CFI:About

From CFI

Vision

Adventures in Education! Preparing students to forge a peaceful, sustainable, diverse, healthy, respectful, balanced, equitable, and hopeful future.

Cloud Forest Institute was formed as a 501(c)(3) scientific and educational organization in 1996. CFI works to offer students educational alternatives in international settings that address issues of environmental and social significance thru Service Learning while striving to exist sustainably with the natural environment. CFI is working in two ways:

1. By developing institute sites in or near protected biodiversity ‚‚‚ƒÃƒÂƒÃ‚‚‚ƒÃƒÂ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚¢Ã‚€Âœhot spots”. The first site is located in tropical Andean cloud forest of Ecuador, South America. The second site is located in the California floristic zone of Mendocino County, Northern California. As these institute sites become financially self-sufficient CFI will work to develop sister sites in other biodiversity “hot spotsƒÃ‚‚ƒÃƒÂ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚¢Ã‚€Â around the world.
2. CFI networks with other organizations, institutions, and individuals whose work fits in line with the CFI mission statement. Rather than competing in the non-profit sector CFI believes collaboration is the key to success, CFI does this through administration of the membership program, World Institute for Sustainability Education (WISE). Sister institute relationships are developed through this network.

Mission Statement

Cloud Forest Institute (CFI) offers educational alternatives to students of all cultures and ages through learning contracts via the internet and at designated research sites around the world. The sites are self-sufficient utilizing alternative energy technologies and sustainable, organic food production techniques. CFIƒÂƒÃƒÂƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚‚ƒÃ‚‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚ƒÃ‚¢Ã‚€Â™s goals are to make quality education accessible globally and, to foster an environmentally conscious philosophy.

The Cloud Forest Institute admits student of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, or of any sexual orientation, to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, or of any sexual orientation, in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other school administered programs.

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The current Board of Directors (BOD) of Cloud Forest Institute elected in August 28th 2004 took on their roles in succession of, and collaboration with, many innovative thinkers and doers.