Forest Stewards Guild

Maine Forest Climate Change Webinar & Field Tour Series: AMC Field Tour
2023-05-10 12:00 - 2023-05-12 13:00 (America/New_York)
Full series website
Wednesday May 10, 2023
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Register for this webinar or entire series
Wednesday, May 12, 2023
Appalachian Mountain Club Research Forests, Katahdin Ironworks area
Register for this field tour

Full Series Summary:
Science and Practice: Addressing Forest Climate Change in Maine
An Interactive Webinar Series for Stakeholders and the Interested Public
Kicking off year 3 of our forest climate change in Maine webinar/field tour series! Our panelists will address an array of concerns related to Maine’s forests: scope and scale of climate issues; active management strategies; wildlife/biohabitat concerns; unique adaptation strategies at each site. The series continues with 1 hour noontime webinars, each followed by a half day field tour. Register for as many or as few as you wish, all from the same registration landing page linked above.

Communicating Forestry Series: ways that work
2023-07-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Register
July 11, 2023
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Online webinar. Zoom link will be sent after registration.
1.5 Category 1 SAF CFE credits approved.
This webinar is the first in a Communicating Forestry series by Guild members. Part of putting innovation into practice is knowing what’s important to share about our vision, and then how and when to do so. As forest managers and stewards, we manage forests for a variety of different objectives, values and purposes, but the importance of our work is not always clear to everyone. Forestry is nuanced, complex and counter-intuitive to many. Our ability to clearly and effectively communicate the work that we do is integral to our ability to continue to do what is necessary to take care of our forests.
Join Guild member Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester for the Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Ethan will discuss how we can present forest management in ways that are engaging and exciting, including modifying our language, mobilizing partnerships, and approaching outreach in novel ways.
This event will focus on some practices and methods that have worked for Ethan in the Northeast region and will be part of an event series focusing on various aspects of forestry communication in different regions, by more Guild members.
About Ethan:
Ethan Tapper advises private landowners, municipalities, conservation organizations, foresters and loggers on the responsible stewardship of forestland, administers “Current Use” program in Chittenden County, and manages over 4,500 acres of Community Forests. He writes a monthly column for 11 newspapers and a quarterly column in Northern Woodlands magazine, maintains a YouTube channel with over 650 subscribers over 100 videos and an email list with over 700 subscribers and leads virtual and in-person public events in Vermont and throughout New England which are attended by thousands of people each year. Ethan is the Northeast-Midwest State Foresters Alliance’s 2021 CFM Forester of the Year, the 2021 recipient of the Vermont American Tree Farm System’s Education and Outreach Award, 2020 recipient of Vermont Coverts’ James B. Engle Award, and the 2022 recipient of the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program’s Vermont Tree Steward Award.
Explore a Story Map about Ethan’s approach to outreach and communication at a forest management project in Hinesburg, Vermont here: https://arcg.is/09zfC1
To learn more about Ethan’s work, visit his YouTube channel, read an archive of his articles or sign up for his mailing list, visit his LinkTree, here: https://linktr.ee/ChittendenCountyForester

NIFS Webinar - From Experimentation to Innovation in the Forests of the PNW
2023-08-30 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Anchorage)
This webinar is one of two Northwest Innovative Forestry Series events in 2023. The is a field tour in Washington on October 6th. This year’s NIFS focus is experimental forests, traditional and non-traditional, and their efforts in facilitating innovation and community within forest management and research. Full NIFS series details are on the NIFS website.
Register for the webinar (free)
Date: Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Time: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Location: Zoom
This webinar is approved for 1.5 Category 1 SAF CFE credits.
Agenda for download
Please join us for this webinar where Paul Anderson, the Station Director of the Pacific Northwest Research Station, will be providing us with a broad-spectrum view of experimental forests and finding a balance between long-term continuity and quickly changing information needs.
Paul’s presentation will be followed by a panel discussion made up of participants selected to represent perspectives and experiences in forest experimentation that are not directly related to traditional experimental forests.
The panel participants include:

