Forest Stewards Guild

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

Forestry Field Day, Maine Woodland Owners
2021-09-12 08:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Register today
September 12, 2021
8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Wicopy Woods Tree Farm – North Rd., Sebec, Maine
Directions and coordinates for download
Full event website
The Annual Forestry Field Day, co-hosted by Maine Woodland Owners and Maine Tree Farm, will be held at a Guild Model Forest! The Wicopy Woods property is that of the 2020 Outstanding Tree Farm of the Year winners, Jessica Leahy and Bob Seymour, in Sebec, Maine. The event will celebrate their achievements and host tours, education programs, and exhibits. Thank you to the Maine Forest Service for all of the support they have provided for this event.

Mesophytic Cove Forest Management in the Central Appalachians: Learning Exchange
2021-09-10 09:00 - 15:15 (America/Halifax)
Important changes have occured for this event as of mid-August. Please read details below.
Register today!
Credit: Samuel H Austin, USGS. Public domain.
September 10, 2021 (now one day only)
9:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. ET
Location: WVU Natural Resources Center
1397 Chestnut Ridge Rd, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525
5 Cat 1 SAF Continuing Education Credits
If you previously booked lodging when this was planned as a two-day event, consider whether you still need your reservation.
Agenda for download
Background: 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, contains the largest drainage divide in the eastern US between the Atlantic Slope and Mississippi Valley rivers, and consists of FSC-identified Critical Biodiversity Areas. This region is characterized by several different forest types, as species composition varies with geology and/or elevation. One forest type of special interest is mesophytic coves. Mesophytic cove forests are highly diverse hardwood forests in the Appalachian region that occur on sheltered, low- to mid-elevation valleys and ravines. While mesophytic cove forests are not particularly rare, sites that exhibit later successional characteristics and still retain a dense canopy and high overstory and understory species diversity are quite rare. In the last two centuries over 95 percent of this forest type has been converted or degraded to some degree.
Event: Join us for one day of information exchange and outdoor learning as we delve into the ecology and silviculture of mesophytic coves, how to identify them, and opportunities for enhancement of these sites through responsible forest management. Responsible forest management techniques include identifying hydrologic impacts of operations, managing invasive plants, and emulating natural disturbance regimes in harvesting techniques.
Logistics
Please bring:

footwear that can get muddy,
insect repellent (optional)
Sunscreen (optional)

Lunch provided
Sites: One field site, listed in the agenda. The trail is less than 2 miles.
Covid considerations: Unfortunately, we are still amid a global pandemic. Fortunately, much of this event is being held outdoors. The recent climb in case counts has led to some fresh public health guidance. For this event, regardless of vaccination status:

Masks must be worn when we are in shared, enclosed spaces, including classrooms and vehicles.
Windows in classrooms and on vehicles must be cracked or fully opened to allow for the flow of fresh air.

We ask you to respect these safety measures for the benefit of yourself, your fellow participants, and our families, which include loved ones who may be immunocompromised or children who are too young to receive the vaccine.

Forestry, Birds and Recreation at the Hinesburg Town Forest
2021-09-01 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Registration not necessary. Just meet at the trailhead at 1o a.m. on Sept 19.
September 19, 2021
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
Meet at Hayden Hill Road East Trailhead, Hinesburg Town Forest, Hinesburg, VT
Join Fellowship of the Wheel, Audubon Vermont, and the Chittenden County Forester for a free, public walk and discussion of forest management, recreation, and forest bird conservation on the site of an upcoming forest management project at the Hinesburg Town Forest.
From warblers and thrushes to vireos and flycatchers, Vermont provides summer breeding habitat for some of the greatest diversity of neotropical migratory songbirds found anywhere in the lower 48 states. Many of these species are at risk due to loss of suitable habitat, forest fragmentation, introduced species, incompatible forest management, and climate change. Bird conservation in the 21st century requires a proactive, multi-disciplinary approach.
Over the past decade Audubon Vermont has been working closely with landowners, foresters, maple syrup producers, legislators, and others to raise awareness of the important role our state’s forests play in hemispheric bird conservation. At this event, Steve Hagenbuch, Audubon’s senior conservation biologist and forester, will help us assess current forest habitat conditions and consider opportunities for future management. Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester, will also discuss forests, forest management, and how the management of the Hinesburg Town Forest will be done with both forest birds and recreation in mind.
More about the project

Celebrating the roots of Guild forestry - Guild birthday event in NC!
2021-08-19 09:30 - 2021-08-21 11:00 (America/Halifax) | SAHC Community Farm, 24 Mag Sluder Rd, Alexander, NC, 28701
Forest Stewards Guild’s 25th Anniversary National Guild Gathering
August 19 – 21, 2021!
Aug 19 at 9:00 a.m. to Aug 20 at 5:15 p.m.
Optional tour Aug 21 from 9:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
This event is full. Registration is closed.
Celebrating the roots of Guild forestry
Venue: Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Community Farm
Agenda for download. Helpful details below.
SAF Category 1 Continuing Education Credits:
Day 1: 4.5 credits
Day 2: 6 credits
Day 3: 2.5 credits
Food:

