Forest Stewards Guild

8th Annual Chainsaw Safety Workshop
2025-09-27 09:00 - 2025-09-28 15:30 (America/New_York)
Register
September 27 at 9:00 a.m. ET to September 28 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Event Flyer

Location: Williamsburg Forest, Williamsburg, ME
Registration Fee: Required
Limited Space: Only 6 spots available!

The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) is thrilled to offer our 8th Annual special Chainsaw Safety Workshop offering! This two-day workshop will take place on September 27th and 28th at Williamsburg Forest in Williamsburg, ME.
Participants will engage in hands-on instruction and demonstrations from expert presenters Sam Heffner, a Maine Forest Ranger, and Jack Houtz, a Forest Technician from the University of Maine. Topics include:

Chainsaw safety equipment & features
Maintenance & sharpening techniques
Practical applications
Tree felling techniques & more!

Spaces are limited to just 6 participants, so don’t miss your chance to secure your spot in this unique workshop! A registration fee is required. To register, please click the sign-up link, call the PCSWCD team at 207-564-2321 ext. 3, or email info@piscataquisswcd.org.

NCFPW 2025: Application of Digital Technology for Forest Health
2025-09-29 08:00 - 2025-10-02 17:00 (America/New_York)
Register
Save the date!
September 29 – October 2, 2025
Wright Forestry Center on the Martell Forest
West Lafayette, Indiana
Full event details
Please see the meeting website for more information, including hotel reservations, and to stay updated on upcoming details regarding registration and a draft agenda.
Meeting Coordinators: Phil Marshall (Indiana Department of Natural Resources), Matt Ginzel (Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center, Purdue University) and Songlin Fei (Purdue Institute for Digital Forestry).
If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact Phil Marshall – pmarshall@dnr.in.gov

Wildland Urban Fire Summit (WUFs)
2025-09-30 - 2025-10-02
Register
September 30, 2025 – October 2, 2025
Student Community Center, Los Lunas, New Mexico

Wildfire Futures: Building Community, Connections & Empowerment: Join us this year in Valencia County for the Wildland Urban Fire Summit! WUFS is New Mexico’s leading event for wildfire preparedness and planning. Join your peers, community leaders, fire service professionals, and federal, state, tribal, and local governments for this in-person event. Community members will share regional history and discuss living in and adapting to the Wildland Urban Interface. Learn the latest techniques, strategies, and resources for wildfire preparedness, mitigation, and recovery. Expand your network of peers and experts to assist you in your fire/disaster resiliency goals. This event is open to the public, and we encourage everyone to attend.

See full agenda

Forest Management Tools for Songbird Conservation - Webinar
2025-09-30 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Register for this webinar
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. ET
Join the Forest Stewards Guild and partners for an in-depth look at practical tools and strategies for managing forests to support healthy songbird populations. This 90-minute session will introduce concepts like connectivity and occupancy mapping, demonstrate how these approaches can guide on-the-ground decisions, and highlight conservation programs that align with bird-friendly forestry goals. Presenters will cover operational logistics, from identifying sites and developing harvest plans to large-scale management planning and share real-world examples of successful projects. Participants will also explore hands-on management tools, including connectivity and occupancy mapping resources, a NRCS approved forest management plan template, and bird friendly silviculture guide.
This event has been approved for 1 Category 1 continuing education credit by SAF.
Agenda
12:00 – 12:10: Welcome, introductions, & housekeeping
12:10 – 12:20: Wildlands Network – What is connectivity? What is occupancy mapping?
12:20 – 12:35: AMJV – Using occupancy mapping and connectivity as a management tool + working with local foresters
12:35 – 12:50: NRCS – Available conservation programs, bird ecology, model program project example
12:50 – 1:15: Aurora – Operational logistics (site ID, harvest plan, selling timber), largescale management planning
1:15 – 1:25: Breakouts – Tools for Management:

Connectivity mapping and bird occupancy
Management Plan Template
Silviculture Guide

1:25 – 1:30: Closing remarks

Forester Workshop: Forest Management Techniques to Improve Forest Diversity, Bird Habitat, and Climate Resilience
2025-10-03 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Register
Friday, October 03, 2025
10:00 am – 1:00 pm ET
Long Pond Natural Area, Tamarack Ranch Road, Greensboro, VT
Wildlife and climate resiliency are top priorities for forest stewardship in Vermont. Join The Nature Conservancy, University of Vermont, and Audubon Vermont for a guided walk through the Long Pond Natural Area, a 321-acre demonstration site showcasing ecological forestry in action. Participants will explore active silvicultural projects, including climate-adapted tree plantings, stream restoration, and experimental timber harvests designed to enhance bird habitat and forest resilience. This workshop offers practical insights for foresters and natural resource professionals and is approved for 3 Category 1 SAF credits.
Register and see full event details on Audubon Vermont

