{"id":2045,"date":"2025-03-27T18:21:43","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T18:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/?p=2045"},"modified":"2025-03-27T18:23:50","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T18:23:50","slug":"virtual-canopy-immersive-training-for-future-forestry-professionals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/2025\/03\/27\/virtual-canopy-immersive-training-for-future-forestry-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual canopy: Immersive training for future forestry professionals"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Imagine stepping into a forest and exploring the wonders of Oregon\u2019s landscapes without ever leaving the classroom. A virtual reality program, offered by OSU Forestry and Natural Resources Extension<\/a>, is offering high school students, career seekers and new logging employees a chance to do just that, transforming the way they learn about forestry and opening the door to an exciting career in one of Oregon\u2019s most vital industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe \u2018Virtual Canopy\u2019 program offers an innovative solution to address key challenges faced by Oregon\u2019s forest sector, like workforce shortages, recruitment issues and safety concerns,\u201d said Lauren Grand<\/a>, associate professor of practice and Lane County Extension agent. \u201cBy using virtual reality technology, we can create a safe and interactive training environment while exposing a more diverse group of people to the career opportunities available to them in forestry, especially for those who may not be considering higher education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oregon\u2019s forest sector is a cornerstone of the state\u2019s economy and community, contributing to the third-largest GDP in Oregon and producing nearly 50% of the nation\u2019s lumber and plywood. However, the industry faces significant challenges, including an aging workforce, declining recruitment, and the need for safer, more engaging training methods. Logging remains one of the most dangerous professions in the state, with fatality rates higher than any other occupation, underscoring the critical need for innovative safety education and workforce development initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By integrating safety education with career exposure, the Virtual Canopy program promotes forest sector career pathways, including those that do not require a college degree, while working to reduce potential injuries or dangerous situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program is designed to be portable and scalable with training sessions available in classrooms, career fairs and workplaces. OSU Extension currently houses 20 VR headsets for educator use, with additional units deployed by industry partners like the Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc., and the OSU College of Forestry for recruitment and training events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program is already showing signs of success, with eight out of 10 participants reporting that they learned new information about forestry careers and seven out of 10 finding the experience engaging and expressing a desire to participate again. Notably, the program has no significant differences in engagement based on prior forestry experience or gender, making it a versatile tool for reaching a diverse audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe future of forestry depends on a skilled workforce and accessible pathways to stable, safe, well-paying careers,\u201d said Grand. \u201cBy combining career exposure, safety education and innovative training methods, \u2018Virtual Canopy\u2019 brings workforce development and opportunity directly to people so that we can support the growth of Oregon\u2019s forestry sector.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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A version of this story appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of <\/em>Focus on Forestry<\/a>, the alumni magazine of the Oregon State University College of Forestry.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Imagine stepping into a forest and exploring the wonders of Oregon\u2019s landscapes without ever leaving the classroom. A virtual reality program, offered by OSU Forestry and Natural Resources Extension, is offering high school students, career seekers and new logging employees a chance to do just that, transforming the way they learn about forestry and opening… Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3455,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[110163,482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-focus","category-outreach"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3455"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2045"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2050,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2045\/revisions\/2050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofforestry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}