Maine TREE is excited to welcome Lena Ives as its new director of education. This position is responsible for sustaining and expanding Maine TREE’s capacity to meet the needs of schools, teachers, parents, students, and other partner organizations for environmental education programs connected to Maine’s forests.
Lena graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management and Wildlife Conservation. Lena spent a few years working on different wildlife-based research projects, contributing to management plans, and expanding her outdoor recreation experience. She then transitioned and became an environmental educator.
Lena initially served as the Naturalist at Goodwin State Forest in Hampton, Connecticut. Through this position, Lena worked under one of the state’s Project Learning Tree coordinators, which introduced her to the curriculum and allowed her to assist in leading teacher workshops and working with facilitators. For the past year and a half, Lena has served as an environmental educator at ecomaine. There she further developed her capacity to speak about environmental topics to various stakeholders and public groups, from preschool to retirement age.
“I am incredibly excited to join Maine TREE and work to sustain and expand the demand in Maine from schools, teachers, parents, students and other partner organizations for outdoor environmental education programs that connect to Maine’s forests, both urban and rural, and support pathways to forest-based careers in our state,” Lena shared in accepting the position.
In her free time, Lena enjoys serving as a member of the Wilderness Rescue Team, recreating on trails, making things from scratch, and caring for her small farm.
To learn more about Maine TREE’s forest-based education efforts, visit www.mainetree.org. To inquire about bringing our environmental education programming to your school or organization, including the Project Learning Tree curriculum, please email at info@mainetree.org.