Walk the Woods: How Good Forest Management Helps Forests, Birds, and the Climate
2025-10-04 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Register
Saturday, October 4, 2025
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET
Long Pond Natural Area, Tamarack Ranch Road, Greensboro, VT
Discover how thoughtful, science-based forest management can improve habitat for birds, strengthen forest resilience, and protect our watersheds. Join The Nature Conservancy, University of Vermont, and Audubon Vermont for a guided walk through a 321-acre demonstration project showcasing ecological forestry in action—including climate-adapted tree plantings, stream restoration, and carefully planned timber harvests. Whether you’re a landowner, conservation enthusiast, or curious Vermonter, this walk offers practical insights and inspiration.
Register and see full event details on Audubon Vermont

Northern Forest Birds Network Conference 2025
2025-10-07 08:00 - 2025-10-08 16:00 (America/Chicago)
Register today
October 7, 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. at the Cloquet Forestry Center (CFC), 175 University Rd, Cloquet, MN 55720
October 8, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. carpooling from CFC for the day at Sax-Zim Bog (limited to 40 people).
Draft agenda
Forests across the Midwest are facing unprecedented threats from a rapidly changing climate and increasing pest pressures. Simultaneously, experts are seeing steep decline in regional bird populations that could be linked to widespread habitat loss and degradation.
Join us on Tuesday, October 7th as local experts present innovative ways to create resilient and sustainable lowland conifer systems. We will also be taking a deep dive in Forestry for Minnesota Birds case examples followed by an interactive workshop. On Wednesday, October 8th we will take a tour of the world famous Sax-Zim Bog (limited to 40 attendees, secure your spot today)!
Registration details:
Registration is flexible for you to build what works for you! Lunch is available on both days if you select it in registration. It includes a small fee on top of the affordable registration rate. On-site lodging is also available for a fee at CFC on the nights of October 6th and/or 7th if you select it in registration.
Note: there will also be a virtual option for Tuesday’s portion of this event. Stay tuned…

Northwest Innovative Forestry Summit – 2025
2025-10-09 13:00 - 2025-10-11 13:30 (America/New_York)
Register (by September 23, 2025)
Early bird pricing has ended
After July 25: $350
Student registration: $250
Meals and on-site lodging are provided at no additional charge. Please declare preferences in registration.
*Individuals in need of financial assistance can contact chanda@forestguild.org to explore available options for support.
Northwest Innovative Forestry Summit – 2025
Meeting the Moment: Forest Stewardship in Times of Change
Dates: October 9 at 1:00 p.m. – October 11, at 1:30 p.m.
Location: Winema Camp, 5195 Winema Rd, Cloverdale, OR 98650
Approved for 9, Category 1 CEUs from SAF.
Draft Agenda
The Northwest Innovative Forestry Summit (NIFS) is a space for regional learning, knowledge exchange, and ongoing cooperation to foster ecologically-based forest management strategies with programs focusing on sustainable, forest-related innovation – past, present, and future.
Join us for a three-day gathering of forest practitioners, researchers, landowners, and community members dedicated to exploring forest stewardship in a time of ecological and social change. Hosted at the Winema Camp near Cascade Head, this year’s event will combine reflective conversations, diverse local perspectives, and hands-on field learning to explore ongoing developments in forest management. Through participatory sessions and a full-day field visit, participants will explore ways that forest practices reflect relationships with land, community, and future generations, and investigate collaborative approaches to resilient and adaptive silviculture. Whether you are managing forests, shaping policy, teaching the rising generation, or engaging in community-based stewardship, NIFS 2025 offers a space to learn, connect, and meet this moment together.
Over three days, participants will be invited to explore the ecological, cultural, and values-based dimensions of forest stewardship through a series of presentations, panel discussions, and field-based learning.

Day 1 will set the stage with diverse local voices sharing how they engage with the Cascade Head landscape—through ecology, art, community, culture, and forest management.
Day 2 will feature a full-day field visit that invites attendees to reflect on how different values shape silvicultural decisions and to collaboratively develop and share their own forest prescriptions.
Day 3 will close with reflection and group discussion, connecting lessons learned from the coastal landscape to participants’ own home places and practices.

Full agenda and information about speakers are coming soon. For full details visit the Northwest Innovation Forestry Summit webpage.

