Forest Stewards Guild

Yankee SAF Winter Meeting: Hot Forestry Topics for Warming Winters (webinar)
2022-02-15 12:00 - 14:45 (America/New_York)
Register
Yankee SAF Winter Meeting, co-hosted by the Forest Stewards Guild
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
12:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET

Accelerating the development of structural complexity
2022-01-27 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Anchorage)
Accelerating the development of structural complexity: a case study from Ellsworth Creek Preserve, Washington.
Register
January 27, 2021
Noon – 1:00 p.m. PT
Presenters: Dr Van Kane, Caden Chamberlain, University of Washington, and Michael Case, The Nature Conservancy.
Restoration treatments can theoretically accelerate the development of structural complexity in simplified forest stands. New research provides insights into the effects of restoration treatments on the structural complexity of forest stands in the Ellsworth Creek Preserve in southwestern Washington 10 years post-treatment. The research team also compared forest structure and gap patterns between treated stands and existing late-successional areas within the preserve. In addition to sharing research results, the discussion may help forest managers and landowners in the region who are considering restoration treatments as an option for improving short-term structural complexity in simplified forest stands.
For more information, the full research paper is available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119641

Aquatic Health and Biodiversity of Central Appalachian Forests (webinar)
2022-01-25 12:30 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Register
January 25, 2022
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. ET
Draft agenda for download
Approved for 1.5 Category 1 SAF continuing education credits (CFE)
The Central Appalachian ecoregion spans the Appalachian, Allegheny, and Blue Ridge Mountain ranges in northwestern North Carolina to southern Pennsylvania. This ecoregion consists of many geologic variations and contains the largest drainage divide in the eastern U.S. between the Atlantic Slope and Mississippi Valley rivers. Forests in this region host a diverse amount of plant and animal species. This diversity is exceptionally high due to two main factors: lack of glaciation in the southern reaches of this region, and there is a high variability of microclimates. Additionally, this region is one of the richest temperate freshwater regions in the world and it contains parts of the Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and Mobile River drainages, which are global hotspots for freshwater fish and invertebrates.
While the forests in Central Appalachia provide valuable ecosystem services, they are threatened by several human-caused factors. One of these threats includes hydrologic alteration and degradation, leading to reduced quality of aquatic habitats. Forestry best management practices are used to ensure the protection of water quality during silviculture operations. Many states provide guidelines that are voluntary, quasi-regulatory, or regulatory.
This webinar will focus on the biodiversity of aquatic systems in Central Appalachian forests, highlight the importance of good water quality, and discuss ways to mitigate threats to water quality by using the recently updated NC BMP manual for forestry.

“The Radical Forest Manager” online presentation
2022-01-22 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join link
Saturday, January 22, 2022
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET
“The Radical Forest Manager” at the Green Mountain Club Burlington Section Annual Meeting
In a changing climate, forests are both an asset – helping slow and mitigate the effects of climate change by absorbing the carbon we emit – and under threat. At the same time, climate change, resource extraction and environmental degradation threatens peoples, species and ecosystems worldwide. While some of these problems may seem remote, is it possible that Vermont’s forests have a broader role to play in crafting a just and sustainable world?
In this presentation, Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation will discuss the role that forests and forest management play in our past, present and future, with an eye on social and environmental justice in Vermont and across the globe. Tapper will discuss how responsible, ecological forest management can help support justice, equity, healthy communities and healthy ecosystems here in Vermont and world-wide.

Akinomaage: Teaching from the Earth (webinar)
2022-01-20 15:30 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
Register
January 20, 2022
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. CT
Vern Northrup (Fond Du Lac Band of Ojibwe), artist and retired wildlands firefighter, will present his photographs and teachings that offer Anishinaabe perspectives on the place of humans in the world, the seasons, and more. An audience Q&A will follow.
This event is one of a series of public talks entitled “Transdisciplinary Engagements with Indigenous Thinkers.” Learn more about the IAS Research and Creative Collaborative presenting this work here.
Funding is provided by the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) and the Institute on the Environment (IonE).