Brandy Saffell, Forest Conservation Specialist, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District
Michael Wilson, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Tribal member and former Natural Resources Department Manager
Teodora Minkova, Research and Monitoring Manager for Olympic Experimental Forest, Washington Department of Natural Resources
Lindsay Cornelius, East Cascades Oak Partnership Manager, Columbia Land Trust

National Firewood Bank Summit
2023-09-15 12:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Register
September 15, 2023
12:00 -4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Full summit website
The Summit will be a chance for leaders and volunteers at wood banks to connect, share ideas and information, and to hear updates on the 2023-24 grant roll-out from the Alliance for Green Heat. We hope you will join the effort to create the first national wood bank network to support the efforts of wood banks everywhere. Updates on panelists, speakers, and more, are at the summit website. You’ll hear from panelists and have opportunities to ask your questions.
Hear from the wood banks on:

“Finding Partners & Keeping a Team: Strategic Partnerships & Volunteer Recruitment”
“Sustainability, Scaling Up & How to Keep it Going for the Long Haul”

For more information and updates about the summit, visit our website or contact Elisa Schine at elisa.schine@maine.edu.
This first National Firewood Bank Summit is hosted by the University of Maine.

What Does Adaptive Silviculture Look Like?
2023-09-25 12:00 - 12:50 (America/New_York)
Register (includes full series)
Monday, September 25, 2023
12:00 – 12:50 p.m. ET
This is one session, led by Guild member Maria Janowiak of USDA Forest Service, in the Yale Forest Forum‘s fall’s speaker series titled: Understanding Climate Smart Forestry in Practice.
Climate-smart forestry has become a buzzword across the forestry sector and beyond. In this webinar series, we will learn from practitioners and researchers about how they put climate-smart forestry into practice. We will also learn how forests can be managed to enhance their carbon storage capabilities and/or increase their resilience to the impacts of climate. We will hear from speakers from public sector organizations, nonprofits, researchers, and academics from across the U.S., as well as practitioners “on-the-ground.”
The series is jointly hosted by The Forest School at the Yale School of the Environment, the USDA Northeast Climate Hub, and the USDA Southeast Climate Hub, and co-sponsored by the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture.
The speaker series is free and open to all. The webinars will be recorded and captioned, and recording links will be emailed to registrants after the live event.

Restoring Old Growth Characteristics (webinar)
2023-10-04 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Register
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. ET
Online on Zoom
Old-growth forests were once the predominant natural condition across New England and New York before European settlement. However, they are now one of the rarest. Though new old-growth forests cannot be created, there is an opportunity through both passive and active management to restore old-growth characteristics in our current forests. There is renewed focus on restoring these characteristics given their compatibility with objectives such as biodiversity conservation, forest carbon, and resilience to climate change.
This session will focus on the new publication Restoring Old-Growth Characteristics to New England’s and New York’s Forests. The goal of this publication is to increase the amount of old-growth characteristics in the region by giving decision-makers the information they need to adopt old-growth restoration strategies in ways that complement their ownership goals, helping to sustain our native forests and their many benefits.
This webinar is presented by Paul Catanzaro, MA State Extension Forester and Professor at University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Peer-to-Peer Forest Management: The Cold Hollow to Canada Woodlots Program
2023-10-10 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Recording
October 10, 2023
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET
Zoom webinar (join information will be provided after registration)
1.5 Continuing Forester Education Credits from SAF
This is the second in the Guild’s Communicating Forestry webinar series, by and for Guild members. Check out the previous installment with Ethan Tapper.
As we all know, communicating the benefits of forest management practices can be challenging. Cold Hollow to Canada, a nonprofit and regional partnership in northern Vermont, has addressed this challenge by convening peer networks of forest landowners who can learn from professionals while also sharing their learning and personal experiences with one another. These groups meet regularly to learn, share, and build a community of novice forest stewards, with Cold Hollow to Canada providing support and technical assistance. The program has been so successful as a tool for promoting forest stewardship and conservation that Cold Hollow to Canada was asked by other groups to document our methods in an online Toolkit that facilitates adoption or adaptation of the program as needed.
In this workshop, Guild member Nancy Patch and Cold Hollow to Canada’s Monica Przyperhart will introduce the Woodlots peer-to-peer model for communicating forest management and then guide participants through the intended use of the online Toolkit, sharing ideas for how to adapt it into new contexts or to start with simple first steps.