Lodging Opportunities
On-site
We’re excited to offer on-site lodging at Winema Camp, which includes dorm-style housing with shared rooms and multiple bunks. The setup is reminiscent of a classic summer camp—lively, informal, and communal. If that sounds like your style, be sure to bring a sleeping bag, pillow, and ear plugs.
If dorm-style housing is not for you, you’re welcome to bring a tent and camp outdoors on the property. RVs are also welcome, and there is plenty of space with full hookups available. All on-site lodging options are available at no additional cost.

Off-site
Prefer more privacy? Participants are welcome to arrange their own off-site accommodation and commute to the event each day. Please note that registration costs remain the same regardless of lodging choice. A list of nearby off-site lodging options is provided below.

Off-site Hotels
Cloverdale

Raines Resort Cabins (7.2 miles from Summit location)

Pacific City

Surf and Sand Inn (6.3 miles from Summit location)

Inn at Cape Kiwanda (7.6 miles from Summit location)

Lincoln City

There is a wide variety of hotels in and around Lincoln City. Note that a hotel in this location will be 17+ miles from the Summit location.

Off-site Camping
Cloverdale

Webb County Campground (7.8 miles from Summit location)

Whalen Island County Campground (12 miles from Summit location)

Sandbeach Campground (17 miles from Summit location)

There are a variety of additional campgrounds in the surrounding area. Take note that some campgrounds may only offer availability on a first come, first served basis or may need to be booked in advance.

Meals
All meals will be provided during the summit. This includes snacks upon check-in Thursday afternoon, dinner Thursday night, breakfast Friday morning, a sack lunch during the field tour Friday afternoon, dinner Friday evening, breakfast Saturday morning, and lunch before departing Saturday afternoon.
Please let us know what dietary restrictions you have. We will do our best to accommodate all dietary needs. Additionally, please let us know if you will not be able to attend all of the planned meals.

Notes
Conditions: Field tours may include longer walks on uneven or steep terrain. Sturdy shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended.
Carpooling: We encourage participants to carpool to and from the event if possible. Let us know if you are willing to host a carpool or are interested in taking part in a carpool; we will help with organizing.
Stuff to Bring:
If you are staying in Winema Camp’s dorm lodging

Water bottle

Sturdy closed toe shoes

Weather appropriate clothing

Sunscreen

Travel coffee/tea mug

Sleeping bag

Pillow

Ear plugs

Toiletries

Bath Towel

Shower shoes

If you are staying in a tent at Winema Camp

Water bottle

Sturdy closed shoes

Weather appropriate clothing

Sunscreen

Travel coffee/tea mug

Camping supplies

Sleeping bag

Pillow

Ear plugs

Toiletries

Bath Towel

Shower shoes

If you are staying off-site or in an RV on-site

Water bottle

Sturdy closed toe shoes

Weather appropriate clothing

Sunscreen

Travel coffee/tea mug

*If you are planning to use on-site showers, please bring your own toiletries and bath towel.

NOTE: Policy on event cancellations:

The last day to cancel registration is September 23rd.
If a registrant cancels their own registration ahead of the event and wants a refund for registration fees, we will issue a refund for the event’s registration/lodging amount only (less any credit card fees the registrant covered in their initial payment).
If the Guild cancels an event, we will refund registrants the full amount they paid, including any credit card fees they covered with their original registration.

This year’s partnering event organizers are featured below. Thank you!

Northeast Silviculture Institute Training Session 2
2025-10-14 - 2025-10-15
The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension has openings for the upcoming Northeast Silviculture Institute modules:
Register
Spruce-Fir (Oct. 14–15 in Stewartstown, NH)
Time: All day event
The Northeast Silviculture Institute for Foresters is offering two in-person training sessions this fall. Designed for practicing foresters, the Institute provides the latest silvicultural knowledge to support effective forest management across the Northeast. Each session is limited to 50 participants, ensuring a diverse and engaged cohort of professionals. Registration is $150 and includes boxed lunches for both days. Interested foresters are encouraged to apply early, as selection is based on application responses.
If you are interested in attending one or all of the sessions, please follow this link to apply.
Please e-mail Steven Roberge with any questions: steven.roberge@unh.edu.

Northeastern Guild Gathering – Happy Hour in Burlington
2025-10-17 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
Register (free of charge)
October 17, 2025 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET
Burlington Beer Co. 180 Flynn Ave, Burlington, VT 05401
You’re invited! Join the Forest Stewards Guild for a lively Guild Gathering in beautiful Burlington, Vermont. Mix and mingle with fellow forestry professionals, Guild members, and staff—including our Executive Director, Zander Evans. This casual evening is the perfect chance to connect, share experiences, and enjoy great conversation in a fun, welcoming atmosphere.
We’re celebrating our 30th Anniversary with special events like this one, honoring decades of ecological forestry and community stewardship. We’ll provide light appetizers, and you can grab more food and drinks for purchase.
Don’t miss out on this special opportunity to network, celebrate, and be part of the Guild’s vibrant community! Open to all.