Oak Resiliency Assessment Tool Workshop (webinar)
2022-01-19 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Register
January 19, 2022
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET
Approved for 1 Category 1 SAF CFE credit
Join the Forest Stewards Guild to learn how you can use a web-based Oak Resiliency Assessment Tool to assess the resiliency of oak on land you manage. During the workshop, you will learn why this tool can provide value to you and the landowners you work for, the resources the tool provides, and practice using the tool in a meaningful way to assess the resiliency of oak forests.

Management for Old Growth Characteristics
2021-12-16 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Register
December 16, 2021
Noon – 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time
This webinar with Dr. Bill Keeton will focus on approaches and strategies managers can use to encourage the development of late successional or old growth characteristics. Because old growth forests are rare and many species depend on them, managers may seek to help younger forests hold attributes of older forests faster than nature can on its own. Scientists have experimented with structural complexity enhancement techniques such as encouraging the growth of larger diameter trees, standing dead trees, large down logs, and structural diversity. Dr. Bill Keeton will share his research and answer questions.

Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative Annual Conference
2021-12-16 10:30 - 2021-12-17 12:00 (America/New_York)
Register (hosted virtually, $28)
December 16, 2021: 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET
December 17, 2021: 8:30 a.m. – Noon ET
Full conference info is online
Some highlights:

Full conference approved for 7.0 Category 1 SAF credits
Two plenary sessions with presentations by Drs. Erika Svendsen and Julia Burton,
Twenty-eight contributed talks held during two concurrent sessions with a total of seven topic tracks,
A poster session with opportunities to speak with presenters,
Four working group sessions that provide a chance to contribute to project development,
Networking and connection breakout rooms to chat with colleagues from across the region during the lunch and coffee breaks,
A resource board for sharing jobs, events, RFPs, and other opportunities

Oaks in New England Forests (webinar)
2021-12-11 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Oaks in New England Forests: Keystone Trees for Biodiversity and Resiliency
Register via email to Lisa Hayden (lhayden@newenglandforestry.org) to request the Zoom link and dial-in info.
December 11, 2021
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET
Hosted by the New England Forest Foundation, join the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership and two local experts to learn more about one of the key species in our local forests, landscapes and yards – the oaks.
Dr. Desiree L. Narango, a UMass/Amherst ecologist, will discuss her research on the importance of oaks to wildlife habitat, while Logan Johnson, Northeast Region Coordinator of the Forest Stewards Guild, will present resources to support woodland owners and managers in improving the resiliency of oaks in our landscape.
Seventy percent of the forests of southern New England are dominated by oaks. This forest type, is facing pressures that compromise its long-term health and ability to regenerate. Oaks are champions of carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, and watershed management, producing enormous root systems, and sustaining a crucial and complex web of wildlife above ground. Native oak trees host more than 500 species of moths and butterflies. Acorns and leaves feed many creatures, and oak canopy and fallen oak leaves provide shelter for still others. Oak leaf litter can help suppress invasive species, and filters rainwater to cut back on runoff, improving groundwater quality.
​Narango is studying how land management and global change affect songbirds, bees, butterflies, moths and other wildlife. Her conservation research takes place in forests of all types; from naturally regenerating and preserved forests to ecosystems significantly altered by people, such as urban street trees, residential yards, and agroforestry. Narango’s ultimate goal is to help land managers and communities implement effective and efficient action to support both biodiversity and people in a rapidly changing world. She is currently a David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow working with ecologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station. Read about Narango’s research at her website: https://desireelnarango.weebly.com/
In the second half of the program, Johnson of the Forest Stewards Guild, will speak about their work focused on education, training and resources to support landowners and managers in increasing resiliency in southern New England’s oak forests.
Current threats include heavy deer browsing, and defoliation from Lymantria dispar (also known as gypsy moth) and other pests, while trends of seasonal drought and climate change pressures compound other disturbance factors. Widespread canopy mortality impacts wildlife species that depend on oaks for food and habitat, as well as cause safety hazards in residential neighborhoods or on roadsides, and deal a financial blow to private woodland owners. Given the ecological importance of oak species in this region’s forests, all land management approaches stand to gain by integrating measures to promote the long-term resilience of this forest type. Visit the Forest Stewards Guild’s Oak Resiliency webpage here: https://foreststewardsguild.org/oak-resiliency/
The Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership (MTWP), founded in 2013, seeks to bring financial and technical resources to a 21-town rural region in northwestern Massachusetts focused on forest conservation, use of sustainable management on private lands, increased natural resource-based economic development and improved fiscal stability of the municipalities. To learn more about the Partnership, visit MohawkTrailWoodlandsPartnership.org/
For more information, contact: Beth Girshman, Chair of the MTWP Education/Outreach and Research Committee, bgirshman@gmail.com

