ALEXANDRIA, La. - Louisiana teachers got a chance to climb trees, cruise timber and learn how several forest products are made during a week-long program this summer. The program is aimed at helping teachers understand and teach about the environment, forestry and timber, the state's top agricultural crop.

A number of the state's forest products companies, registered foresters and logging contractors helped the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry to plant the seed

of forestry knowledge and appreciation with school teachers from across the state by sponsoring and participating in the eighth annual Louisiana Forestry Teachers Tour.

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"My entire perspective of the forestry industry has shifted dramatically as a result of my experiences on the teacher's tour," said Sheryl Waltman of Denham Springs, a teacher who attended the training on a sponsorship from Weyerhaeuser Company's North Louisiana timberlands division. Calling the session one of the more informative and educational weeks of her life, the teacher said she plans to incorporate her new knowledge in the classroom.

Helping school teachers understand forestry and the forest products industry and teaching them how to pass that knowledge along, with the help of the award-winning Project Learning Tree environmental education curriculum, are the primary purposes of the annual teachers tour, said coordinator Wade Dubea, education program director with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry in Baton Rouge.

"It's important that teachers know about the importance of forestry and forest products in Louisiana," Dubea said, "especially since forestry is the second largest manufacturing employer in the state and last year had an economic impact of $5.3 billion in Louisiana."

"Forestry is one of the most misunderstood professions and businesses in our state," said

Weyerhaeuser's North Louisiana Timberlands manager Ed Smith. "These teacher tours

provide an excellent opportunity for the educators in the state of Louisiana to become knowledgeable about the benefits of sound forest management."

During the session, which took place the week of June 14-18, teachers were briefed in safety, and then taken on tours to see the production of hardwood lumber. Oriented Strandboard (OSB), linerboard, engineered (laminated veneer) lumber, plywood and pressure-treated lumber.

In addition, they visited privately owned non-industrial forestlands and public lands at the Kisatchie National Forest. At the Indian Creek Recreation area in Woodworth, La., teachers had the chance to cruise timber (identify and estimate the size and volume of standing timber), learn about tree identification and even learned to find their location on a Global Positioning System (GPS). Teachers also learned about the history of forest products in the state at the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Longleaf, La.

Many of the teachers said they plan to take they new knowledge hack and share it in the classroom. One program that helps in sharing information is Project Learning Tree, a multidisciplinary environmental education program. Teachers received a book of Project Learning Tree lessons and activities. More information about Project Learning Tree is available at www.plt.org.

"I plan to dedicate at least one unit per year towards forestry,'' said teacher Anne Marie Thibodaux of Washington, La. "I am now a huge advocate for the forestry industry, I now understand its importance to our area, and have so much more respect for it than 1 did before."

Others echoed her sentiments, "I am anxious to share this information with my seniors, who leave me to become viable members of our work force." said Tammy Lee of Lecompte, La. ''Few, if any, ever considered forestry as a profession."

''Forestry is often portrayed as a negative influence on the environment," said teacher Erin Van Horn of Eunice, La. "I have learned how the industry plays a very positive role in our environment."

Besides Weyerhaeuser, the other sponsors of the Louisiana Teacher's Tour were Gaiennie Lumber Company, Plum Creek, Smurfit-Stone Container. Roy 0. Martin Lumber Co., Peters Forest Resources Inc., International Paper, Louisiana Logging Council, Elder Wood Preserving Co., Hunt Forest Products Inc., Baker Forest, Tangipahoa Parish Forestry Association, J.H. Chandler Land Co., Temple Inland, Pools Lumber Co., Red Stick Forestry Association. Georgia Pacific. Beauregard Forestry Association, Hinson Logging, Lumber Products, Louisiana's Society of American Foresters, Crowell Lumber Co., and Timberland Services.