Big trees burning: Divergent wildfire effects on large trees in open- vs. closed-canopy forests
2025-10-28 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Register
October 28, 2025
Noon – 1:00 p.m. PT / 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. MT / 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CT / 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET

Dr. Garrett Meigs, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, will share new research on contemporary versus historical fire effects, specific impacts on large trees within closed versus open canopies, and the role of fuel reduction treatments. Focusing on the 2021 Schneider Springs Fire, which encompassed 113,689 acres in the eastern Cascade Range of Washington and burned during a period of severe drought, this study addresses three interrelated questions:

1) Are burn severity distributions consistent with historical fire regimes in dry, moist, and cold forest types?
2) How does burn severity vary among forest structure classes, particularly large trees with open versus closed canopies? 3) How do fuel reduction treatments influence forest structure and burn severity inside and outside of treated areas?

The results highlight the susceptibility of dense, late-successional forests to contemporary fires, even in events with widespread potentially beneficial effects consistent with historical fire regimes. The findings also illustrate the effectiveness of treatments that shift large-closed to large-open structures and suggest that treatments may help mitigate fire effects in adjacent large-closed forests. The full scientific paper is available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70360

Longleaf Pine as a Source of Food, Medicine, and Craft for Tribal Nations of the Southeast
2025-11-05 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Register
November 5, 2025
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PT / 11:00 a.m. – Noon MT / Noon – 1:00 p.m. CT / 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
CFE credits are pending
Join us for this ForestHer NC event! Nancy Strickland Chavis is a prominent figure in the field of Native American history and culture. She has dedicated her career to museum education and administration, with significant contributions to the Museum of Contemporary Native Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City. Her current role is Director and Curator of The Museum of the Southeast American Indian at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Nancy is a member of the Lumbee Tribe and has been involved in various educational and cultural initiatives, including the Ancestral Corn Reclamation Project and the Green Corn Ceremony. Her work continues to inspire and educate audiences about the rich heritage and history of Native American tribes.

Mesophytic Coves: Hope for Hemlocks
2025-11-14 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Register
November 14, 2025
Noon – 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Webinar on zoom – a join link will be sent to you after registration
North Carolina’s hemlock trees need your help. We have two species of hemlock in North Carolina – the eastern and the Carolina. The invasive hemlock woolly adelgid threatens both.
Though hemlocks are declining, there is hope to bring them back to their previous glory. The mission of the Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI) is to work with a variety of partners and existing programs to restore hemlocks to long-term health throughout North Carolina and ensure that eastern and Carolina hemlocks can resist hemlock woolly adelgid and survive to maturity on North Carolina’s public and private lands.
Join Olivia from the HRI to learn about hemlock ecology, woolly adelgid biology, what is being done to help, and management strategies.

Ponderosa Pine Utilization Summit
2025-11-18 - 2025-11-20
Register
Tuesday, November 18 – Thursday, November 20,
High Country Conference Center, Flagstaff, AZ
Summit Purpose:
To engage a diverse group of forest managers, industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers in strategic discussions that examine the state of ponderosa pine forests and industry in the western United States. Through case studies, intentional dialogue, and working sessions, attendees will identify key barriers, develop practical solutions, explore innovations, and determine the resources needed to stabilize and grow the utilization of ponderosa pine.
Goals:

Develop a shared understanding of ecological and industry conditions for ponderosa pine
Identify barriers to scaling restoration and product utilization
Highlight emerging innovations, research, technologies, and successes
Collaboratively identify strategic actions in policy, research, markets, and infrastructure

See full agenda

Influence of resources, Invasive Chinese Tallow, and environmental stress on bottomland forest species
2025-11-19 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Register for this webinar
November 19, 2025
11:00 a.m. – Noon ET
Presenter: Zhongqian Cheng
The survival and growth of bottomland tree species in floodplain ecosystems are largely driven by species-specific resource and environmental conditions, and invasive Chinese tallow presences. Unpredictable timing and duration of hydroperiods have introduced greater uncertainty in seedling survival and growth. Dr. Cheng will present findings from one field study and two controlled greenhouse studies on several bottomland forest seedlings. These studies examined the underground and aboveground conditions needed for seedling survival and the response of seedling height growth to the presence of Chinese tallow, shade, and flooding conditions. We will discuss the management implications for monitoring bottomland forest restoration and controlling invasive species.
Presenter Bio:
I am currently a postdoc research associate in Forest Ecology and Management at Stephen F. Austin State University. I hold a PhD in Ecology from Peking University, a master’s degree in Silviculture, and a bachelor’s degree in Forestry from Beijing Forestry University. In addition, I have worked or studied in Sweden, Finland, and Germany. My research interests focus on understanding forest dynamics and functions, and the role of silviculture practices in supporting sustainable forest management under changing climate and disturbance regimes.
This webinar is approved for 1 Category 1 continuing education credit through SAF.