Thursday breakfast for those who stay on-site, lunch for everyone, dinner for everyone
Friday breakfast for those who stay on-site, lunch for everyone
Saturday breakfast for those who stay on-site
Snacks on all days (fruit, granola bars, cheap bulk food, coffee)

Field sites: Bald Mountain Preserve and Bent Creek Experimental Forest’s femelschlag silviculture system (don’t know what that is? Come join us to find out!).
Celebrate our 25th anniversary with us in our 26th year! Did you know one of the first “Guild Gatherings” happened at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina 25 years ago? A group of like-minded foresters banded together and talked about ways they wanted to see the forestry industry change…and the Forest Stewards Guild still shares these values today.
We will come full circle and host our 26th Anniversary National Guild Gathering in Asheville, North Carolina in August 2021! Join us for two exciting days to celebrate the roots of Guild forestry.
We will hear from natural resource professionals from across the Southeast about how ecological forestry has changed and shaped the landscape, get your boots on the ground and visit a handful of local forest sites, and revisit and remember our history while sitting around a bonfire. Come share the spark of Guild forest stewardship with us!
Lodging: camping will be available on site for $20 per tent, per night. Camping is limited to 25 tents. There are Air B&Bs nearby and the venue is 15 – 20 minutes from Asheville, NC, where there are plenty of lodging options. Just a few that seem to have good pricing are listed below (note: we do not have room blocks set up at these hotels and do not specifically recommend them. We just wanted to give you a few to narrow choices down):
Sleep Inn Asheville – Biltmore West
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson – Asheville West
Crowne Plaza Resort – Asheville
Event pricing:
Student and Presenter Rate: $100
Early-Bird Rates (by July 12, 2021)
Guild member, $100
Non member, $125
Normal Rate:
Guild member, $150
Non member, $175
Lodging: $20/tent/night
Morning tour of Cradle of Forestry on August 21 has been cancelled due to flooding. We are working on alternative programming now!

Guild Gathering in Lake States: Simultaneously Managing Forests for Timber, Birds, and the Future
2021-08-03 08:30 - 2021-08-04 15:30 (America/Chicago)
Register today! ($50, $25 for students)
August 3, 9:30 a.m. – August 4, 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Michigan Technological University’s Ford Center (Alberta, MI), with field tours throughout Houghton County
Continuing education credits:
Category 1 SAF:

day 1: 4.5 credits
day 2: 3.5 credits

Category 1 Wildlife Society: 6 credits total for full event.
Detailed agenda for download
Gathering Overview:
Day 1: Lecture style presentations at the Ford Center will be followed by an afternoon field tour including the surrounding Ford Forest. A cookout style dinner and a campfire/social hour will round out the evening. Overnight lodging will be available at the Ford Center or in Baraga.
Day 2: Field tours in Hancock and Atlantic Mine to visit a pair of parcels that are owned and managed by the Forest Stewards Guild will start and stop at the Ford Center for caravan or carpooling. Please be prepared to caravan in your own vehicle or carpool with other attendees. We do not anticipate any arduous hiking but please come prepared with appropriate clothes and footwear for short forest walks on uneven terrain. Long pants and footwear that can get muddy are recommended.
Food:
Your registration covers:

Day 1 Ford Center lunch (choose option in registration)
Day 1 snacks
Day 1 host-made dinner (pulled pork on buns and whole wheat pesto pasta)
Day 2 breakfast pastries and refreshments
Day 2 snacks
Day 2 boxed lunch in the field (veggie and meat options will be available)

Lodging:
Option 1: Baraga Lakeside Inn is about 12 miles from the Ford Center. We have 15 rooms blocked for the nights of August 2nd and 3rd at $80 each. The block expires on July 19. If you’d like to stay at the Inn, call (906) 353-7123 asap to reserve your room and ask for the Forest Stewards Guild room block to get the discounted rate. This lodging is not included in your registration.
Option 2: There are 10 beds available at the Ford Center’s Ash House for the night of August 3rd only. These are twin beds in semi-private rooms for $35 per bed. Linens included. You can choose this option in your registration for the event until the max availability is met.
We are excited to get people back together in an enjoyable and safe setting. We will be tracking COVID-19 trends and following all local and federal safety guidelines.