American Ginseng (webinar)
2021-12-06 15:00 (America/New_York)
Register
December 6, 2021
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET
Hosted by Dr. Jen Chandler and the University of Pennsylvania
Presenter: Dr. Eric Burkhart (Penn State)
Neither wild nor cultivated: American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) trade surveys in Pennsylvania, U.S.A., provide insights into an internationally traded, non-timber forest product.

Holt Research Forest Field Tour
2021-12-03 09:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Register today ($20)
December 3, 2021
9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. followed by lunch and informal discussions, as conditions allow
Location: Holt Research Forest, Arrowsic, Maine
CFE credits pending
This session 2 field tour, in year two of the Science and Practice: Addressing Forest Climate Change in Maine series, will follow a webinar about the Holt Research Forest and Oak-Pine on December 1.
The Holt Research Forest in Arrowsic, Maine is the site of long-term ecosystem research on property owned by Maine TREE Foundation. Four decades of data have been collected at this site and ecosystem response following an experimental harvest is now underway. More information is here. Field trips will include walking over woodland trails that may include uneven ground, rocks, branches and roots and may not be handicap accessible.
Hosts: Jack Witham, UMaine

WPFC Webinar – Increasing Prescribed Burn Capacity in Wisconsin
2021-12-02 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Register
December 2, 2021
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council is pleased to present our first ever webinar, Increasing Prescribed Burn Capacity in Wisconsin – Getting More Fire on the Ground Safely! This event is the first of a series of discussions focused upon increasing prescribed burn capacity in Wisconsin!
This event will feature presentations from WDNR Fire Ecologist and Natural Resources Research Scientist Jed Meunier and WPFC Vice Chair and Researcher Stacey Marion on the historic, current, and future use of prescribed fire in Wisconsin and updates to the Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Needs Assessment. A panel discussion featuring diverse perspectives within the prescribed fire community will follow. Panelists from the WDNR, US Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy and Quercus Land Stewardship Services (a WPFC supporting member!) will discuss current fire initiatives, future goals, and how to achieve those goals.
Come prepared to join the discussion and engage with our panelists. We look forward to igniting the conversation of why and how to get more fire on the ground safely with you!

Southeast Virtual Guild Gathering
2021-11-30 14:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Register
Tuesday November 30, 2021
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. EST
Agenda for download
The Forest Stewards Guild’s Southeast Office is hosting a Virtual Guild Gathering for Southeast Members. During the 90-minute meeting we will connect with fellow Guild members in Introduction Circles (a Guild member tradition), share results from the National Member Survey that went out this past July and discuss how we are going to use member feedback moving forward. We’ll wrap up the session by discussing how the Southeast office can support members in 2022 and beyond. If you want a sneak peek at survey results, check out the October ATL article.

Hemlock Management Workshop
2021-11-11 19:00 - 2021-11-12 16:00 (America/New_York)
Register ($10)
Friday, November 12, 2021
9 am – 4 pm ET
The workshop includes a mandatory orientation via Zoom the evening before from 7 – 8:30 p.m. ET
Zachary Tolbert House
1940 NC-107, Cashiers, NC
COVID-19 precautions will be in place. Visit the HRI website to see our guidelines.
NC Pesticide Applicator credits and ISA member CEUs are available.
Join the Hemlock Restoration Initiative in partnership with Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust and Cashiers Historical Society for a workshop to learn the fundamentals of treating hemlock trees to protect them from the invasive insect, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). Today maintaining your hemlocks’ health is simpler and less expensive than ever before!
What does the workshop cover?
Participants will learn about a variety of methods to protect hemlocks through outdoor, hands-on practice and pre-recorded video presentations.
Event flyer for download