This webinar is sponsored by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Webinar: Permanent retention of exceptional trees can improve ecosystem integrity in managed forests
2025-12-03 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Register
December 3, 2025
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PT / 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. MT / 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CT / 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET
Please join us for a webinar with Drs. Stephen Sillett and Marie Antoine (Cal Poly Humboldt) as they share research on the contributions of exceptional trees—the most robust, fastest-growing individuals—to stand-level productivity and biomass in managed forests.
The discussion will highlight recent work conducted across 20 locations where exceptional trees were paired with nearby co-dominant trees. Trees were climbed and cored at multiple heights for growth history reconstruction. The same areas were scanned with airborne lidar, and new algorithms were developed for crown-level canopy segmentation. Lidar data were linked with direct measurements to allow precise estimates of landscape-level aboveground biomass.
Findings show that exceptional trees grow faster than typical trees and contribute disproportionately to forest biomass, yet are largely restricted to creek drainages protected by forest practice rules. If long-term carbon storage and forest resilience are management priorities, then silvicultural approaches to restore more large trees across the landscape should be considered. Permanent protection for a subset of robust, undamaged trees is a twist on retention forestry well-suited to all forests where tree longevity exceeds rotation ages used in timber extraction. Setting exceptional trees aside now offers a hopeful action for the future

Guild Members FSC General Assembly Update & Discussion
2025-12-05 14:15 - 15:15 (America/New_York)
Register (Limited to current Guild members)
December 5, 2025
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. ET
Join us for a Guild member–exclusive online event as we dive into insights from the Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC) recent General Assembly (GA) held in Panama City from October 26–31.
Guest Speaker: Richard Donovan
Richard will share his firsthand experience and highlight the major takeaways from this important triennial gathering—one that plays a critical role in shaping the future of global forest certification processes.
Following the presentation, we’ll open the floor for a member discussion, offering space for conversation, questions, and shared reflections.

Tree Planting Best Practices in the Northeast - Webinar
2025-12-18 10:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York)
Register
December 18, 2025
10:00 a.m – 11:00 a.m. ET
Join this webinar where Guild member Dr. Tony D’Amato and Dr. Peter Clark from the University of Vermont will describe a new tree planting guide developed for foresters and natural resources professionals working in the Northeast: “Reforestation Guide: Tree Planting to Enrich, Restore, and Adapt Northern Forests.”
This webinar is jointly hosted by the Massachusetts Ecosystem Climate Adaptation Network Forests Work Group, the University of Vermont, The Nature Conservancy, and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science. This event has been pre-approved for SAF CFE credit.

Changing climate may drive large shifts in vegetation zones of Oregon
2026-01-13 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Register
January 13, 2026
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Please join a webinar presented by Dr. Yegorova on large changes possible for Oregon’s future forests. Dr. Yegorova and the research team used climate analog-based impact models and a co-production process with land managers to project future vegetation changes for Oregon (2041–2070, RCP 8.5) at a management-relevant spatial resolution (270-m). They found that analog-based models performed well at reproducing landscape-level vegetation composition, and moderately well at reproducing vegetation at the pixel level. Their results suggest that 64% of the study area will experience future climate conditions that support different potential natural vegetation types and 59% will experience climates corresponding with different potential plant physiognomic types, compared to reference-period conditions. The research team projects a 60% reduction of mesic conifer-dominated forests with transitions to mixed evergreen forest types. They also project losses to dry forests, cold forests and parklands, with commensurate expansions of shrublands, grasslands, and geographic redistribution of dry forest types.
The webinar will also provide guidance for using future vegetation projections and uncertainty outputs in management decisions using the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) adaptation framework. Read the paper at: https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2025.1637821