How Carbon Credits Influence Commercial Forest Management
2023-11-13 12:00 - 12:50 (America/New_York)
Register (includes full series)
Monday, November 13, 2023
12:00 – 12:50 p.m. ET
This is one session, led by Guild member Kyle Burdick of Baskahegan Company, in the Yale Forest Forum‘s fall’s speaker series titled: Understanding Climate Smart Forestry in Practice.
Climate-smart forestry has become a buzzword across the forestry sector and beyond. In this webinar series, we will learn from practitioners and researchers about how they put climate-smart forestry into practice. We will also learn how forests can be managed to enhance their carbon storage capabilities and/or increase their resilience to the impacts of climate. We will hear from speakers from public sector organizations, nonprofits, researchers, and academics from across the U.S., as well as practitioners “on-the-ground.”
The series is jointly hosted by The Forest School at the Yale School of the Environment, the USDA Northeast Climate Hub, and the USDA Southeast Climate Hub, and co-sponsored by the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture.
The speaker series is free and open to all. The webinars will be recorded and captioned, and recording links will be emailed to registrants after the live event.

Keeping Forests as Forests – Tax programs and other incentives for the Georgia landowner
2023-11-16 06:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
Register
Thursday November 16, 2023
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Webinar on zoom (join information will be sent after you register)
Join the Forest Stewards Guild for an evening of learning about ways to keep forests as forests. We will be joined by experts on tax incentive programs, conservation easements, and the Georgia Forest Legacy Program. Come prepared with questions about your land!
Agenda for download:

6:00 – 6:20 | The importance of keeping forests as forests and the GA Forest Legacy Program
6:20 – 6:40 | Tax Incentives to Keep Forests in Forests – The Georgia Forest Land Protection Act and the Georgia Conservation Use Program (Georgia Department of Revenue)

6:40 – 7:00 | LandYield: Connecting Family Forests to Carbon Markets (Josh Fain, LandYield Director)
7:00-7:20 | Conservation Easements 101 – Athens Land Trust
7:20-7:30 Q&A Panel

Contact Dakota Wagner at dakota@forestguild.org with questions. This program was made possible through support from Graphic Packaging International LLC.

Fueling Collaboration Panel Discussion Series: Fire History as a Bridge Between Ecological Knowledge Systems
2023-11-16 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Register
November 16, 2023
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
Approved for 1.5 Category 1 CFE’s by the Society of American Foresters.
This panel discussion will explore how different types of fire history information (Indigenous Knowledge and physical archives), when considered together, provide improved context for understanding the ecologies and processes that are linked to the restoration and stewardship of fire-adapted communities. The panelists include Indigenous Knowledge holders and practitioners, and experts in tree-ring, sedimentary, and archeological fire history, who have collaboratively used fire history information to bridge cultures and knowledge systems. The discussion will use case studies in the Upper Great Lakes Region where a diverse set of partners wove these types of knowledge together to restore cultural fire to the benefit of globally-rare pine barrens communities.

Federal policy on mature and old growth forests
2023-12-05 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Anchorage)
Register
December 5, 2023
12:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Presenters: Zander Evans and Rhiley Allbee, Forest Stewards Guild
On April 22, 2022, the Biden Administration issued Executive Order 14072, which directs the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of the Interior to define, inventory, identify threats towards, and develop policies to mitigate threats to, mature and old growth forests. Dr. Zander Evans will provide some background on what has happened since and the next steps in the process. The US Forest Service has produced an inventory of mature and old growth forests, and a threat assessment is nearly complete. The webinar will also include Rhiley Allbee’s analysis of mature and old growth in collaborative landscape restoration efforts.