Guild Gathering at Northwoods Stewardship Center
2021-11-05 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Register by October 29!
November 5, 2021
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Northwoods Stewardship Center, 154 Leadership Drive, Island Pond, VT 05846
5, SAF, Category 1, Continuing Education Credits approved!
Draft agenda for download
Join the Forest Stewards Guild for a Guild Gathering with our hosts, NorthWoods Stewardship Center. The Northwoods Stewardship Center is a Guild Model Forest in Charleston, Vermont, where forest managers enhance wildlife habitat, timber quality, education, and recreational opportunities. There will be a particular emphasis on Climate Change resiliency as NorthWoods Stewardship Center incorporates adaptation planning into their harvests and has installed interpretive signage about climate practices.
All activities will occur outdoors. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place following CDC guidelines.
Please bring:

Your own water bottle
Snacks
Footware that can get muddy

Logistics:

Lunch is provided at noon (paid for by registration)
We will carpool from our meeting site to field sites. NWSC has room for approx 10 people. Please consider if you are willing to drive and if so, come with your vehicle ready for efficient carpool coordination.

Tracking Shifts in Disturbance Regimes - online tool intro webinar
2021-11-03 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Register
November 3, 2021
Noon – 1 p.m. ET
The Forest Ecosystems Monitoring Cooperative of the University of Vermont is excited to announce the release of the new online tool “Tracking Shifts in Disturbance Regimes.” The tool allows users to track changes, explore trends, and look for shifts in causes of and responses to disturbance regimes across northeastern forests. Specifically, this project focuses on the extent, frequency, and severity of disturbance caused by native and non-native insects and diseases, flooding and high wind events, drought, and fire. Studies exploring the responses to disturbance by macroinvertebrate communities, coldwater fisheries, and invasive plants are also available for users to further investigate how disturbances are impacting northeastern forests.
To use the tool and read the technical report, please visit the project page: https://www.uvm.edu/femc/disturbance/
This webinar will provide further information about using the tool and share results of trend analyses as presented in the technical report.

Changing Faces of Forestry - an online discussion
2021-11-01 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Denver)
Register today!
Panelist bios
Revised event – details below….
All are welcome!
The Forest Stewards Guild has been around for 25 years. As we celebrate this anniversary and look back, by the nature of the Guild’s focus we must also look to the next 25 years. This is a time for more than remembrance, it is a time for reflection, mutuality, and regeneration. Interpersonal dynamics, lessons learned in the forestry field, and the lessons to come are just as complex as a forest’s ecology. During this session, forestry professionals with varied years of experience among them will share where they are in their careers and how forestry has changed.
We will then build off our panelists’ insights and continue the discussion together. Thinking back on your stories and experiences we will discuss where we are going, our legacy and the legacy of the forests we conserve. This is the time to reflect and talk about our challenges, barriers, and opportunities for forestry. Rather than simply debrief our status, we hope to spark and encourage different thoughts and actions for the future of forests.
We welcome you and your colleagues and students of forestry to join and engage and connect.
Agenda:

Welcome & Introductions
Panelist Discussion
Breakout Group Discussion
Summary and Closing Remarks

Penobscot Experimental Forest Field Tour
2021-10-29 09:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Register today ($20)
October 29, 2021
9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. followed by lunch and informal discussions, as conditions allow
Location: Penobscot Experimental Forest, Bradley, Maine
CFE credits pending
This session 1 field tour, in year two of the Science and Practice: Addressing Forest Climate Change in Maine series, will follow a webinar about the Penobscot Experimental Forest and Spruce-Fir on October 27.
The Penobscot Experimental Forest (PEF) in Bradley, Maine is a site of a long-term silvicultural experiment and additional research jointly managed by the US Forest Service and University of Maine. More information. Field trips will include walking over woodland trails that may include uneven ground, rocks, branches and roots and may not be handicap accessible.
Hosts: Laura Kenefic (USFS), Keith Kanoti (UMaine), Alessio Mortelliti (UMaine).

