Sponsors and

Steering Committee

Sponsors:

Virginia Department of Forestry: The mission of the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) is to protect and develop healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians. VDOF envisions a healthy, abundant forest resource providing economic and environmental benefits to the Commonwealth on a sustained basis. VDOF also envisions the economic benefits of forest industry to be in balance with the environmental values of the forest resource.

As a Sponsor the VDOF employs the State PLT Coordinator on a half time basis.

Virginia Forestry Association: The Virginia Forestry Association (VFA), a not-for-profit, privately supported organization, has the mission of representing Virginia's diverse forestry community and promoting the sustainable use and conservation of forest resources to ensure their long term social benefits for all Virginians. They are committed to representing the interests of the forestry community as a whole, with the vision of being a unifying voice for Virginia's forestry community.

The VFA provides administrative support to Virginia PLT including managing the funds provided by the VFEF (Virginia Forestry Educational Foundation) and other grant funding.

Virginia SFI Implementation Committee: In Virginia, the SFI® Program is managed by the SFI Implementation Committee (SIC). As major producers of forest products in Virginia, the companies represented on the SIC are committed to supporting various programs aligning with SFI values, to ensure that SFI Standards are applied on their own lands, and to promote sustainable forestry throughout the Commonwealth. This ensures that sustainable forestry principles are followed on the vast majority of timber harvest sites in Virginia.

The SFI SIC supports PLT through grant funding to provide training for educators and materials for programs.

Virginia SFI Implementation Committee: In Virginia, the SFI® Program is managed by the SFI Implementation Committee (SIC). As major producers of forest products in Virginia, the companies represented on the SIC are committed to supporting various programs aligning with SFI values, to ensure that SFI Standards are applied on their own lands, and to promote sustainable forestry throughout the Commonwealth. This ensures that sustainable forestry principles are followed on the vast majority of timber harvest sites in Virginia.

The SFI SIC supports PLT through grant funding to provide training for educators and materials for programs.

Virginia SFI Implementation Committee: In Virginia, the SFI® Program is managed by the SFI Implementation Committee (SIC). As major producers of forest products in Virginia, the companies represented on the SIC are committed to supporting various programs aligning with SFI values, to ensure that SFI Standards are applied on their own lands, and to promote sustainable forestry throughout the Commonwealth. This ensures that sustainable forestry principles are followed on the vast majority of timber harvest sites in Virginia.

The SFI SIC supports PLT through grant funding to provide training for educators and materials for programs.

Virginia SFI Implementation Committee: In Virginia, the SFI® Program is managed by the SFI Implementation Committee (SIC). As major producers of forest products in Virginia, the companies represented on the SIC are committed to supporting various programs aligning with SFI values, to ensure that SFI Standards are applied on their own lands, and to promote sustainable forestry throughout the Commonwealth. This ensures that sustainable forestry principles are followed on the vast majority of timber harvest sites in Virginia.

The SFI SIC supports PLT through grant funding to provide training for educators and materials for programs.

Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment: Virginia Tech supports VA PLT with special projects and activities.


Virginia Forestry Educational Foundation: The mission of the Virginia Forestry Educational Foundation (VFEF) is to financially support state wide youth education promoting sustainable forests for the environmental, social, and economic benefit of all Virginians.

The VFEF annually provides a majority of the funding to support Virginia PLT programming.

Steering Committee:

The VA PLT Steering Committee provides guidance for the state PLT program by ensuring sufficient funding, strategic planning, evaluating program effectiveness, and planning for the future to sustain PLT’s ongoing success.

The Steering Committee is composed of the following members:

  • Neil Clark, Unit Coordinator and Extension Forester, Virginia Cooperative Extension

  • Matt Dowdy, Forestry Consultant, Dowdy’s Forest & Land Management, LLC

  • Tarneshia Evans, Recreation Services Program Specialist, City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities and 2016 VA PLT and National 2017 PLT Outstanding Educator

  • Kara Lewallen, Environmental Science & Ecology Teacher, Virtual Virginia

  • Anne Mannarino, Project Director, Martinson Math & Science Center, Regent University and 2015 VA PLT and national PLT Outstanding Educator

  • Christen Miller, Visitor Experience Manager, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

  • Emily Neuburg, Forester, International Paper, Franklin Mill

  • Kathleen Ogilvy, Forester for Virginia Department of Forestry and 2017 VA PLT Outstanding Educator

  • Ellen Powell, Conservation Education Coordinator for Virginia Department of Forestry

  • Patricia Stohr-Hunt, Chair, Education Department, Assistant Professor and Math and Science Education Specialist, University of Richmond and 2019 VA PLT Outstanding Educator

  • Anne Taylor, Membership and Communications Coordinator, Virginia Forestry Association

  • Myra Thayer, Science Instruction Specialist, Virginia Department of Education

  • Eric Wiseman, Associate Professor and Virginia Big Tree Program Coordinator, Virginia Tech