Prescribed Fire for Forest Management: Fire in Northern Pine Systems
2023-12-06 09:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Register
December 6, 2023
6:30 am Pacific / 7:30 Mountain / 8:30 Central / 9:30 Eastern
1.5 hours
Brian Palik and Jed Meunier will be the presenters in this session of the year-long webinar series from the Wisconsin Forestry Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Dr. Palik will explore the ecological considerations of prescribed burning in Northern Pine Systems. John Schwingel, Wisconsin Fire Manager, The Nature Conservancy will moderate.

Maine Forest Climate Change Webinar & Field Tour Series: Long-term Watershed Research
2023-12-06 12:00 - 2023-12-08 13:30 (America/New_York)
Full series website
Dec 6, 2023
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Register for this webinar or entire series
Mike Howie, American Forest Management and Ivan Fernandez, University of Maine Professor of Soil Science. Long-term research: the intersection of science, recovery and climate; ecological implications from the past and current research that will help address climate concerns for the future.
Dec 8, 2023
9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Bear Brook Watershed (Lead Mtn, nr Beddington)
Register for this field tour
Site is part of long-term research to determine the effects of acid deposition on surface waters and their related watersheds. BBWM program of research encompasses an array of scientific objectives that include acid deposition, climate change and carbon sequestration, nitrogen saturation, base cation depletion, and studies of the evolution of watershed biogeochemistry under prolonged experimental acidification.
Full Series Summary:
Science and Practice: Addressing Forest Climate Change in Maine
An Interactive Webinar Series for Stakeholders and the Interested Public
Join us as we dig into forest health concerns due to climate impacts at new sites around the state. Our panelists will address management & restoration efforts, relevance of long-term research, fire as a tool, biohabitat concerns, forest health threats, and unique adaptation strategies at each site.
Noontime webinars are free (registration required). $25 field tour registration includes lunch, snacks, and van transport. Each tour has limited space.

Fueling Collaboration Panel Discussion Series: The Future is Smoky
2023-12-14 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Register
December 14, 2023
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
Approved for 1.5 Category 1 CFE’s by the Society of American Foresters.
With increasing wildfire activity due to changes in climate, smoke will likely become more prevalent and continue to have an effect on society. Earlier this year, smoke from Canada wildfires lowered air quality in the eastern U.S. to its worst levels in recorded history. As the climate heats up and creates drier conditions, smoky skies will grow increasingly common. Health concerns and prescribed burning actions needed to restore functioning ecosystems will be impacted by already smoky conditions across the country. Panelists include research meteorologists, air quality experts, and fire practitioners. Together, they will explore how we can address and adapt to a smoky future.

Fire in Southern Pine Systems: Prescribed Fire for Forest Management ​Webinar Series
2024-01-03 08:30 - 10:00 (America/Chicago)
Registration and full series information
January 3, 2024
8:30 – 10 a.m. Central Time
Online via Zoom
Fire ​into the Future: Geospatial Technology to Identify and Categorize Fire in the Southeast
Join us as we explore the ecology of southern pines, the reintroduction of ​​fire into fire-adapted ecosystems, and the legacy of prescribed fire and how the “old” links with the “new” with burning in longleaf pine. Participants will discover the importance of the Tall Timbers Private Lands Fire Initiative and hear about​ the cutting edge technology of the Southeast fire map, which helps​ with both on the ground management and re​search.
Dr. Nowell’s talk will focus on detecting fires in the Southeast United States, and will include discussion of satellite detection difficulties, an overview of current products across this region, and future scientific improvements of satellite-based datasets to detect even more fire. In particular, discussion will focus on the Southeast FireMap product – a product that is based on the USGS Landsat Burned Area dataset, but is uniquely tailored to the Southeast US. Preliminary study results that illustrate the utility of using Southeast FireMap to answer scientific questions will also be shared.​
This webinar is part of the Wisconsin Forestry Center’s free webinar series that explores several facets of prescribed fire related to forests and forest management. They invited speakers to provide their perspectives and offer advice on how to advance prescribed fire as a forest management tool.