Bottomland Hardwoods Management Workshop, NC
2021-10-26 13:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Register today!
Webinar portion:
October 26, 2021
1:00 – 4:30 p.m. EST
3 category 1 continuing education credits from TWS and SAF for webinar only.
Webinar agenda for download

Field tour portion at Bladen Lakes State Forest (choose one of the four below):
Field tour participation is not required to attend the webinar.
October 28, 2021

9:00 a.m. – Noon or
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

October 29, 2021

9:00 a.m. – Noon or
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

The Nature Conservancy, NC Forest Service, Forest Stewards Guild, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Audubon NC, NC State Cooperative Extension, and GFR Forestry have teamed up to present a workshop on bottomland hardwood management, funded in part by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The workshop is designed for landowners, land managers, and consulting foresters who have a primary interest in enhancing wildlife habitat and water quality in bottomland forests, while generating some revenue from management activities. The workshop will discuss the ecological and economic values of bottomland forests and present suggestions for management.
The workshop consists of a webinar for all on October 26. Participants can choose from one of 4 identical field trips following the webinar. Field trips are capped at 20 participants each and COVID safety protocols will be followed. It is not required to attend a field trip in order to participate in the webinar.

California Forest Stewardship Workshop
2021-10-12 18:00 - 2021-11-16 19:30 (America/Anchorage)
Register today!
Registration $60. More info online
Online portion: Tuesdays from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. PT from October 12 – November 16, 2021
In-person event: October 23 and 24
Location: Siskiyou County, California
Join the workshop to better understand and protect your forests by developing a Forest Management Plan. Topics include:

Forest management objectives and planning
Forest health, insects and disease
Forest and fire ecology, wildlife, watersheds
Fuels reduction and forest resource marketing
Mapping, inventory and silviculture
Project development & permitting
Getting professional help and cost-share opportunities

Participants will use online resources on their own time to complete learning modules and short activities. Zoom meetings with all participants and presenters will take place once a week on Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm. The in-person field days will cover silviculture, forest inventory and mapping activities. Participants who complete the workshop will be eligible for a free site visit with a California Registered Professional Forester.

Forest Impacts of Climate Change: Monitoring Indicators web-tool (webinar)
2021-10-12 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Register today!
October 12, 2021
Noon – 1:00 p.m. ET
One Category 1 SAF continuing education credit is available
Join this FEMC webinar Forest Impacts of Climate Change: Exploring a new tool to monitor critical ecosystem indicators as The Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative announces the tool’s release. We’ll share more information about using the tool and results from an initial gap analysis of monitoring in the northeast.
This tool allows users to explore where forest monitoring is occurring of 24 expert-identified climate change indicators in the Northeastern U.S. Users can access protocols and visualize where monitoring studies are already being conducted with a focus on aquatic systems, forest systems, trees, and wildlife. Landowners, managers, and researchers can then use these protocols to implement their own, comparable monitoring programs that will be added to the database that already consists of 350 studies with 168 replicable protocols. Developing this network of monitoring sites provides critical information to help close spatial gaps in monitoring efforts and provides baseline data for further inquiry into how forest systems are shifting in response to climate change.

Oak Resiliency Learning Exchange
2021-10-07 12:00 - 2021-10-14 14:00 (America/New_York)
Hagerville Station
Register for webinar
October 7, 2021
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET
Register for field tour (limit 30 participants)
October 14, 2021
9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET
Meet at Hagerville Station, New Salem, MA
Draft agenda for download
Webinar = 1 Category 1 CFEs
Field Tour = 3.5 Category 1 CFEs
Join the Forest Stewards Guild and partners for a learning exchange on oak forests at the Quabbin Reservoir. You may register for one or both of the sessions included in this learning exchange.
The exchange will begin with a one-hour webinar on October 7th. We’ll cover oak research and management, featuring researchers from the Harvard Forest and managers from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Water Supply Protection.

On October 14th we will visit field sites impacted by Lymantria dispar (formerly known as gypsy moth). At each site, you will hear about the insects’ impact, management considerations, and assess the current condition. Then, during a working lunch by the edge of the Quabbin Reservoir, you will work with a group of fellow natural resource professionals to recommend strategies for managing oak forests at an appropriate scale and intensity for New England’s largest public drinking supply watershed.
Logistical notes: We will carpool and caravan to the field sites. Field sites may be difficult to access and will include walking off-trail through the forest and walking through recently harvested areas. Up to 1-mile of walking in these conditions throughout the event is expected.

