Educators take to the woods during the 2025 Forests of Maine Teachers’ Tours

Pete Johnson leads a tour through his Tree Farm.

The Maine TREE Foundation is proud to announce the completion of the 2025 Forests of Maine Teachers' Tours season. Since 1997, Maine TREE has taken educators into the heart of Maine’s forests for unique, week-long professional development experiences. This valuable program immerses Maine teachers in the state's vibrant forest industry, giving them firsthand insights into sustainable forest management, the diverse ecosystems within Maine's forests, and the economic and environmental importance of this crucial natural resource.

The Forests of Maine Teachers' Tours are a key part of the Maine TREE Foundation's mission to educate and advocate for the sustainable use of Maine's forests and the ecological, economic, and social health of the state’s forest community. By connecting educators directly with the people and practices behind Maine's working forests, the program empowers them to bring relevant, real-world examples and a deeper understanding of forestry into their classrooms, inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards and forest-based professionals.

“The Forests of Maine Teachers' Tours are more than just a professional development workshop—they are an investment in the future of our state's forests and the next generation of forest stewards. Directly connecting dedicated Maine educators with the professionals who proudly work in these woods every day, we are building a bridge between the classroom and the landscape. Our goal is to empower teachers with the knowledge and firsthand experience to help them bring the forest to life for their students, and to foster a deep appreciation and understanding of Maine's most important resource for the benefit of all Maine students.” - Logan Johnson, Maine TREE Executive Director.

Educators toured a variety of managed woodlands.

This year, the tours focused on the forest landscapes and management practices in the Downeast Lakes Region and the Rangeley Lakes Region of Maine. The 2025 tours gave participants unique opportunities to visit active harvesting sites, learn about silviculture, explore various wood products manufacturing facilities, and engage with foresters, loggers, landowners, and other forest industry professionals. They benefited from peer-to-peer learning through guided discussions on how to apply what they learned on the tour in their classrooms.

“Being new to Maine, I learned so much about the how and why of forestry. Learning this background knowledge will help me bring this information back to my classroom in a meaningful way.” - 2025 Forests of Maine Teachers’ Tour Participant

The Maine TREE Foundation sincerely thanks the distinguished underwriters of the 2025 Forests of Maine Teachers' Tours, whose generous contributions are vital to the program's success: Weyerhaeuser, Seven Islands Land Company, Baskahegan Company, Hammond Lumber Company, and Hancock Lumber. Their support shows a strong commitment to educating future leaders about the importance of sustainable resources and ensuring the program is accessible for all educators. The generous backing this program has received from over twenty additional sponsors reflects a shared vision for educating Maine's youth about the critical role forests play in the state's economy, ecology, and cultural heritage. 

Your support can help ensure the continued success of the Forests of Maine Teachers’ Tours for years to come; visit www.MaineTREE.org/donate to contribute today!

Educators interested in learning more about forest-based education are encouraged to visit www.MaineTREE.org/teachers-tours and explore the recently published 2025 Forests of Maine Teachers’ Tour Story Map (arcg.is/arKWC)