All school forests must appoint a site coordinator who keeps things running.
This position is as fun or demanding as he or she allows it to be. Some school forest sites have co-coordinators to distribute some of the responsibilities.
New site coordinators should:
- Contact the School Forest program to share contact information and exchange important news, information, and materials.
- Watch School Forests 101 (15-minute video)
Site coordinator's responsibilities
1. Complete the annual report
The site coordinator must complete and send to the DNR an annual report that describes activities that took place in the school forest.
To prepare, the site coordinator should set up a system to track how other teachers and the community use the forest.
Annual reports are due by June 30 every year. You can use the School Forest Activities list to track activities or create your own Google spreadsheet or other internal system,
2. Chair the school forest committee
The site coordinator must establish and chair a school forest committee. Successful committees can consist of teachers, administrators, parents, neighbors, and other community partners. The site coordinator makes sure that the committee meets at least once each year and is encouraged to delegate responsibilities and tasks to members.
3. Communicate with other staff
Typically, the DNR communicates with the site coordinator only. Therefore, the site coordinator must transmit school forest-related information and materials to other staff at the school such as:
- Monthly newsletters from the School Forest Program
- Activities from the School Forest Activity Board
- Maps of your school forest (trails, features, etc.)
- Procedures for using your site
- Grant information
- Professional development opportunities
4. Communicate with the DNR
The site coordinator contacts the DNR when the school forest or committee needs help.