Give Me That Old Growth Religion: Understanding the Cultural Diversity of Forest Cultures
2024-01-08 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Register
Monday, January 8, 2024 (note change from original date)
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET
Zoom webinar (join information will be provided after registration)
1.5 Category 1 Continuing Forester Education Credits by SAF are pre-approved.
This is one of several in our Communicating Forestry webinar series, by Guild members.
In this seminar, interdisciplinary scholar and former forester Jason M. Brown will explore the ways that trees and forests have shaped myth, religion, and spirituality throughout history. In addition, he will discuss how the various cultures that form around trees and forests inform the ongoing conflicts over forestry and forest management. Discussion will explore how understanding these perspectives might contribute to better public dialogue and management processes.
Jason M. Brown is a Lecturer with the Department of Global Humanities and also teaches with the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. He grew up in California and studied anthropology as an undergraduate. He earned joint Masters degrees from Yale in forestry and theology. He writes at holyscapes.org.

Rooted in Research: Adapting to Extreme Weather Wild Cards - Adaptation Workbook
2024-01-10 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Register for this or entire series
Wild Cards and the Adaptation Workbook – David Bengston (NRS) and Stephen Handler (NRS, NIACS, USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub)
January 10, 2024
10:30-11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Approved for 1 CFE credit through the Society of American Foresters and The Wildlife Society.

Full series summary:
Join the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, USDA Northeast and Northern Forests Climate Hubs, and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) for this webinar series.
Between floods, severe storms, and wildfires, nearly everyone in North America has recently experienced an extreme weather event firsthand. Extreme events will become more commonplace as the climate continues to change. These events pose new challenges for forestry and natural resource management that may require new, adaptive ways of thinking to address them.
An introductory presentation on “Wild Cards” in natural resource planning and NIACS’s Adaptation Workbook will set the stage for this mini-series and provide context for the following sessions. Thereafter, we will explore three different types of extreme weather events, showcasing the latest research on these topics and discussing relevant management implications.

Rooted in Research: Adapting to Extreme Weather Wild Cards - Wildland Fire
2024-01-17 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Register for this or entire series
Increased Incidence of Wildland Fire – Nicholas Skowronski (NRS) and Steven Miller (USDA Forest Service Eastern Region)
January 17, 2024
10:30-11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Approved for 1 CFE credit through the Society of American Foresters and The Wildlife Society.

Full series summary:
Join the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, USDA Northeast and Northern Forests Climate Hubs, and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) for this webinar series.
Between floods, severe storms, and wildfires, nearly everyone in North America has recently experienced an extreme weather event firsthand. Extreme events will become more commonplace as the climate continues to change. These events pose new challenges for forestry and natural resource management that may require new, adaptive ways of thinking to address them.
An introductory presentation on “Wild Cards” in natural resource planning and NIACS’s Adaptation Workbook will set the stage for this mini-series and provide context for the following sessions. Thereafter, we will explore three different types of extreme weather events, showcasing the latest research on these topics and discussing relevant management implications.

Southeastern Guild Gathering: Oak Regeneration in Eastern Forests
2024-01-17 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
Register to attend in-person in Asheville
Register to attend virtually over Zoom
Wednesday, January 17, 2023
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET
In person: 1577 Brevard Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 (follow signs to the training center).
Online: via zoom
Attendance either in-person or virtually is approved for 1 CFE credit from SAF.
Dr. Tara Keyser will explore the intricate ecology and sustainable management practices of upland oak forests. By detailing the vital role of these ecosystems, the audience will gain understanding of the factors influencing oak forest dynamics and sustainability. The presentation will highlight effective management strategies and foster a comprehensive understanding of upland oak forest conservation and resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
Agenda:

4:00 – 4:30 Welcome and introductions
4:30 – 5:30: Presentation
5:30 – 6:00: Q&A

Speaker bio: Tara Keyser is a Research Forester and Director of the Center for Forest Restoration and Management with the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station in Asheville, NC. Tara received her BS in Forest Ecology and Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her MS and PhD in Forest Sciences from Colorado State University. Tara’s work is focused on advancing the sustainable management of upland oak ecosystems in the eastern US, with a focus on developing ecological forestry practices for the conservation of diversity and resiliency to changing to conditions.

