share their process and experience working in the Maine woods. Additionally, tour participants based in the Carrabassett Valley will visit the Stratton Lumber Company plant, and tour participants based in Bethel will visit a Hancock Lumber plant.

“The Maine TREE team is incredibly excited about this year’s tour to connect educators with resources that will promote forest-based education in the classroom. This immersive experience allows us to illustrate the importance of the economic, ecological and social health of Maine’s forest communities, a key element of our mission. We are proud to have the support of Farm Credit East, Seven Islands Land Company, Hancock Lumber and Stratton Lumber, Inc. as underwriters for this year’s program. We are also grateful to all of our sponsors and supporters who help make this annual program possible,” said Maine TREE Executive Director Logan Johnson.

Founded in 1989, Maine TREE’s mission is to educate and advocate for sustainable forest use and the ecological, economic, and social health of Maine’s forest community. Maine TREE provides professional development training for educators through the Maine Project Learning Tree and Forests of Maine’s Teachers’ Tours to expand forest education opportunities in Maine classrooms.

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