Overview

Since its establishment in 2006, Newforest Institute has been dedicated to sustainability education in the K-12 system. Newforest believes in project-based learning and encourages practical experience, hands-on activity, and service work as positive sustainability education. These core values have led to the establishment of programs on the Newforest educational site as well as various partnerships with area schools.

Dirt Bath began as an urban-rural schools partnership program in 2007 building connections between Maine and New Jersey schools and Newforest Institute. Through Dirt Bath, Newforest has aimed to support schools and teachers in their efforts to use nature, art, and community as the foundations for learning. Newforest staff have visited and hosted groups from ten public schools in Maine and over a dozen mostly public schools in Jersey City, NJ as part of hands-on, collaborative, educational projects. The schools have shared ideas, art projects, garden plantings, forest management, waste studies, food, and stories.

Among the highlights so far have been:

• Developing a forest plan for a Children's Community Forest in Brooks, Maine. The project involved local high school students.

• An exchange trip from Maine to Jersey City for three high school students and two elementary teachers during a Jersey City school multicultural week.

• An ongoing partnership with Morse Memorial Elementary School that has included:

• A permaculture design

• Planting an on-grounds food forest with teachers and students.

• Monthly visits to classes/groups

• A greenhouse moving day

• A harvest day event

• A food forest planting day

• Community walnut trees plantings

For more information, please contact our Executive Director, Lisa Packard, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (207) 722-3625.