Fire refugia: where and why do conifer forests persist through multiple fire events?
2021-10-07 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Denver)
Register today!
October 7, 2021
11:00 a.m. PT
Presenter: Dr. Meg Krawchuk, Oregon State University
Changing wildfire regimes are causing rapid shifts in forests worldwide. In particular, forested landscapes that burn repeatedly in relatively quick succession may be at risk of conversion when pre-fire vegetation cannot recover between fires. Fire refugia (areas that burn less frequently or severely than the surrounding landscape) support post-fire ecosystem recovery and the persistence of vulnerable species in fire-prone landscapes. Observed and projected fire-induced forest losses highlight the need to understand where and why forests persist in refugia through multiple fires.
This research need is particularly acute in the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion of southwest Oregon and northwest California, USA, where expected increases in fire activity and climate warming may result in the loss of up to one-third of the region’s conifer forests, which are the most diverse in western North America. We model the key controls on fire refugia occurrence and persistence through one, two, and three fire events over a 32-year period. Refugia that persisted through three fire events appeared to be partially entrained by landscape features that offered protection from fire, suggesting that topographic variability may be an important stabilizing factor as forests pass through successive fire filters. Results from this study could inform management strategies designed to protect fire-resistant portions of biologically and topographically diverse landscapes.

Wildlife Forestry in Bottomland Hardwood Forests Workshop
2021-10-05 09:15 - 17:15 (America/New_York)
Register today!
Tuesday October 5, 2021
9:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Colleton County Parks and Rec Pavilion
280 Recreation Ln Walterboro, SC 29488
Agenda for download
4 SAF continuing educaton credits are pending approval.
Join the Forest Stewards Guild, Audubon South Carolina, and other partners in an outdoor day of learning about bottomland hardwood forest management. We will start the day at an outdoor pavilion to hear from natural resource practitioners about the ecology and importance of bottomlands and the benefits of wildlife forestry practices.
The second half of the day will be spent at two field sites, looking at how differences of management history affects the composition of the forest. The first site is an old rice field that has grown back into forest and the second site has been experiencing natural floodplain succession.
Logistics:

Lunch is provided
Plan to drive your own vehicle to field sites and park in designated parking areas
Terrain is flat, however places may be saturated with water and we recommend bringing tall muck boots. We will not be on trails.

Audubon Forester Training Webinar Series
2021-10-01 08:00 - 2021-10-29 09:00 (America/New_York)
Register today!
October 1, 8, 15 and 22, 2021
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. ET
Program Flyer and details
Summary of topics:
October 1 – Audubon’s Forester Training and Endorsement Program and Introduction to the Healthy Forests Initiative: Information and details about Audubon’s new program for foresters, including steps involved; forest birds experiencing population declines, causes of declines; opportunities to mitigate threats and stressors to breeding habitat.
October 8 – Forest Bird Habitat Management Planning and Assessments: Audubon’s approach to assessing habitat diversity for forest birds at landscape and stand levels; quick guide to assessing landscape forest cover and estimating age class diversity; applying forest habitat management while reducing threats to breeding birds.
October 15 – Forest Management for Birds: Applying traditional, hybrid and mixed systems silvicultural approaches to create desired habitat conditions for mature and young forest birds to meet their full breeding season needs; creating canopy gaps and patch cuts of varying sizes to benefit the most birds.
October 22 – Resources for Audubon Endorsed Foresters, Engaging Landowners, and Current Audubon Projects: Overview of resources available for foresters (guides and examples of a variety of forest management plans that include birds and habitat; engaging forest owners and general public in forestry for birds; current Audubon projects that reach and engage forest owners; upcoming programs and webinars.
October 29 – Using Carbon Programs to Achieve Forest Bird Habitat Management: Overviews carbon sequestration science; carbon sequestration and storage techniques for applications in both young and mature forests; how carbon guidelines can be used for forest bird habitat; current Audubon carbon program partnerships in the region.

