Bittersweet taking over a stand of trees. Photo courtesy of EcoForesters.

This webinar is the third in a series that replaces an original event entitled Mountain Cove Forest Management and Conservation in the Central Appalachians. That original event will not be held due to Covid-19.

Invasives in Appalachian cove sites
Watch the webinar recording
October 2, 2020
Noon – 1:00 p.m. ET

Pre-approved for 1 SAF CFE credit
Pre-approved for 1 CE credit with MD-DE Master Logger Program

Agenda for download

Forests in the Southern Appalachians have seen a steady increase in non-native invasive plants for decades. Did you know that invasive plants are present on 1 out of every 10 southern forest acres? These invasives inhibit regeneration and growth of native trees and plants, adversely affecting the overall health of our forests. They can even destroy native forests! EcoForesters is a non-profit professional forestry organization dedicated to conserving and restoring Appalachian forests through education and stewardship, and one way they do that is through invasive species control.

About EcoForesters Non-Native Invasive Species Control Crew: developed to provide landowners an option for ecological stewardship action by improving your forest’s health through invasive species assessments and control.  Our crew mechanically treats targeted species predominately through the use of handsaws and hatchets, with the assistance of herbicides tailored for specific species.

This webinar will talk about managing non-native invasive plants that threaten cove forests. Through interactive example scenarios, you will gain the tools needed to start the journey of implementing invasive species treatments on properties you manage or your own land.

Some questions we will answer:

• What can I do if my property is overrun with invasives?
• How do I identify invasives?
• Are the treatments the same for every species?
• What tools do I need?
• When should I treat invasives?
• I’m a forester and work with landowners. What should I tell them to do about their invasives?
• How do I communicate with landowners the importance of site preparation to limit the spread of invasives?

Presenter Bios

Andy Tait: Andy has been the EcoForestry Director at EcoForesters since its inception in 2015. He oversees all of EcoForesters’ Southern Appalachian forestry projects, including forest stewardship planning and timber sale administration. Prior to this position, he spent 6 years conducting on-the-ground research on forest restoration at the US Forest Service’s Southern Research Station and the Bent Creek Experimental Forest in Asheville. In addition, he also did hands-on ecologically beneficial stewardship on both public and private woodlands in western North Carolina.

Mary Vann Johnston: Mary Vann is the Non-native Invasives Control Crew Leader with EcoForesters. She received her B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Sustainable Forestry from Warren Wilson College. She began her career in forestry with a student internship at Forest Stewards and after college began working full time at Blue Ridge Forestry in Asheville. Mary Vann is passionate about her work at EcoForesters because of its dedication to positive impact forestry, conservation, and education here in the Appalachian Mountains.

A downloadable flyer for the full Appalachian Cove Virtual Series will be updated as we have more information.