What's F.R.E.E. Network all about?
Who We Are:
The Forest Resource Environmental Education (F.R.E.E.) Network began as a coalition of representatives from state and federal government agencies, the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota forest products industry to facilitate dissemination of information about forest resources and the products that flow from them. In 2007, administration of the F.R.E.E. Network website was transferred from the University of Minnesota to Dovetail Partners, Inc.
Dovetail Partners, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors by collaborating to develop unique concepts, systems, models and programs.
Why the F.R.E.E. Network was Formed:
While a great many educational products focus on forests and environmental issues related to forests, there is relatively little information today about forests and the products that flow from them that:
- is scientifically sound,
- links consumption and production of key raw materials used by society, and that
- accurately portrays consumption of wood resources and other raw materials, management of forest resources, and environmental impacts associated with production of the principal raw materials and associated products used by society.
The F.R.E.E. Network was created for the purpose of identifying and facilitating the distribution and use of educational materials that meet the above criteria.
What We Do:
The F.R.E.E. Network collects and evaluates existing educational materials related to forests, forest management, and forest products. We determine if they are scientifically accurate and if the following concepts are addressed:
- everything is made from natural resources and natural resources must come from somewhere,
- the gathering and processing of all natural resources have environmental impacts, and
- responsible production and use of wood - a renewable resource - is environmentally sound.
The evaluation process is directed by Kathryn Fernholz*, a professional forester and Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, and by Dr. Jim Bowyer,* professor emeritus of the Department of Bioproducts and Bioprocess Engineering, University of Minnesota, St. Paul. Once materials are evaluated, the information is cataloged into the F.R.E.E Network database and directory that is made available to teachers, students, and others through this website and through the SEEK (Sharing Environmental Education Knowledge) resource directory and website of the State of Minnesota. Materials are periodically re-evaluated to ensure that information is up to date.
How to Contact Us:
Dovetail Partners, Inc.
528 Hennepin Avenue, Suite 202
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Tel: (612) 333-0430
Fax: (612) 333-0432
E-mail: info@dovetailinc.org
Check out our list of contributing organizations .
Dovetail Staff
*
Kathryn Fernholz has worked
on development and forest management issues in a range of roles.
With a consulting firm, Kathryn was a member of the environmental services
department where her work included natural resource inventories, comprehensive
planning, environmental impact assessments and the use of Geographic
Information Systems (GIS). While working for the Community Forestry
Resource Center, Kathryn developed and managed a group certification
project for family forests and worked to increase local capacity to
provide forest management and marketing services that are compatible
with certification standards.
Kathryn has been a leader within the forestry community in the Upper
Midwest through her service as Chair of the Minnesota Chapter of the
Society of American Foresters and her appointment to the Minnesota Forest
Resources Council. Kathryn has a B.S. in Forest Resources from
the University of Minnesota, College of Natural Resources and also studied
at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, MN and Sheldon Jackson
College in Sitka, Alaska.
*Dr. Jim Bowyer is professor emeritus, University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering. He is an Elected Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science; President of Bowyer & Associates, Inc. – a wood science and bioenergy consulting firm; past-Chairman of the Tropical Forest Foundation (Alexandria, Virginia) – an organization with major operations in Brazil, Guyana, Indonesia, and Gabon; Member of the Governance Board and past-Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Temperate Forest Foundation (Portland, Oregon).
Bowyer has served as President of the Forest Products Society (1993-94) and of the Society of Wood Science and Technology (1987-88), and as Vice President of the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (1992-2003). He was Head of the University of Minnesota's Department of Wood & Paper Science from 1984 to 1994, and Founder and Director of the Forest Products Management Development Institute at the University of Minnesota (an organization dedicated to education and development of industry professionals) from 1994-2003.
Dr. Bowyer earned a BS degree in forest management from Oklahoma State University (1964), a MS in forest products from Michigan State University (1966), and a PhD in wood science and technology from the University of Minnesota (1973). He has published widely on the topics of wood science and technology, bioenergy, and environmental life cycle analysis. He is also coauthor of the leading introductory wood science textbook in North America “Forest Products and Wood Science – an Introduction,” now in its 5th edition (2007), and of the widely used CD-ROM “The Nature of Wood and Wood Products.”
The FREE Network Advisory Group
*Dorothy Anderson: professor emeritus, University of Minnesota Department of Forest Resources
*Laura Duffey: Project Learning Tree, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
*Angie Gupta: University of Minnesota Extension
*Jeff Howe: Fullerton Lumber Company
*Kathy Kinzig: Eco Education
*BJ Kohlstedt: North Shore Community School
*Rob Marohn: Proctor Public Schools
*Jim Marshall: UPM Blandin
*Kathleen Preece: Minnesota Forestry Association
*Eli Sagor: University of Minnesota Extension
*Colleen Schoenecker: SEEK, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
*Paula Siewert: Northwestern Lumber Association