Dear SFI Program Participants, SIC Chairs and Coordinators, and SFI External Review Panel:
It is with great pleasure that I am sharing news about a big development in the SFI program. Pending final arrangement of legal and administrative details, the Project Learning Tree program will be transferred from the American Forest Foundation (AFF) to SFI Inc. this summer. Project Learning Tree (PLT) is a highly regarded program to advance environmental education through the lens of sustainable forestry geared to educators who teach PreKindergarten through to Grade 12 students. SFI Inc. has long been a supporter of the PLT program and for many years has enthusiastically provided support to PLT directly and through our SFI Implementation Committees (SICs).
As you know, SFI is a sustainability organization that is dedicated to the future of our forests, which includes educating the next generation to care about environmental issues and the responsible management of resources. SFI’s community engagement is carried out in many ways, including through our SICs, through our Community Partnerships grantprogram, and through direct support of community and education groups such as PLT, Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts of America, and others. A key component of SFI’s community engagement is educating youth, to ensure they can be effective future leaders and have a strong understanding of the value of responsibly managed forests. Bringing the PLT program into the SFI program offers an exciting opportunity to strengthen SFI’s youth education mission and to deliver future success of the PLT program.
The AFF Board voted unanimously on May 30 to approve the transfer of the PLT program from AFF to SFI. The program transfer will be accompanied by funding from AFF to ensure financial support for five years, to offset the annual program deficit. SFI will also initiate a fundraising program to ensure the success of the program beyond those five years. The SFI Board has approved this transfer, pending final arrangement of legal and administrative details, which are expected to be finalized in July… Best regards,…Kathy Abusow, President & CEO, Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.
