FIT-Focus: 2025 Fall Sessions

 FIT currently offers three 3-day FIT-Focus sessions at forested sites across Northern California. FIT-Focus offers valuable opportunities for both graduates of the core FIT program and educators new to FIT to deep-dive into special topics related to forestry and environmental education. Over the course of a weekend (Friday-Sunday) participants interact with experts and instructors in the field and receive support to develop a “mini” FIT curriculum project. Whether you’re building on the foundational learning from a week-long FIT summer session, or engaging with FIT for the first time, these sessions offer all educators a chance to connect with the FIT community and further their forestry learning.

  • Oct. 10 — 12:00 pm move-in, 2:00 pm program start
    Oct. 12 — 1:00 pm program end
    Session offers 19 hours of PD instruction

    The Nevada FIT-Focus session is hosted at Shady Creek Outdoor School & Event Center in Nevada City, situated in the Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest. Made possible through partnership with Sutter County Superintendent of Schools, FIT is proud to offer this new session.

    Get familiar with the tools, techniques and metrics that foresters employ to assess forests and make informed stewardship decisions.  Learn how to collect foundational tree data using a range of tools, techniques and sampling methods, then work together to analyze and interpret the results.  Cultivate your forestry education skillsets with:

    • Nature Journaling and forest observation skills

    • Our Forests curriculum training

    • DIY forestry tool creation on a shoe-string budget

  • Oct. 17 — 12:00 pm move-in, 2:00 pm program start
    Oct. 19 — 1:00 pm program end
    Session offers 19 hours of PD instruction

    The Plumas FIT-Focus session is hosted at UC Berkeley's Forestry Camp and Baker Forest in Meadow Valley, situated amidst the Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest.  

    Get familiar with the tools, techniques and metrics that foresters employ to assess forests and make informed stewardship decisions.  Learn how to collect foundational forestry data using a range of tools, techniques and sampling methods, then work together to analyze and interpret the results.  Cultivate your forestry education skills with:

  • Oct. 31 — 2:00 pm move-in, 4:00 pm program start
    Nov. 2     — 3:00 pm program end
    Session offers 19 hours of PD instruction

    The Mendocino FIT-Focus session is hosted at the UC Hopland Research and Extension Center in Hopland, situated in Mendocino County's oak woodlands and rangeland communities. 

    Explore the disturbance ecology of these systems and what land managers are doing to conserve them.  Learn how natural resource professionals collect and use data related to fire, insects, disease and other disturbances to inform land stewardship.  Cultivate your forestry education skills with:

    • Nature Journaling and forest observation skills

    • Project Learning Tree and Investigating the Oak Community training

    • Acorn weevil investigation

    ​On-site lodging is limited to a main dormitory facility, with a communal kitchen and lounge area and two separate bunkroom spaces, each with multiple beds. Bathroom and shower facilities are located in main dormitory. Additional space is available around the dormitory for tent/car/RV camping.

FIT offers four week-long summer sessions at forested sites throughout Northern California.  Education curricula is aligned across all four sessions, with each session’s Natural Resource and Education Teams leveraging local issues and topics in forest ecology, management and stewardship to guide instruction. Staff and presenters include science and environmental education curriculum specialists, public and private forest resource specialists, and forest activists.

Participants receive standards-aligned pedagogical support, curricula and teaching resources to design a personal Curriculum Project related to the topics covered in each session.

Sessions Activities Include:

  • Field trips

  • Classroom instruction

  • Grade-band breakout groups

  • Project Learning Tree and Project WET activities

  • Collaboration time with peers

  • FIT Curriculum Project development time

FIT Summer Sessions

  • The El Dorado County FIT session is hosted at Blodgett Forest Research Station in Georgetown, CA.

    The facility is set in an highly productive forest of towering ponderosa and sugar pines intermixed with a white fir, Douglas-fir, incense-cedar, and black oak understory. Surrounded by the El Dorado National Forest and private timberland, this session is based out of the iconic Central Sierra Nevada.

