The Skidder Online

So what did you think of Thunder Bay?

Thanks to everyone who traveled to Thunder Bay last week!  We are busy compiling information and  summarizing key learnings from the trip, which  we’ll roll out on the Skidder over the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, I encourage those of you who attended to leave a short note below by clicking on comment or leaving a message on the Skidder “talkback line” about the trip  (see below).  Perhaps share a key insight you gained, a  favorite moment,  something you’d like to learn more  about, or just a general reflection  on how things went. Also, if you did not give Matt your  completed “learning freedom forms” (yellow  worksheets), please mail  them to him at Matt Rezac, Blandin Foundation, 100 N Pokegama Ave. Grand Rapids, MN  55744.

Skidder Talkback Line: 1-888-654-2278
Access phone #:  218-327-8764
PIN:   3344

I hope you’ll agree that Thunder Bay  was worthwhile and engaging experience…up next, Scandinavia!

Kind regards,
Bernadine

The 'Softwood Lumber Webinar' is Ready to Rock n' Roll

Hello everyone - Here is an audio cast update on next week’s webinar with Carlton Owen of the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities. The webinar will be held 2:00 next Thursday, May 1. Call in details to follow next Monday.

 

If you’ve got a question, submit it to Carlton in advance by clicking on the 'comments' link below this post. I’m sure Carlton would appreciate it. You'll see one that is already there from Bob Owen. Carlton doesn't promise to be able to address all your questions but still would like to hear from you. Click on 'continue reading' below to learn more.

What do King Gustav III of Sweden and the two feet of snow that fell in Grand Rapids this week have in common. Listen to Bernadine's final report from Stockholm to find out.

Bernadine Reports from Bollnas, Sweden

Listen to Bernadine's description of Sweden's forestry practices from the unique angle of her weekend visit with old friends in the town of Bollnas in central Sweden.

You can learn more about Bollnas by visiting this site.  Right-clicking on the link and choosing "open in new window" allows you to surf the site while continuing to listen to Bernadine's podcast.

Part 1

Part 2

Bernadine reports on Stockholm's Old Town and more!

Listen to Bernadine's tantalizing report about a must have dinner at Den Gyldene Freden (Golden Peace) in Stockholm's old Town. It is said to be Stockholm's oldest tavern, opening in 1722. She assures us that we'll have to earn our dinner with the hard work we'll do, especially at a planned US Embassy round table on renewable energy.

Bernadine's Impressions - Joensuu University

Listen to Bernadine's report about her visit to Joensuu, Finland by clicking on the "play" button below.  The green arrow on the map marks the location of Joensuu University.  Zoom-in on the map for more information, and be sure to check out this site to learn more about Joensuu, "Europe's Forestry Capitol".

View Larger Map

Videographies of Mike Kilgore & Bernadine Joselyn

Hello colleagues - Over the last month or so we've posted really interesting short video biographies of Cheryl Adams, Jim Bowyer, Tom Saxhaug and Jim Marshall.  Today we post two new video biographies: Mike Kilgore and the Foundation’s own Bernadine Joselyn.  I've viewed all of these and they really are a wonderful way to learn a bit more about each other.

So who of you is next?  Email Matt and let him know if you'd like to have our film producer extraordinaire, John Whitehead put you on the list of “willing subjects”.

Thanks,
Jim

A little bit more from our working dinner last week!

Hi! We enjoyed a lot of interesting conversation and received valuable input at last week's working dinner.  Some of your specific ideas have been compiled in a chart called “planning input from feb. 21,” which you’ll find in the file cabinet at left.  The Foundation team will use this to help further guide planning of the Scandinavian trip to maximize its value to you.  If you weren’t able to be at the dinner last week, please read this through and consider what you might add. Also, please check out the video below to get another glimpse into one of the table conversations.
Thanks! Bernadine

Welcome to our new participants

Colleagues:

Several weeks ago Dan Duckert, Research Forester for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, shared an article, “It Ain’t Pretty,” with us that gets at the heart of our forest tours project. (Dan is helping us coordinate our May 14-16 forest tour in Thunder Bay.) Konrad Yakabuski. a journalist from Montreal, compares trends in the Finnish and Canadian forest industries related to productivity, sustainability, and economic viability. He explores the cultural, economic and social reasons and strategies behind Finland’s global dominance of the sector, despite Canada’s preponderance on the resource side of the equation. We’ll use this article as a topic of focused conversation at our working dinner next week, so please take a few moments to read it before then. You can find it by clicking on the word Finland or Canada in the tag cloud in the upper left-hand corner of the Skidder Online.

Now on to something I’m very excited to share with you. We are very fortunate that several new people have joined our group! Each brings unique perspectives, experience and knowledge to our hearty band.  To introduce them to you, we’ve created this (very) short video.  Enjoy!