Fueling Collaboration Panel Discussion Series: Phenology of Fire: Listening to the Plants and Animals
2024-01-18 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Register
January 18, 2024
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
Approved for 1.5 Category 1 CFE’s by the Society of American Foresters.
Season of fire. Opening the burn window. Both of these focus on one of the elements that make up a fire regime – frequency, intensity/severity, extent/scale, and seasonality. Decades of spring-and/or autumn-centric fire can cause a site or landscape to respond very differently than when burned repeatedly across all flammable seasons. Summer burns can produce differing fire effects including increased species richness averages, biomass, and stem counts (especially forbs), and breaking up the plant species dominance resulting from dormant season burn windows. Our panelists will bring fresh voices to how we can learn from listening to our fire-dependent plants and animals and let the fire effects lead us toward desired outcomes.

Tribal Forestry: Understanding Current Issues and Challenges
2024-01-19 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Register for this series (attend what you can)
Thursdays from January 18 to April 25
12:00 – 12:55 p.m. Eastern Time
(Note: there will be no webinars on March 14 and 21)
The series is free and open to the public. Each session will be recorded and posted to the website. We will offer CEUs for foresters in attendance. More information is forthcoming.
Tribes and First Nations have been forest stewards since time immemorial on the land that is currently called North America. In the face of climate change, tribes and First Nations continue to work with institutions, NGOs, and federal and state agencies to support Indigenous sovereignty and resilient forested landscapes. This webinar will focus on the current state of tribal forest management and Indigenous stewardship with a series of speakers from different tribes, universities, non-profits, and agencies. Beginning with an introduction to tribal forestry and the trust responsibilities, topics will include the history of forest stewardship on tribal lands in North America, federal laws and tribal forestry, contemporary uses of plants and wildlife stewardship, fire, conclusions from the Indian Forest Management Assessment (IFMAT), tribal co-management, and the future of tribal forestry in the face of climate change.
The series is co-developed and co-hosted by The Forest School and the Yale Center for Environmental Justice at Yale School of the Environment, and Salish Kootenai College.

Rooted in Research: Adapting to Extreme Weather Wild Cards - Extreme Precipitation
2024-01-24 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Register for this or entire series
Extreme Precipitation and Flooding – John Campbell (NRS) and Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne (NRS, University of Vermont)
January 24, 2024
10:30-11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Approved for 1 CFE credit through the Society of American Foresters and The Wildlife Society.

Full series summary:
Join the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, USDA Northeast and Northern Forests Climate Hubs, and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) for this webinar series.
Between floods, severe storms, and wildfires, nearly everyone in North America has recently experienced an extreme weather event firsthand. Extreme events will become more commonplace as the climate continues to change. These events pose new challenges for forestry and natural resource management that may require new, adaptive ways of thinking to address them.
An introductory presentation on “Wild Cards” in natural resource planning and NIACS’s Adaptation Workbook will set the stage for this mini-series and provide context for the following sessions. Thereafter, we will explore three different types of extreme weather events, showcasing the latest research on these topics and discussing relevant management implications.