BF 235: Silvopasture course
2026-01-14 18:30 - 2026-02-18 20:00 (America/New_York)
Register
Wednesdays, from from January 14 – February 18
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Full event details
Join Guild member Eli Roberts to learn to Integrate Trees, Livestock, and Forage for Multiple Wins on Your Farm.
There are many ways of combining trees, forage, and animals in useful, efficient, practical, and profitable arrangements. But none of these outcomes is guaranteed, and there are a lot of decisions required! When you take this course, you’ll be able to describe, plan for, and evaluate particular silvopasture practices and understand their place in the broader categories of Silvopasture and Agroforestry. You’ll also understand the potential pitfalls that differentiate good silvopasture from poor land management. You’ll leave with the tools to create silvopasture plans for your farm, and to engage with the topic of silvopasture as a practitioner and experimenter.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Plan a silvopasture project of your own, and understand how your plan relates to other silvopastures, and how it fits into the larger category of practices that involve trees on farms.
Articulate goals, clarify functions, plan layout and species, and choose implementation methods.
Understand the guardrails of silvopasture practice, and have the tools to avoid unmanaged forest grazing.
Have the tools to evaluate and make the decisions that will get you to a functional silvopasture.

This course is hosted by the Cornell Small Farms Program.

Guardians and gardeners: Managing wilderness for the twenty-first century
2026-01-22 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Register
January 22, 2026
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Please join us for a presentation and discussion on wilderness in the 21st century. The 1964 Wilderness Act provides robust protections to landscapes designated as federal wilderness. The National Wilderness Preservation System, which includes 806 wilderness areas and 111 million acres, represents the world’s largest highly protected conservation network. However, a long-standing ethos of nonmanagement—exemplified by the philosophy that managers should be guardians but not gardeners—obscures long legacies of Indigenous stewardship and may not sustain essential wilderness values in a time of unprecedented ecological stressors. Many wildernesses are increasingly subject to complex and compounding unintentional (as well as intentional) human influences.
In this webinar, Dr. Boerigter will present how a guardians and gardeners approach would acknowledge Indigenous influence, recognize contemporary and future environmental challenges, and provide managers the necessary rationale to respond to these complex realities. In the twenty-first century, it may be necessary to carefully, thoughtfully, and compassionately reimagine the dominant wilderness philosophy. Read the full paper: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf141

Priorities for Prescribed Fire Research and Management in Maine – A Panel Discussion
2026-02-09 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
The talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono.

Register for Zoom attendance
February 9, 2026
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm E.T.
Description
Join us for a panel discussion about priorities for understanding and using prescribed fire (i.e., planned and intentional use of fire) in Maine. We will hear from local fire practitioners and land managers about their land management objectives, considerations when applying prescribed fire in different contexts, and perceived barriers to safely using prescribed fire.
Panelists:

Aliesha Black, Maine Forest Service
Tim Bickford, Maine Prescribed Fire Council
Keith Kanoti, University of Maine
Jon Bailey, The Nature Conservancy

Moderators: Rose Abramoff and Lydia Horne, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine.

Lessons for Riparian Buffers: How Old-Growth Forests Affect Streams
2026-02-10 12:00 - 13:15 (America/New_York)
Register
February 10, 2026
12:00 – 1:15 p.m. ET
Riparian forests, the forests that line streams and rivers, are critical for preserving water quality and aquatic habitat in Vermont’s streams, providing wildlife habitat, and slowing floodwaters. But most of our understanding of riparian forest ecology is based on second growth forests that have regrown following 19th century clearing for agriculture. Old-growth riparian forests provide in-stream habitat features that have not been widely recognized in the eastern U.S.
Join Allaire Diamond, Vermont Land Trust’s Ecology and Restoration Program Director, to learn about VLT’s approach to conserving and restoring riparian forest and Bill Keeton, Forest Ecologist and UVM Professor in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, who will share 20+ years of research across northern New England on old-growth riparian forests. You’ll learn how enhancing late-successional forest characteristics in stream corridors can store carbon and improve instream habitat structure and complexity, particularly along headwater streams. It may also contribute to downstream nutrient pollution reduction, although this remains the topic of ongoing research. Carefully managing, conserving, and restoring structurally complex riparian forests are exciting tools that VLT and our research partners hope to use across Vermont’s watersheds in the coming years.
This webinar is approved for 1 CFE/CEU.

