Our monthly Member Spotlight highlights a member working diligently to foster equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces in our region. This month, we are highlighting World Forestry Center.
For over half a century, World Forestry Center has worked at the intersection of people and forests. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and inspiring champions of sustainable forestry, we offer experiences that inspire people to value and support the economic, ecological, and social benefits of forests. While there are many organizations focused on forests, WFC is unique in that we are a social change organization engaging both public and professional audiences through a variety of programs and utilizing our campus as an event venue for the community. Our Discovery Museum is open to the public Wednesday – Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm.
– Non-Profit Venue Grant: This is our fourth year offering two free venue rentals to local non-profits to increase equitable access and grow new partnerships between community organizations and WFC. We are accepting 2025 grant applications between January 13 – March 14. Learn more here.
– Rotating Art Gallery: By focusing on the heart, we’ve brought in a new approach and welcomed new audiences to the forestry conversation. Our current exhibit, Following Fire: A Resilient Forest/An Uncertain Future, is currently on display on the second floor of the Discovery Museum through March. It explores the aftermath of the Holiday Farm Fire in 2020 through a photographic and ecologic lens.
– Community Focus Groups: We are testing new exhibit content and inviting the community to help us refine our messaging. We hosted half a dozen focus groups in December and plan to host several more in early 2025, with a focus on non-English speakers and underrepresented communities.
– Forest Pubs at McMenamins Mission Theater: We are excited to announce our new program in the community, Forest Pubs. We’ve partnered with McMenamins to host a monthly program focused on all things forests, from ecology to social to history and beyond. We plan to partner with a new organization for each month to offer a diverse and unique schedule. Please join us for our first one on February 10 at 7 pm, focused on Indigenous Land Management in the Willamette Valley.
As a Partner in Diversity member, WFC has enjoyed attending member gatherings and has utilized the job board as we continue to expand our team. We are excited to work closely with Partners in Diversity and other organizations throughout the year. We invite non-profits to apply for the venue grant and for all to join us at our first Forest Pub night on February 10, tickets to come soon.
