Maine Forest Collaborative hosts Cohort Day at UMaine

ORONO – On Feb. 25 the Maine Forest Collaborative hosted its mid-year Cohort Day at the University of Maine, bringing together 34 students from four high schools to engage in hands-on learning and collaboration focused on Maine’s forest economy. Participating schools included Telstar High School, Piscataquis Community Secondary School, Schenck High School, and Tri-County Technical Center. Notably, 21 students from PCSS and Schenck extended their experience by staying overnight, further enriching their engagement in the forest sector.

This event allowed students to explore innovative forestry-related technologies, sustainability initiatives, and career pathways within Maine’s forest industry. Through interactive sessions, expert discussions, and networking opportunities, students gained valuable insights into the future of forest management, economic sustainability, and technological advancements shaping the industry. 

The sessions included environmental AI, where students played chess against a robotic arm, learning about programming and exploring open research questions; rural communities and project sharing, where school groups discussed their projects with each other and provided feedback; and bioproducts, where the students enjoyed a hands-on learning experience with nanocellulose, a non-toxic bio-based material made from plant fibers that is being researched for use in products ranging from fire extinguisher foam and replacement bone material to sustainable packaging.  

“This class is different from others because it’s more hands-on, and I’m a hands-on learner so it makes more sense to me,” said Jay, a student from Schenck High School. “We get to learn about what we want to do and be hands on, which is fun,” echoed classmate Kira. 

The event was supported in part through the Maine Technology Institute and the National Science Foundation EPSCoR E-RISE RII: Enhancing Maine Forest Economy, Sustainability, and Technology Ecosystem to Accelerate Innovation initiative. Maine-FOREST is backed by National Science Foundation award #OIA-2416918, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening Maine’s leadership in forest economy advancements.

“We are always excited to showcase the University of Maine campus and all the ongoing collaboration, innovations, and general enthusiasm for applied research here”, said Aaron Weiskittel, UMaine professor of Forest Biometrics and Modeling and Maine-FOREST PI. “Maine-FOREST is just getting started, so directly engaging with Maine youth and seeing their enthusiasm for our work here is always inspiring.”   

The Maine Forest Collaborative prepares students to actively contribute to the vitality of our forest communities today and in the future, and is dedicated to fostering education and innovation within Maine’s forestry sector. 

For more information about the Maine Forest Collaborative and upcoming events, please contact King at https://www.maineforestcollaborative.org/contact.