Policy Update on the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA)
2026-02-12 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Denver)
Register
February 12, 2026
1:00 p.m. MST
Event flyer
Description
Introduced on January 16, 2025, the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) is a bill intended to provide new tools to federal land management agencies which will allow them to enhance forest management, reduce the consequential outcomes and risk of catastrophic fires, and restore forest health. In the time since its introduction, it has received input and recommendations for language and provision inclusions in the versions of the bill. The bill has passed the House and through the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee and is now awaiting action by the full Senate. This presentation from speakers with the Alliance for Wildfire Resilience and American Forests will cover what is included in the current bill, how it has changed since early 2025, what recommendations from The Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission and The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy have been incorporated, and what we might expect to happen next.
Speakers: Annie Schmidt, Managing Director of Partnerships for the Alliance for Wildfire Resilience; Danielle Watson, Senior Director of Policy for American Forests

Meet & Greet with the Guild's 2026 Membership and Policy Council
2026-02-13 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Register for this virtual gathering
Friday, February 13
11:00 a.m. PT / Noon MT / 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. ET
Zoom join information will be sent to registrants
Agenda
This casual conversation among current Guild members will include a meet and greet of your MPC members, a summary of what their focus will be for 2026, and a time for your Q&A. Please join us!
Nine professional members of the Guild are elected by their peers to serve three-year terms on the Membership and Policy Council (MPC). The MPC supervises the development of Guild policy and position statements and the modification of our Mission and Principles. The MPC also addresses issues related to membership and member services. The MPC holds monthly conference calls and is comprised of committees responsible for work on current projects. Elections are held for a portion of the MPC positions each autumn. These members are your representatives to the Guild board and staff. Come learn how you can engage with them!

Forests that Fill the Faucet: How Active Stewardship Protects Drinking Water in the Bay State
2026-03-04 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Register for this webinar
Wednesday, March 4th, 2026
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET
Join the Forest Stewards Guild and the Massachusetts chapter of the Society of American Foresters for an engaging webinar on active forest management in the watersheds of central Massachusetts.
In the late 1800s, Boston’s rapid growth created an urgent need for clean, reliable drinking water. The state responded by constructing reservoirs and water supply systems in central Massachusetts, beginning with the Wachusett Reservoir in 1895. This work reshaped the landscape through dam construction, land management, and the acquisition of nearby lands.
Today, the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Division of Water Supply Protection (DWSP) owns and manages 100,000 acres of largely forested watershed dedicated to water supply protection. Active forest management is central to safeguarding this critical system, which provides drinking water to 2.7 million people.
In this collaborative webinar, watershed foresters Ken Canfield and Doug Hutcheson will present on:

The “forest filter” concept and watershed forestry in central Massachusetts

How management strategies have adapted as forests, threats, and objectives have shifted

Highlights from current projects, including restoration of fire-dependent communities

Featuring Speakers from the MA DCR Division of Water Supply Protection:

Ken Canfield, Chief Forester – Quabbin and Ware River Watersheds, and Guild member!

Douglas Hutcheson, Forester – South Quabbin

Don’t miss out! Register today!
This event is approved for 1.00 SAF Category 1 Continuing Education Credit.
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Giles at mgiles at forestguild dot org

Ten Years of Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change
2026-03-05 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Register
March 5, 2026
11:00 a.m. PT / Noon MT / 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. ET
1 category one CFE credit is approved through SAF!
Speaker: Courtney Peterson and the Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) Network team.
The Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) Network emerged in direct response to an acute need for experimentally robust and professionally credible examples of climate-adaptive forest management strategies. Join this webinar to learn more about the first ten years of the Network.
The ASCC Network advances the field of climate adaptation by applying a replicated resistance–resilience–transition and no-action framework to test coproduced, operational-scale experimental trials that incorporate locally specific desired future conditions and adaptation tactics, tailored to different forest types. It exemplifies timely, practical, and scientifically rigorous application of climate adaptation actions while fostering manager–scientist collaboration.
Given the collaborative framework, outcomes from the experimental treatments can directly inform local management actions for practitioners now and into the future while serving as a model framework for coproduction of adaptation science applicable to other contexts and ecosystems.

The Silviculture of Ash Stewardship in the Northeast - SAP-Ne Webinar
2026-04-02 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Cultivating Ash Resilience Across the Landscape — A Webinar and Field Walk Learning Series
Register for the webinar
April 2, 2026
Noon – 1:00 p.m. ET
Agenda
Tune into part one of our Cultivating Ash Resilience Across the Landscape series, where we’ll dive into practical silvicultural approaches to steward healthy ash trees and forests amid the growing threat of emerald ash borer (EAB).
You’ll Learn:

Strategies for managing ash trees and forests through the stages of EAB invasion
How you can incorporate these tools into your management planning
Practical forest management approaches through case studies in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest

Featuring Speakers:

Dr. Tony D’Amato, Professor & Director of Forestry Program, University of Vermont
Ben Farina, Forest Silviculturist, U.S. Forest Service – White Mountain National Forest (WMNF)

