Work. Play. Renew.

10/01

We created the For the Trees virtual reality experience and documentary in 2024 with one goal in mind: make Oregon’s working forests more accessible to the people who depend on them. And in 2025, we finally had the chance to bring it to life.

Instead of asking Oregonians to travel deep into the forest, we spent the year bringing the forest to them by showing up at conferences, fairs, campuses, museums, sporting events and community gatherings across the state. Whether someone explored a single VR video or watched the full documentary, each experience offered a firsthand look at sustainable forest management, wildfire resilience, replanting and the people who keep Oregon’s forests healthy.

The response was tremendous. More than 3,800 people experienced For the Trees in person this year, and many stayed to ask questions, share perspectives or dive deeper into Oregon’s forestry story.

In 2025, we visited:

• Mapping the Course – Portland (January)
• Mass Timber Conference – Portland (March)
• Oregon Future Natural Resource Leaders Meeting – OSU (April)
• Society of Environmental Journalists Conference – Phoenix (April)
• OMSI Documentary Screenings – Portland (May)
• Chainsaw Carving Event – Sandy (May)
• World Forestry Center – Portland (June)
• Roseburg Forestry Meeting – Springfield (June)
• Great Oregon Steam-Up – Brooks (July)
• Douglas County Fair – Roseburg (August)
• Hood to Coast – Seaside (August)
• OSU vs. Fresno State Football Game – Corvallis (September)
• Eugene Science Center Screenings – Eugene (September)
• UO vs. OSU Rivalry Game – Eugene (September)
• Southern Oregon Trade Careers Expo – Roseburg (September)

At every stop, we met people who were curious, thoughtful and eager to better understand the forests that shape Oregon’s environment, economy and way of life. Many told us it was the first time they had ever seen what happens inside a working forest.

This project works because it meets people where they are. Most Oregonians will never walk through an active harvest, stand inside a fire break or join a replanting crew, but they can slip on a headset or sit down for a screening and see it all up close. That perspective matters. It builds trust, strengthens understanding and makes room for more informed conversations about Oregon’s forests.

With thousands of in-person experiences already behind us, we’re looking forward to building out our event schedule in 2026. More communities, more conversations and more opportunities to bring the forest to the people.