August 2024
Our Mission: Our Mission: Colorado Project Learning Tree uses trees and forests to advance environmental knowledge and skills and promote sustainable practices and actions for all.
Goals: Colorado Project Learning Tree will provide:
- Excellence in environmental education
- Relevant professional development
- Peer reviewed curriculum resources
- Networking opportunities and tools
- Career pathway development
Responsibilities of the Council
- Provide Strategic Direction: The primary responsibility of the Council is to advance the mission of Colorado Project Learning Tree (COPLT). COPLT will utilize a long-range strategic plan that includes a vision, mission, goals and objectives, and will outline how those goals and objectives could be accomplished. The plan will also include program budgets, the role of the state coordinator and Council members, and other program information. The Council will use a holistic systems thinking approach that considers interdependent internal/external factors, to set COPLT priorities and ensure a sustainable program in a dynamic environment.
- Support the State Coordinator: A chief role of the Council is to provide support and advisory guidance for COPLT and the state coordinator. This support will include, but is not limited to: providing a sounding board for ideas, making recommendations and/or providing key information and materials, promoting PLT to and for formal and non-formal educators as a successful enrichment program, and listening to the state coordinator and advising that person about decisions. All forms of support should be aimed toward achieving the mission and goals of the state PLT program. In order to ensure program sustainability, the council may at times determine the need to help raise funds for the state program. Also, based on need and available resources, the council may elect to periodically guide and assist the state coordinator in the implementation of special projects.
- Increase Awareness and Visibility of PLT: The council agrees that diversity of the committeeprovides significant benefits, including the ability to ensure PLT exposure to various sectors.Everyone on the committee has professional contacts, and should serve as ambassadors to the COPLT program to key partners and stakeholders. These contacts should represent a wide range ofpeople who can assist the program in various ways, including through the recruiting of new steeringcommittee members as needed. Council members should remain dedicated to spreading the wordon COPLT throughout their own circles of constituents and friends.
Leadership Roles and Responsibilities
Leadership roles serve the purpose of alignment and coordination for the Council. Decision-making within the Council utilizes consensus; these leadership roles are not positions of power, but rather provide structure for the Council to be successful. (Note: The COPLT Coordinator cannot serve in any of these roles.)
- Chair
- One-year term
- Sets agendas with Coordinator
- Runs meetings
- Responsible for planning, scheduling, setting logistics for quarterly meetings
- Point of contact for Council concerns, both internal and external
- Vice Chair
- One-year term
- Shadows under Chair, to become succeeding Chair
- Fills in for Chair as needed
- Past Chair
- One-year term
- Advises current Chair
- Recorder/Secretary
- One-year term
- Takes notes during meetings
- Keeps track of meeting attendance
Council Composition (ideally 8-15 members)
Ex Officio
- State PLT Coordinator
- Colorado State Forest Service
- CAEE
- CDE
- Wet/WILD Coordinator
Required
- LT Facilitator (one minimum)
- Geographical Representation (should be statewide, including Eastern Plains)
Recommended (this list should be utilized when selecting new council members):
- School District Administrators
- Teachers/Formal Educators
- Non-formal Educators
- Colorado Department of Education
- Department of Natural Resources
- Higher Education
- Forest Products Industry
- Other Industry Partners
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative
- CSU Extension
- Conservation Districts
- Students/Youth
- Tree Farmers
- USDA Forest Service
- Conservation Organizations
- Others at Large
If a member needs to leave the committee before the end of their term, they are to find a replacement. This replacement will fill out an application to be reviewed by the Chair and Vice Chair and State Coordinator. The replacement may be asked to meet with the chair and state coordinator to provide further details on their motivations/qualifications for being on the council. If approved, their information will be shared via email with the rest of the council. Majority vote will be required for their membership. If consensus is not met before the next council meeting, a discussion will be had at that meeting about finding a replacement for the offgoing member. When a replacement comes on they are starting a new 3 year term.
When a member is getting close to ending their term, they should provide the council with a recommended nominee during the Q3 meeting. The nominee will be asked to fill out an application which will be reviewed by the Chair and Vice Chair and State coordinator. Accepted applicants will be asked to join the start of the Q4 meeting to share their motivations/qualifications with the council. The council will then vote, with a majority needed for membership acceptance. Open applications will also be solicited and considered equally.
Travel and Time Commitments
- Three-year terms; Council members may serve up to two consecutive terms, with the option to renew on a yearly basis during their second term.
- The full Council meets four times annually. These meetings will be held virtually, with the option for one of them to be in person if funds allow. The council will aim to meet in person biannually.
- Each in-person meeting should be rotated around the state (northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast).
- In-person meetings will typically last to four to six hours; virtual meetings will last 60-120 minutes.
- All meetings will have a clear agenda which will be sent to participants ahead of time by designated facilitator (Chair, unless otherwise noted).
- Sub-committees (long-range planning) will meet between meetings, as needed.
- Beyond committee meetings, members are encouraged to contribute time and expertise, especially in the areas of program promotion and networking.
Accountability
The accountability of the COPLT Council is built upon our shared values of environmental education, stewardship and leadership.
- Ground Rules
- Everybody weighs in
- New is good – but stand on the shoulders of those who came before!
- All ideas are encouraged, and should be shared freely without concern of implicit responsibilities for the idea generator
- Be transparent
- Be present at meetings (especially with regards to use of technology/personal devices)
- Regardless of individual feelings, members should represent Council decisions externally with one unified voice
- It’s okay to disagree, but do so with curiosity, not hostility
- Own your expertise
- Focus on solutions-based/forward thinking
- Listen to understand
- Be respectful of others and their ideas
- Expections
- Council members are expected to attend at least three (of four) meetings annually
- Come prepared for meetings
- Step forward and contribute expertise
- Stay up-to-date with National and Colorado PLT updates
- When service is finished, members should contribute to finding a new representative in their region
- Commitments
- Fulfill leadership duties
- Clearly define tasks, and be accountable for commitments
- Always keep PLT Mission front-of-mind
- Start meetings with sharing the PLT mission and vision
- Start at least one meeting with a “Moment for Our Mission” story from the field