About the Series:
Cultivating Ash Resilience Across the Landscape starts with this online webinar to learn silvicultural strategies and explore case studies from the Northeast, then takes us into the Maine woods for a guided field tour at the Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area to see ash stewardship in action. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to participate in one or both upcoming events (space is limited for our in-person tour)! Each event is approved for 1 SAF Continuing Education Credit.
Webinar Event: The Silviculture of Ash Stewardship in the Northeast, April 2nd, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Register at the link above.
SAP-Ne Demonstration Site Field Tour: Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area, April 16th, 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
This series is organized by the Sustaining Ash Partners Network (SAP-Ne), a regional network that aims to amplify ongoing efforts to sustain ash by supporting landscape level stewardship, sharing stories of hope for ash preservation, and uplifting the cultural significance of ash among Indigenous peoples. The Sustaining Ash Partners Network is supported by the USDA Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration program.
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Giles at mgiles@forestguild.org.

SAP-Ne Demonstration Site Tour: Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area
2026-04-16 09:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Cultivating Ash Resilience Across the Landscape — A Webinar and Field Walk Learning Series
Register for the field tour
April 16th, 2026
9:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET
Bud Leavitt WMA Route 15, Charleston, ME 04422 (coordinates will be sent to registrants)
Agenda
Experience the concepts from our silviculture webinar—and more—brought to life in the Maine woods. During our SAP-Ne Demonstration Site Field Tour, you’ll explore on-the-ground management, monitoring, and decision-making within a pre-invasion forest at the Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area. SAP-Ne is proud to support the thoughtful ash management at Bud Leavitt and a growing network of demonstration sites, designed to showcase effective, hands-on techniques for stewarding ash trees and preserving future generations of ash in the face of emerald ash borer. Learn more by visiting the Sap-Ne website.
Our Field Tour Will:

Introduce the approaches to preserving ash and promoting ash regeneration implemented by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (Maine IF&W)
Explore the ash silvicultural practices, insecticide treatments, and monitoring efforts at Budd Leavitt
Discuss decision-making for ash preservation practices at a site slated for future management
Create a casual atmosphere to network with your community over a provided lunch and casual conversation in the woods

Speakers from Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

Jack Chappen, Land Management Forester II
Kate Locke, Land Management Forester
Daniel Hill, Deer Habitat Biologist

About the Series:
Cultivating Ash Resilience Across the Landscape starts with an online webinar to learn silvicultural strategies and explore case studies from the Northeast, then takes us into the Maine woods for this guided field tour at the Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area to see ash stewardship in action. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to participate in one or both upcoming events (space is limited for our in-person tour)! Each event is approved for 1 SAF Continuing Education Credit.
Webinar Event: The Silviculture of Ash Stewardship in the Northeast, April 2nd, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
SAP-Ne Demonstration Site Field Tour: Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area, April 16th, 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. Register at the link above.
This series is organized by the Sustaining Ash Partners Network (SAP-Ne), a regional network that aims to amplify ongoing efforts to sustain ash by supporting landscape level stewardship, sharing stories of hope for ash preservation, and uplifting the cultural significance of ash among Indigenous peoples. The Sustaining Ash Partners Network is supported by the USDA Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration program.
The Silviculture of Ash Stewardship in the Northeast - SAP-Ne Webinar

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Giles at mgiles@forestguild.org.

A Spring 2026, Member-Hosted Guild Gathering
2026-05-14 16:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York)
Register
May 14, 2026
4:00 – 7:00 p.m. ET
Woodstock, Vermont
Join the Forest Stewards Guild for a lively Guild Gathering at the Hawkes Family Tree Farm in scenic Woodstock, Vermont!
Longtime Guild member Gerry Hawkes has been honored with the 2025 Tree Farmer of the Year Award by the Vermont Woodlands Association, recognizing his thoughtful ecological forestry practices. To celebrate, he’s welcoming the Guild community to his beautiful 60-acre property in Vermont’s Southern Green Mountains.
Together, we will:

Tour the Hawkes Family Tree Farm and explore a vibrant forest shaped by decades of careful silviculture and selective thinning

Discover the ponds and vernal pools Gerry has built for wildlife and learn how his forest roads have been designed to protect their habitat

Step into his workshop to see some of the small-scale logging equipment he’s invented over the years

Finish the evening with appetizers and s’mores around Gerry’s campfire

Gerry is especially eager to welcome early-career professionals and students to his Tree Farm, giving everyone the chance to see the lasting impact of dedicated management and connect with the next generation of conservation leaders.
This event is part of our 30th Anniversary celebrations, with member-hosted gatherings that honor decades of ecological forestry and highlight the exemplary stewardship of Guild members nationwide. We can’t wait to see you there
