The
World Forest Institute was established in 1989 as the information services
division of the World Forestry
Center, a nonprofit organization located in Portland, Oregon, USA.
Supported by a broad network of global contacts in forestry,
WFI provides valuable services designed to meet the diverse
needs of manufacturers, consultants, researchers,
brokers, government agencies, and others.
The
primary program of WFI is the International Fellowship Program. The Institute
and the Fellowship Program were the brainchild of chief benefactor Harry
A. Merlo, whose own global treks in a long forestry career led to the
idea of creating a program where international foresters could share
best practices and information.
WFI also offers original publications, and forestry conferences. Through WFI,
Fellows and clients expand their access to information on international markets,
new products, evolving technologies, wood species and characteristics, and emerging
trends in forestry.