    Summer temperatures can often reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).  Rainfall averages 65 inches (166 cm) per year and a high of 108 inches (2740 mm) per year. Approximately 100 inches (2,540 mm) of precipitation falls as snow each year.

    On-site lodging is provided in rustic A frame cabins and bunkhouses.

  • The Tuolumne County FIT session is hosted at the Sierra Outdoor School in Sonora, Ca.
    ​
    The Sierra Outdoor School is located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada within the Stanislaus National Forest. The rustic ambiance and serene forest setting with abundant birds providing a cacophonous aural backdrop and squirrels busily searching for seed sustenance make a relaxing learning environment.

    The camp is located at 4,100 feet within the Stanislaus National Forest in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The location is 30 minutes from the historic town of Sonora, and two hours from Yosemite National Park.
    Participants stay in dormitories which can accommodate up to 20 people.

  • The Shasta County FIT session is hosted at Elevate Camps in Shingletown, CA.
    ​

    The site is nestled among large ponderosa pine, sugar pine, and Douglas fir trees. It is bordered on the south by Bailey Creek (which runs year-around) and on the north by Highway 44.  The camp is located just minutes away (about five miles)  from the west entrance to Lassen Volcanic National  (Manzanita Lake entrance) in the iconic Lassen Range.

    Summer temperatures can range from 95 degrees during the day degrees F (35 degrees C) but a  cool 55 degrees F (12 degrees C) at night.  The annual precipitation is about 40 inches, part of which falls as snow.

    Participants share a divided cabin with 4-6 fellow educators. Each cabin has a minimum of one bathroom/shower on each divided side. The camp has two lakes with recreation access. One lake has a sandy beach with swimming available.

     Hiking along a creek and jogging is available on roads that surround the camp.

  • The Humboldt County FIT session is hosted at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, CA.
    ​
    This session leverages Arcata’s unique community forest to provide opportunities for learning about the forest, endangered species and water quality issues specific to the redwood region.  Through exploration of the Arcata Community Forest and surrounding lands, teachers will learn about old-growth redwoods, second growth redwood management, salmon restoration, spotted owls, and snorkel with salmon fry. 

    Summer temperatures tend to be cool and but can change rapidly.

    Lodging is provided in the Cal Poly Humboldt dorms.

“First off, I heartily appreciate that FIT exists. The extensive background information presented, in addition to the teaching tools that were shared. made for a comprehensively visual experience. I am inspired by the staff, fellow participants, and the forest, to teach and continue learning about forestry.”

“I feel FIT is a wonderful program. I can tell that a lot of time, thought and consideration has gone into how the program is structured. My knowledge and understanding of issues surrounding our forests has increased dramatically. I appreciated hearing from people in the field (loggers, forest service, researchers, environmentalists, park service people, forester, industry people, etc.). I feel better prepared to share what I know and to bring forestry to my students.”

“I have never enjoyed a professional development like I did FIT.  It was an amazing experience that nurtured me professionally and personally! Thank you!”

“Loved seeing “forestry in action” (thinning, sawmill, managed plots). Also really enjoyed the facilitator led activities from PLT...I will hopefully use a lot of those. Also liked the networking and location.”

“Forest Institute for Teachers is an amazing week-long training that will send you home with a plethora of information (I presented the materials they provide at the workshop) and the confidence to teach in-depth forest and Wet Projects to your students. At first, I questioned my choice of signing up for this conference during my summer break and was so glad I followed through with the decision. I am willing to wager a dinner to anyone from the GRS Workshop who attends FIT and doesn't feel it was a great learning experience. The total cost was $25 and they fed us the most delicious food. I tell people who have been on cruise ships that this is like a cruise in the forest. I would suggest that you sign up with the Sonora site only as I have not visited the others. Five stars for the hospitality and knowledge of instructors.”