FORREX: Our Business Activities


FORREX \| Board of Directors \| Our Team \| Our Partners \| Our Business \| Corporate Projects \| Contact Us FORREX’s activities and efforts are broadly based but can be categorized into four distinct business areas: 1. Identifying Information Needs 2. Extension Services 3. Information Management 4. Evaluation Identifying Information Needs Understanding where information gaps exist helps the natural resource community to focus its efforts and ensure that resources are used effectively and efficiently. FORREX performs client needs assessments – using mail surveys, focus groups, literature reviews and on-site client meetings – that identify information gaps in the natural resource community. The information gathered guides our extension and research priorities. Results are also shared with other organizations to help guide their research and extension investments. Extension Services Extension refers to programs that extend knowledge and information to people who need it. Extension means conducting research, synthesizing and localizing knowledge, and providing support for adaptive natural resource decisions. FORREX has created innovative products and services that link researchers, decision-makers and resource users to the latest knowledge in science and innovation. Staff develop curriculum and facilitate workshops on topical issues. Workshops are designed to move participants towards management solutions. Field trips, conferences, field guides, extension notes, journal articles, newsletters, and workshop reports all assist in the synthesis and sharing of information. Extension specialists facilitate events, provide proposal writing assistance, facilitate cooperative research and extension projects, maintain niche libraries, and respond to requests for natural resource information. Information Management As the natural resource community strives to respond to the rapid social, environmental and economic changes of the 21st century, accessibility of high-quality, relevant and timely information is critical in supporting and improving ecosystem management. FORREX facilitates and encourages cooperation between organizations and partners for effective implementation of information exchange and management. We are currently developing information-based tools to help clients access and employ the latest knowledge about forest development and ecosystem management. Evaluation Knowing what difference we make, and the difference our partners make, in contributing to sustainable natural resources and communities is important to us. Our evaluation services help find answers to the “so what” question. When we conduct evaluations, we collect data about planned objectives and measure performance against outcomes. FORREX has expertise in designing and conducting program and product evaluations. If knowing what difference you make is important, please contact us at society@forrex.org to help you design an effective evaluation framework.

FORREX’s activities and efforts are broadly based but can be categorized into four distinct business areas:
1. Identifying Information Needs
2. Extension Services
3. Information Management
4. Evaluation

Identifying Information Needs
Understanding where information gaps exist helps the natural resource community to focus its efforts and ensure that resources are used effectively and efficiently. FORREX performs client needs assessments – using mail surveys, focus groups, literature reviews and on-site client meetings – that identify information gaps in the natural resource community. The information gathered guides our extension and research priorities. Results are also shared with other organizations to help guide their research and extension investments.

Extension Services
Extension refers to programs that extend knowledge and information to people who need it. Extension means conducting research, synthesizing and localizing knowledge, and providing support for adaptive natural resource decisions. FORREX has created innovative products and services that link researchers, decision-makers and resource users to the latest knowledge in science and innovation. Staff develop curriculum and facilitate workshops on topical issues. Workshops are designed to move participants towards management solutions. Field trips, conferences, field guides, extension notes, journal articles, newsletters, and workshop reports all assist in the synthesis and sharing of information. Extension specialists facilitate events, provide proposal writing assistance, facilitate cooperative research and extension projects, maintain niche libraries, and respond to requests for natural resource information.

Information Management
As the natural resource community strives to respond to the rapid social, environmental and economic changes of the 21st century, accessibility of high-quality, relevant and timely information is critical in supporting and improving ecosystem management. FORREX facilitates and encourages cooperation between organizations and partners for effective implementation of information exchange and management. We are currently developing information-based tools to help clients access and employ the latest knowledge about forest development and ecosystem management.

Evaluation
Knowing what difference we make, and the difference our partners make, in contributing to sustainable natural resources and communities is important to us. Our evaluation services help find answers to the “so what” question. When we conduct evaluations, we collect data about planned objectives and measure performance against outcomes. FORREX has expertise in designing and conducting program and product evaluations. If knowing what difference you make is important, please contact us at society@forrex.org to help you design an effective evaluation framework.