World Forestry Center facts for kids
Forestry Center Main building
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| Established | 1964 (organization); 1971 (facility) |
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| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Type | private: forestry |
| Public transit access | TriMet MAX light rail (Washington Park station) and bus lines 63, 83 |
The World Forestry Center is a cool place in Portland, Oregon that teaches people all about forests and trees. It's a non-profit, which means it's not trying to make money, but rather to educate. You can find it near the Oregon Zoo in Washington Park. It started in 1964 as the Western Forestry Center, and its main building opened in 1971.
Contents
History of the Center
The World Forestry Center's story began with a huge log cabin built for the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. This amazing building was made from giant native trees. People said it was the biggest log cabin in the world!
This special Forestry Building became very popular. It was given to the State of Oregon. Sadly, it was destroyed by a fire on August 17, 1964.
Right after the fire, a group of leaders decided to build a new center. They called it The Western Forestry Center. A new, safer building was designed by architect John Storrs. It was built in Washington Park and opened on June 5, 1971.
On June 30, 2005, the museum got a big update. After a 6-month renovation, the 20,000 square foot museum reopened. It now has new exhibits about how we can keep forests healthy and sustainable around the world.
What the Center Does
The World Forestry Center wants to teach everyone about forests and trees. Their goal is to show how important trees are for all life. They want to help create a balanced and sustainable future for our planet.
The center does this through three main programs:
- The Discovery Museum
- Two working forests: the Magness Memorial Tree Farm and the Johnson-Swanson Tree Farm
- The World Forest Institute
The World Forest Institute
In 1989, the World Forestry Center started the World Forest Institute. This was to help share information about forests globally. As managing forests becomes more complex, countries need to work together. They share ideas on forest trade, rules, and how to manage forest resources.
The institute was created thanks to Harry A. Merlo. He was a leader in the forest products industry. He also saw early on how important it would be for forestry to connect worldwide.
International Fellowship Program
The main program at the World Forest Institute is the International Fellowship Program. This program brings young forest experts from all over the world to Portland. They work at the institute for 6 to 12 months.
These experts, called Fellows, often get support from their jobs or governments. They work on research projects that help their home countries. Besides their projects, they learn a lot about how natural resources are managed in the U.S. This helps them understand different ways to care for forests when they go back home.
In 2012, the institute won an award for helping connect Oregon with the world.
The World Forestry Center campus has other buildings too. These include Julian N. Cheatham Hall, Harold A. Miller Hall, and Harry A. Merlo Hall. Harry A. Merlo Hall is where the main offices and the World Forest Institute are located.
Leadership Hall of Fame
The Leadership Hall of Fame celebrates people who have done great things for forestry. You can see photos and stories of almost 200 forestry leaders here. Their displays are in special chests made from beautiful Black Walnut wood.
Visiting the Center
If you drive, parking at the World Forestry Center costs $2 per hour, up to $8 for a whole day. You can also get there using public transportation. The Washington Park light rail station is very close. The TriMet bus route 63-Washington Park also stops at the center every day.
See also
- Montgomery Park (Portland, Oregon), a famous building near the original Forestry Building.
- Vaughn Street Park, a baseball stadium that was also next to the original Forestry Building.
