DC in a week

American Forests, Summer-Autumn, 2004 by Will Clattenburg

AMERICAN FORESTS recently cosponsored the 7th annual Week in Washington, which teaches forest practitioners about the federal legislative and policy processes and how to participate. The event, held June 14-18, was also sponsored by the National Network of Forest Practitioners, the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, the Communities Committee of the Seventh American Forest Conference, and the Society of American Foresters.

Conferees attended a variety of training sessions, work groups, lectures, and presentations with an array of "Capitol Beltway" insiders. The conferees met with federal agencies and congressional staff to share their knowledge and perspectives. This year's participants came from across the United States and represented myriad cultures and backgrounds, but found many dealt with similar issues in their home communities.

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This sense of fellowship, along with a newly acquired political savvy, gave participants a more confident voice in meetings with government officials and even propelled some to go to congressional offices to meet with staffers. As the week came to a close, conferees took the information they had learned in DC home to apply in their local communities, the message 'Stay Engaged' echoing in their ears.