Forests Today & Forever promotes forest stewardship through education. We seek to connect people to Oregon’s forests, and instill an appreciation and understanding of forest management and their social, environmental, and economic benefits. Many of our programs are experiential and take place in working forests.

The Lane GLOBE Program was established in 2013 as a US GLOBE partnership to facilitate the use of environmental education materials at Lane Community College's science programs, county-wide educators, preservice teachers in teacher training programs, citizen science applications, and informal science education settings. GLOBE's materials are available completely free of charge, and help students develop a global understanding of environmental literacy. It was heavily involved in the creation of the national Environmental Literacy Framework document several years ago. Scientific data collected by national and international organizations are collected and disseminated by GLOBE. School and other entities' collected data (by students and others) are collected in a central database, and have been since the program's inception. In the United States, the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) support the program. The US State Department facilitates international involvement.

GLOBE was established in 1995 and is now in its 25 year. It is used in over 120 countries around the world, and in the United States is supported from our US partnership coordinator Jennifer Bougeault in New Hampshire, and distributed partners across the country. Partnerships must be actively engaged in community, school-based, or other education programming related to environmental sciences. An Earth System Science approach is used in which 4 Earth spheres may be explored - the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and pedosphere (soils). The partnership is led by the LCC Science Dean, Dr. Paul Ruscher, a GLOBE Master Trainer, Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, and Climate Science Fellow of the Knight School of Science Communication (at Michigan State U) and Society of Environmental Journalists. He developed many of the atmosphere protocols and collaborated in many others while actively engaged in development of scientific protocols and learning activities. Since 2000, he has been a lead partner, in Florida from 2000-2012, and here in Oregon since 2013, and has trained many of the GLOBE science protocols and learning activities in local, national, and international forums.

The present COVID-19 pandemic and limitations on educational activities have presented an opportunity to engage with local educators to help them provide learning resources for their students and participants in outdoor and information science education experiences. Collaboration tools are available for GLOBE-trained educators including the ability for students to publish their research and participate in virtual science symposia, international measurement campaigns, and many other activities. GLOBE scientists can be contacted directly and materials are available in many different languages. GLOBE has to smartphone/tablet apps that facilitate Citizen Science measurements as well as a comprehensive data collection app that works remotely and easily.

LCC, working with the Lane Education Service District has just created a series of three modules to get our small group started in exploring opportunities "presented" by COVID, and in particular how we can explore using GLOBE materials to enhance education on water in the Earth system. Further information is available at http://www.lanecc.edu/science/globe/, and recordings will be made available to those who may be interested. We will strive to offer monthly small series of trainings that also leverage the work that GLOBE has done to provide e•training via its web site (http://www.globe.gov/). These trainings will be announced via our partnership listserv and on our web site and the GLOBE web site.

Marion SWCD is a local unit of government that manages natural resource programs at the local level.  Our mission is to protect, conserve and improve the quality of soil and water in Marion County through planning, technical assistance and education. 

As the largest conservation organization in the United States, the National Wildlife Federation works to protect and restore wildlife habitat, win on key conservation campaigns, and inspire kids and families to connect with nature. The Federation collaborates with partners such as state agencies, conservation groups, educators, and the Oregon state affiliate, the Association of Northwest Steelheaders. Together, with Ranger Rick – Guardian of the Wild and ambassador of the award-winning children’s magazine – the Federation’s mission is "Uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

School and community education programming in Oregon includes the Garden for Wildlife program (Certified Wildlife Habitats) and Schoolyard Habitats; Eco-Schools USA K-12 green school programming and educator trainings in partnership with Oregon Green Schools; and salmon education and fishing opportunities through the Association of Northwest Steelheaders and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.