Curious about LANDFIRE? Get familiar with this Public Reference Database
2021-09-30 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Register today!
September 30, 2021
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
LANDFIRE delivers 20+ vegetation and fire datasets, and a state-and-transition model for every ecosystem in the United States. Have you ever wondered how others in the scientific community use these products?
Grab that third cup of coffee and join a LANDFIRE team member (on Zoom) for an informal, back and forth open office hours session. These 1-hr open office hours are designed to provide quick feedback, troubleshoot common LANDFIRE questions, familiarize users with the best (and worst) uses of LANDFIRE data and provide an opportunity for the LANDFIRE user community to get quick help with their LANDFIRE questions.

A path forward: understanding and restoring degraded hardwood stands (webinar)
2021-09-22 11:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Register today
September 22, 2021
11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET
Agenda to download
2 Category 1 Continuing Education Credits through the Society of American Foresters
This webinar will explore the complexities of forest degradation as result of poor forest management planning. We will gain a basic understanding of land-use history as it pertains to forest degradation and how misconceptions of forest ecology have led to poor land management practices. Then, we will learn how forest products markets (or lack thereof) can perpetuate the mismanagement of forest resources. Once we grasp these basic concepts, we will learn from applied research on conditions of degraded forests and what we can do to restore them.
Hosted by the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society and NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife

Alternative forest managment practices in southern New England: Yankee SAF
2021-09-21 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
To register ($15 for SAF members, $25 non members): email Christopher Riely: christopher AT sweetbirchconsulting.com
September 21, 2021
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: North Madison Block – South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority
Maps on agenda for download
2.0 CT Forest Practitioner CEUs approved and 5.5 Category 1 SAF CFEs pending approval
A meeting of the Yankee Division, New England Society of American Foresters, co-hosted by South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (SCCRWA), The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), and University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension (UConn).

Loving the Land Through Working Forests Conference
2021-09-18 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Halifax) | Thompsons’ Wood, Centerville, PA
Save the date!
September 18, 2021
Full conference information will be available and updated at the website linked above.
The Foundation for Sustainable Forests invites you to attend this 9th annual event (the 2020 event was cancelled).
A spotlight on Keynote Presenter Doug Tallamy’s presentation, “Nature’s Best Hope”:
Recent headlines about global insect declines, the impending extinction of one million species worldwide, and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can- and must- take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope.

North Atlantic Prescribed Fire Science Workshop 2021
2021-09-14 08:00 - 2021-09-16 17:00 (America/New_York)
Register ($55 per person per day or $165 for the entire three-day workshop)
September 14 – 16
All day each day
Location: YMCA of the Pines in Medford Township, New Jersey
NAFSE is are hosting this workshop to reset, recharge, and reimagine the future of fire science co-production. The last year has posed unimaginable challenges to fire scientists, managers, and wildland firefighters. We are thrilled to have a plan to reconnect in person!
​Field trips to New Jersey Pine Barrens sites will stimulate discussion about regional prescribed fire science challenges and solutions. The workshop day will build a structure for region-wide prescribed fire science co-production and post-workshop coordination.
Join us for a three-day experience in a camp environment outdoors. Spend time in the field with fellow fire science stakeholders. Get your thoughts working in the amazing classroom of New Jersey’s prescribed fire landscape. Registration includes meals, refreshments, and on-site lodging (with payment arranged by August 27). We recommend registering for all three days of this workshop but full registration is not required. Travel cost assistance is available; please email NAFSEhelp@gmail.com for details.
​Agenda:

Registration closes Thursday, August 26 at 11:59 p.m. EDT

Day 0, Mon 9/13: Arrival, optional dinner (not provided) with other participants at a local restaurant

Day 1, Tues 9/14: NJ Pine Barrens field trip, including Silas Little Experimental Forest, Coyle Airfield, and other local spots of interest

Day 2, Wed 9/15: Workshop day, including facilitated discussion of prescribed fire science needs and solutions in the North Atlantic region

Day 3, Thurs 9/16: Field trip to “Small Timbers,” a fire-managed private forest on part of a cranberry farm
