Training New Voices for Agriculture and Forestry in Washington State
AgForestry Leadership Program participants in the forest.
T
he Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation trains leaders to advocate for policies that support natural resources industries in Washington State. In this interview, interim Executive Director Vicky Scharlau speaks with Irrigation Leader about how the organization’s intensive 18‑month AgForestry Leadership Program transforms participants, who hail from a wide range of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries jobs, into savvy spokespeople for those sectors.
Irrigation Leader: Would you tell us about the history of the AgForestry program?
Irrigation Leader: Would you tell us more about the AgForestry Leadership Program?
Vicky Scharlau: The Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation, which over the years has become known as AgForestry, was established in 1977 to cultivate leaders to
Vicky Scharlau: The leadership program brings together natural resources managers and stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. For each leadership class, we select
Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF AGFORESTRY.
Vicky Scharlau: I was raised on a farm, and my professional life has played out in the agriculture and natural resources arena, which means I know the industries AgForestry serves. I also have 40 years of experience managing nonprofit organizations. Finally, I’m a graduate of the program as well. I believe that trifecta assured AgForestry’s board and its donors that choosing me as the interim executive director would be a positive step.
advocate for management and public policy that supports Washington State’s natural resources industries and the surrounding communities. At the time, the so-called fish wars had launched a great public debate over fisheries and forestry in the state. Those battles took place not just in courtrooms but in the state’s forests and rivers. It was the era when the Timber-Fish-Wildlife (TFW) Agreement was formed, thanks to two strong leaders on opposing sides: Billy Frank Jr., a Nisqually tribal leader, and Stu Bledsoe, an Ellensburg rancher-turned-politician. What Stu and Billy were able to accomplish with the TFW Agreement allowed all natural resources industries, including agriculture, to see the need for and the value of aggressively pursuing their needs and explaining them to the public, especially in public policy. The AgForestry founders understood that the challenges they faced would not be solved in their generation. They wanted to create a program that endured and that would continue to develop leaders to advocate for natural resources industries. Now in its 43rd year, the program has been very successful.