Passenger Pigeons: A force of forest disturbance
2021-07-29 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Register today!
July 29, 2021
1:00 p.m. ET
Join the Consortium of Appalachian Fire Managers & Scientists to learn how this extinct species impacted forests in the U.S.
Presentations by Dr. Ian Thompson (Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) and Dr. Ben Novak (Lead Scientist, Revive & Restore) will introduce the cultural and ecological significance of passenger pigeons. We’ll consider what their disappearance means in terms of ecological disturbance processes and the implications for forest and fire management today.
From a TNC staffer: “After nearly 20 years in this field, I was disappointed to find out how little I have considered this bird as such an important influence on our historic, current, (and future?) vegetation.
Reviewing a ton of journal articles, I’m amazed how little attention is given to such significant disturbance factor, compared to fire, wind, bugs, and floods, etc.
Ben paints a heck of a picture of what it was like when these birds were around and fire managers and foresters will be able to picture how it related with fire and eastern hardwood forest structure and composition.”

Tools to Avoid Unwanted Forest Conversion in the Southeast (webinar)
2021-07-27 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
Register today After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
July 27, 2021
2:00 – 3:30 pm ET
Agenda for download
Eligible for 1 Category 1 CFE from SAF.
This webinar aims to educate private forest landowners about the industry-wide threat of conversion in the Southeastern U.S. and will highlight several systems-level, long-term approaches that are being developed to conserve working forests in the Southeast. Additionally, the webinar will detail activities that family forestland owners can take to avoid unwanted conversion, including family succession and estate planning, Heirs’ property resolution, and available incentives programs and forest certification programs. All of these can help family landowners avoid forest conversion on their properties.
This webinar includes three 25-minute presentations with time for questions at the end.

Oak Resiliency Assessment Tool Workshop (hybrid online/in-person)
2021-07-27 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Register today (no charge). In-person attendance max of 20 people. Online attendees will receive join information for the meeting closer to the event date.
July 27, 2021
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
Optional on-site field tour for in-person attendees only: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary, 30 Peck Road, Wales, MA
This workshop is intended for professional foresters who are managing forested land.

The morning workshop is eligible for 3 SAF category 1 CFE credits.
The afternoon field tour is eligible for 2 SAF category 1 CFE credits.

Draft agenda for download
Join the Forest Stewards Guild, online or in-person, 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.
In-person attendees please bring:

your own water bottle,
your own lunch and snacks,
a computer.

For field tour:

footware that can get muddy,
insect repellent,
sunscreen, and
be prepared to caravan to the field site in your own vehicle.

We will follow all current local and federal Covid safety guidelines in place at the time of this event.

Foresters for the Birds, Pacific Northwest
2021-07-09 07:00 - 10:00 (America/Vancouver)
Register today, space is limited.
July 9, 2021
7:00 – 10:00 a.m. PT
10 minutes outside of downtown Forest Grove, Oregon
During this kick-off event we will visit a small, private forest lot in Washington County and think about silviculture with birds in mind. We will introduce Foresters for the Birds concepts in a breezy outdoor setting and discuss the implementation of program ideas at small and large scales. This invitation is open to foresters, forest landowners, and forest managers, so please feel free to share.
This program makes it easy to manage your forested land with bird habitat in mind, to keep common birds common through straightforward stewardship concepts and bird biology. The Pacific Northwest (PNW) program specifically focuses on common migratory songbirds of the PNW, west of the Cascades, that are associated with varying PNW forest habitats. We will be joined by ornithologist Gregor Yanega, who is coordinating the Guild’s Forestry for Birds in the PNW and Eric Jacobs, Stewardship Forester for the Oregon Department of Forestry, Forest Grove District.
We will be following required COVID rules for Washington County which is subject to change. You are welcome to wear a mask for your own safety and comfort at any time.
Agenda outline:
7:00 am – Arrival & Check-In (Coffee & Snacks)
7:15 am – Introductions
7:45 am – Tour
9:15 am – Break (Coffee & Snacks)
9:30 am – Discussion & Conclusion
10:00 am – End of Event
Special thanks to our partners in helping make this event and program possible: Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District and The Oregon Community Foundation. We hope you can join us!

Bat Responses to Silvicultural Treatments (webinar)
2021-06-29 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Register (you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting)
June 29, 2021
1:00 – 2:00 pm ET
Approval pending for 1, Category 1 CFE from SAF.
Agenda includes one 45-minute presentation with time for questions at the end.
Researchers have been studying bat responses to silvicultural treatments since the mid-1980s, but research on the effects of silviculture on bats has increased greatly over the past decade. This webinar will present a synthesis of this research which includes the effects of regeneration harvests, thinning, gap formation, plantation forestry, and prescribed fire on bats. Dr. Loeb will also present the results of a recent review which compares the effects of prescribed fire and wildfire on bats. The talk will conclude with a discussion of the major gaps in our knowledge and where our research efforts need to be concentrated in the future.
