Forest Use and Management Education for the Community
The Family Forestry Expo is an annual, week long event that offers hands-on exposure to the role forests play in our everyday lives. The yearly event takes place through the dedicated involvement of over 20 diverse organizations such as local service clubs, forest industry, government natural resource agencies, conservation groups, professional societies, local businesses, many interested individuals and numerous local donations.
Come spend the day or a few hours and explore how the different parts of a forest are connected to make up a dynamic living system; and how people and all parts of the environment are dependent on one another. Natural resource managers and specialists are on site to provide information on a wide-range of forestry and forest management topics.
This year the Family Forestry Expo is scheduled for May 2 through May 7 and recognizes the International Year of Forests with the theme, "Celebrating Forests for People." The fifth grade student portion of the event is held May 2 through May 6. On Saturday, May 7 families are invited to share in expo activities from 9am to 4pm at the Trumbell Creek Educational Forest, located about two miles north of the junction of US Highway 2 and Montana Highway 40, just west of Columbia Falls, Montana.
Family Forestry Expo for Area Students and Families
Last year, over 1,200 fifth grade students in 53 classes attended the Monday through Friday portion of Expo XXI and about 800 adults and families attended the weekend event. The weekday program includes a wide range of topics including archeology, fisheries, plant identification, forest management, wildlife, riparian areas, low impact camping, fire, mill tour and 'tread lightly' mountain bike demonstration. On the weekend families enjoy a 'free loggers lunch' from 11:30am to 1pm, grandstand shows at 10:30am and 1pm that include logging equipment demonstrations, a show by the Flathead Valley Community College Logging Sports Team and Forest Service mule packing demonstration; plus there are exhibits and educational stations along a forest path.
Look for the photos of these many activities in the pages of our web site.
FFE Forest Education Schedule
If you missed last year's Expo you are invited to share the experience with us through the pages of this web site. Pictures and student work from the 2010 FFE were added to this site and should give you a preview of the 2011 activities.