Keeping Forests as Forests – Incentive Programs for the North Carolina Landowner
2024-01-24 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
Register
January 24, 2024
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Agenda
Join the Forest Stewards Guild for an evening learning about ways to keep forests as forests. We will be joined by experts on tax incentive programs, conservation easements, and carbon markets. Come prepared with questions about your land!
6:00-6:20 | Present-Use Valuation Program (NC State University Extension)
6:20-6:40 | Carbon Program for the Family Forest Owner (American Forest Foundation
6:40-7:00 | The Wildlife Conservation Land Program (NC Wildlife Resources Commission)
7:00 – 7:20 | Introduction to Conservation Easements (Working Lands Trust)
7:20 – 7:30 | Q&A
This program was made possible through support from WestRock.

Family forest landowner preferences for managing invasive species
2024-01-25 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Register
January 25, 2024
10:00 a.m. Pacific Time / 11:00 a.m. Mountain Time / 12:00 Noon Central Time / 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Presenter: Dr. Shady Atallah, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Family forest landowners own and manage much of the world’s forests, but we know little about their willingness to control biological invasions on their properties. Using a choice experiment, we find that landowners prefer mechanical methods and strongly oppose chemical methods when controlling the spread of an invasive shrub. Their choices are heterogeneously affected by ecosystem service outcomes resulting from control, namely timber production, trail recreation, and wildlife viewing. Landowners view their decision to control the invasive species on their land as a complement to the control by neighbors, offering further support for the areawide management of forest invasive species.

Rooted in Research: Adapting to Extreme Weather Wild Cards - Ice Storms
2024-01-31 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Register for this or entire series
Ice Storms in the Northeast – Lindsey Rustad (NRS, USDA Northeast Climate Hub) and Lloyd Irland (The Irland Group)
January 31, 2024
10:30-11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Approved for 1 CFE credit through the Society of American Foresters and The Wildlife Society.
Full series summary:
Join the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, USDA Northeast and Northern Forests Climate Hubs, and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) for this webinar series.
Between floods, severe storms, and wildfires, nearly everyone in North America has recently experienced an extreme weather event firsthand. Extreme events will become more commonplace as the climate continues to change. These events pose new challenges for forestry and natural resource management that may require new, adaptive ways of thinking to address them.
An introductory presentation on “Wild Cards” in natural resource planning and NIACS’s Adaptation Workbook will set the stage for this mini-series and provide context for the following sessions. Thereafter, we will explore three different types of extreme weather events, showcasing the latest research on these topics and discussing relevant management implications.

Prescribed Fire as a Restoration Tool for Savanna Communities: Rx Fire for Forest Management ​Series
2024-02-07 08:30 - 10:00 (America/Chicago)
Registration and full series information
February 7, 2024
8:30 – 10 a.m. Central Time
Online via Zoom
Join Jeb Barzen and Brendan Woodall as they discuss ​Restoring Savanna Communities in Wisconsin with Rx Fire at Ecologically Meaningful Scales
Jeb Barzen will focus on addressing the potential for restoring savanna communities in Wisconsin at ecologically meaningful scales through use of prescribed fire and through expanding social tools such as carbon credits or environmental labels. Most vegetative communities in Wisconsin, including a variety of savanna communities, are fire-dependent and the Wisconsin landscape is approximately 85% privately owned. A 10-fold increase in the implementation of prescribed fire is needed and our current capacity to implement those fires is limited by the number of trained people to burn safely and the incentives necessary to allow private landowners to deploy Rx fire sustainably over decades and across broad landscapes to achieve ecologically significant impacts. ​ ​​ ​​
Brendan Woodall will dive into the details on what he does as a Private Lands Biologist through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and discuss how fire is used as a restoration and management tool in savanna communities on private land. There are many barriers and limitations to actually being able to get fire on the ground safely, such as socially, financially, and logistically.
This webinar is part of the Wisconsin Forestry Center’s free webinar series that explores several facets of prescribed fire related to forests and forest management. They invited speakers to provide their perspectives and offer advice on how to advance prescribed fire as a forest management tool.

