After the 2023 Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI)
Focus Year, the UCFS team was eager and excited
to welcome 68 urban and community foresters
from across the U.S. to Jekyll Island, Georgia.
More than 100 people had applied to attend,
so excitement for the renewed MFI was high.
MFI is an immersive and transformative educational
experience that empowers urban and community
foresters to gain valuable and practical insights from
experts and peers in our field so that participants can
be leaders from whatever position they are in. The
week-long training builds on itself as attendees learn
about their own leadership style, the general context
within which they work, how to build coalitions, and
how to remain resilient through the tough times.
Each attendee comes with a challenge or opportu-
nity they want to work on and that they can apply
daily lessons to. They also work with a Peer Learning
Group—a small network within a larger one—to
further learn and problem-solve with one another.
MFI is the premier urban forestry leadership
training and is like no other found across the
world. The following reflections from four MFI
graduates from the Class of 2024 paint the picture
of how MFI uniquely impacts the people who
make daily tree stewardship decisions.
12 CityTREES
Teaching team member Michelle Cole (center) led the get-to-know-
you "Find Your Tree!" activity at MFI 2024. Photo by Leslie Berckes