Successfully Bridging the Gap: Eastern US Models of Fire Science and Management Collaboration
2024-02-15 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Register
February 15, 2024
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
Approved for 1.5 Category 1 CFE’s by the Society of American Foresters.
Land management programs are frequently confronted with the imperative of incorporating the most advanced scientific knowledge into their decision-making processes along with filling voids in research needed to move along effective management. Nevertheless, the persistent disparities between the realms of science and management often impede effective collaboration. In this panel, we will draw inspiration from successful case studies in the eastern United States, where land managers and scientists have forged pioneering partnerships, yielding tangible advancements in the field.

Mycorrhizal Fungi in Northeastern Forests webinar
2024-02-21 13:00 - 14:15 (America/New_York)
Register
February 21, 2024
1:00 pm – 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time
This event is hosted by University of Vermont Extension Forestry and is approved for 1.0 CFE credit through SAF.
Are you curious about the role of mycorrhizal fungi in forest ecosystems or want to know how mycorrhizal fungi could interact with silviculture? In this webinar, we will outline the foundations of the mycorrhizal-plant symbiosis and explore how mycorrhizal fungi affect forest diversity, regeneration, and soil functions. Lastly, we’ll showcase the current silviculture-related work from northeastern forests to set the stage of where we are in our understanding and which questions are left to answer.
About the speakers:
Dr. Amelia Fitch earned a PhD in 2023 from Dartmouth College in the Hicks Pries Lab where she studied mycorrhizal fungi in Northeastern forests. She earned her MS from the University of Cambridge studying boreal lake sediments, and BS from the University of Oregon studying tidal wetlands. Amelia is currently working at Oregon State University studying how silviculture can help working forests mimic traits of old growth forests that buffer the effects of climate change.
Eva Legge is a first year MS student at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF). Her research in Dr. Andrew Vander Yacht’s Applied Forest and Fire Ecology Lab and Dr. Christopher Fernandez’ Mycorrhizal Ecology Lab investigates how seedling-mycorrhizal symbioses are affected by different forest management practices, from prescribed fire to timber harvest. Eva earned a BA in Biology in 2023 from Dartmouth College, where she studied mycorrhizal-mediated forest management as a member of Dr. Caitlin Hicks Pries’ Soil Ecology Lab. Eva is an avid science communicator, a practice which was inspired by her science writer grandfather. She believes good communication is necessary for any scientific practice that strives to be wide-reaching and inclusive.
To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please call or email Ali Kosiba at 802-656-7631 or akosiba@uvm.edu by 2/6/24 so we may assist you. For more information on the event in general, contact Dr. Ali Kosiba (akosiba@uvm.edu).

Lunch and Learn: Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report
2024-02-23 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Denver)
Register
Friday, February 23, 2024
12:00 – 1:30 Mountain Time (11:00 PT / 1:00 CT / 2:00 ET)
Event flyer/post
For decades, the wildland fire crisis has been growing. More severe catastrophic wildfires devastate communities and ecosystems and threaten lives and livelihoods across the country. In response, the federal Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission came together in 2021 to recommend improvements to how federal agencies manage wildfire across the landscape.
Join Neil Chapman, Wildland Fire Captain with the Flagstaff Fire Department and Commission member, as he discusses the process, outcomes, and next steps following publication of the commission’s report. Learn more and read the report, with its 148 final recommendations.

Communicating Forestry - Every Picture Tells A Story, Don't It?
2024-02-27 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Register
February 27, 2024
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET
Zoom webinar (join information will be provided after registration)
Webinar goals and objectives
Approved for 1.5 Category 1 Continuing Forester Education Credits by SAF.
This is part of our Communicating Forestry webinar series, led by Guild members. This one will be led by Roger Merchant.
Forest Photography is an effective medium for informing and conveying interpretive messages about our changing forests. Understanding how to photograph, frame and cut through the visual chaos inherent in many forests, requires an opening up of the visual and intellectual senses, heart and mind – important keys to creating human receptivity and connectivity to information and ideas about forests and forestry. As the classic rock n’ roll artist Rod Stewart from Scotland sang of this, “every picture tells a story, don’t it?
