Forest Stewards Guild

Coffee with the Commissioner (webinar style)
2020-07-10 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Halifax)
No registration required. Please contact membership@forestguild.org for the zoom participant information.
Friday, July 10
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. ET
Join Vermont Coverts and Vermont Woodlands Association for an informal discussion over coffee with Michael Snyder, the Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation. Michael, author of Woods Whys has much knowledge and insight into our Vermont Forests. We are very grateful that he is willing to join us all in our Friday morning Q&A. Brew your coffee and bring your questions.

Natural Resource Management Academy (online course)
2020-07-13 13:00 - 2020-07-17 14:30 (America/Halifax)
Sign up today
July 13 – 17
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET
Program flyer
The Natural Resource Management Academy is a learning opportunity “for youth entering grades 7-12 who are interested in the environment and ready to explore, in depth, their passion for Vermont’s natural resources.” This program is a partnership between UVM Extension 4-H and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. There will be virtual presentations each day about all kinds of neat stuff.

Foundations of Forest Wildlife Habitat Management - Habitat through Disturbance and Silviculture
2020-07-14 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Halifax)
To register free of charge, click on the date below for each event that you will be attending. All sessions are from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET.
Our guest lecturer is Dr. Brenda McComb, Dean Emerita, Oregon State University.
This is a 5-part focused lecture series and this event page will be updated as the dates pass. Each topic builds on the last, so attendance at all presentations is highly recommended, but not required.
The Forest Ecology Working Group and the US Fish and Wildlife Services National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) are pleased to offer this series to introduce fundamental principles of forest habitat management. This is a great opportunity to learn or revisit fundamental forest habitat management principles from a premier ecologist with more than 100 publication under her name.
Series Description:

Register for July 14 – Habitat Selection by Forest-Associated Species: Abiotic factors Lecture series overview and introduction to habitat, habitat selection, and abiotic elements influencing forests and habitat for selected species.
Register for July 28 – Saving all the Pieces: Forest structure and Composition Introduction of biotic factors affecting forests and forest composition and structure as habitat elements
Register for August 11 – Forest Disturbance and Stand Dynamics Forest development stages, successional pathways and characterization of forest disturbances, both background and human-caused, based on size, frequency and intensity, with a brief introduction of silviculture as one type of disturbance
Register for August 25 – Silviculture as a Forest Disturbance Introduction to even- and uneven-aged silvicultural systems and management practices used to regenerate and tend forests to provide desired habitat elements.
Register for September 15 – Habitat Considerations: Dead wood and Riparian Areas Additional forest management considerations for specific habitat components critical to certain wildlife species including riparian areas, dead wood, legacy trees and other unique features.

Series Objectives
1. Introduce concepts & theory and of wildlife habitat selection and application of forest management to provide habitat for selected species or conservation of biological diversity.
2. Help participants with forestry, wildlife, environmental sciences, fisheries and related backgrounds to find a common ground when approaching management of forests for multiple values.
3. Introduce approaches of managing forests to achieve desired conditions for selected species or conservation of biological diversity.
Contact John Ossanna with technical questions or if Closed Captioning is required: john_ossanna@fws.gov

Family Meetings and Governance in Woodland Legacy Planning (webinar)
2020-07-14 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax)
Register today
Your registration confirmation email will have the details you need to join the meeting.
July 14
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET
Most private woodland owners wish to keep their land in the family and intact into the future. Unfortunately, many of these woodlands will not remain in the family. The biggest risk to a successful transfer from one generation to the next, is a lack of communication coupled with challenging family dynamics. Family lands can fail to make it to the next generation because the family cannot resolve differences or failed to address them during the lifetime of the owner(s). By starting the conversation now, holding family meetings and establishing a system of governance, you can leave a long-term woodland legacy for the use and enjoyment of your family.
Dr. Mary Sisock and Audrey Winograd, JD, MSW, experts on land legacy planning, will discuss the principles and processes of effective family meetings and governance. This presentation is for all woodland owners at any stage of the succession planning process. There will be time for Q&A.
This webinar is sponsored by Kings Point Capital Management and hosted by Vermont Woodlands Association.

Woodland Owners Webinars: Protecting Our Oaks (webinar)
2020-07-15 13:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Register today!
July 15, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. CT
This webinar is hosted by the St. Croix River Association and is approved for 1 Category 1 CFE credit.
Oaks are an important part of our ecosystem and economy. They provide habitat and food for wildlife, their wood is used for furniture, making barrels, and heating, and large oaks can increase the value of your property. But sadly, oaks are in need of a helping hand. High deer populations, diseases and pests, and other factors lead to poor oak regeneration. John Geissler, Saint John’s Abbey Land Manager and Outdoor University Director, will discuss their research on oak management and dealing with high densities of deer while Paul Cigan from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will discuss oak wilt in northwest Wisconsin.
Presenters:
John Geissler, Land Manager at Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum who will talk about Adaptive management for future oak forests in the hardwood hills of Minnesota–a 20 year journey
Director at Saint John’s Outdoor University and Paul Cigan, Forest Health Specialist for Northwest WI at Wisconsin DNR who will talk about Oak Wilt in Northwest WI

State of Montane Conservation and Management in Maine (webinar)
2020-07-17 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Halifax)
Register today (free of charge)
July 17, 2020
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET
State of Montane Conservation and Management in Maine
Speakers: Dr. David Publicover, Appalachian Mountain Club and Dr. Caitlin McDonough MacKenzie, University of Maine
The Maine Mountain Collaborative is hosting a series of webinars leading up to the autumn Symposium on Climate Change in Maine’s Mountains. This is the third in the four-part webinar series. Prior webinars in the series can be found on our webinar library page.

Managing Emerald Ash Borer and Climate Change (webinar)
2020-07-22 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
#8 in the Forest Adaptation Webinar Series
Register here
July 22
9:00 a.m. PT /10 MT/ 11 CT/ Noon ET
This webinar is approved for 1 CFE credit by SAF
This one hour is presented by Tony D’Amato, University of Vermont, Alexandra Kosiba and Nancy Patch, Vermont Department of Forests Parks and Recreation, and Pieter van Loon, Vermont Land Trust. Facilitated by Amanda Mahaffey and Leonora Pepper, Forest Stewards Guild.
Recordings from the full Forest Adaptation Webinar Series are available. The series was hosted by the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and the Forest Stewards Guild.

Restoring resilient ecosystems, communities, and economies in complex terrain: the Western Klamath Restoration Partnership
2020-07-23 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Denver)
Register
Thursday, July 23
Noon PT
CFE credit pre-approval is pending.
The Western Klamath Restoration Partnership (WKRP) has been working to maintain resilient Klamath ecosystems, communities, and economies guided by cultural and contemporary knowledge. Four decades of all too frequent megafires have greatly impacted communities and the instream and upslope habitats upon which they depend, but also created one of the most “skookum” regions in the West.
WKRP partners, including the Karuk Tribe, USFS, NGO’s, industry and environmental groups, through an intensive collaborative effort, have created a plan for restoring fire process at the landscape scale. By addressing the social, ecological, economic and cultural aspects of fire through multi-scalar strategies, the WKRP has built social license to utilize prescribed fire extensively in the Wildland Urban Interface through a shared risk model. Manual and mechanical thinning to create strategic fuel breaks allow for increased use of managed wildfire and larger scale prescribed fires, while protecting assets at risk.
In this webinar, WKRP co-lead Will Harling (Mid Klamath Watershed Council) will address the complex fire history of the Klamath Mountains, how fire exclusion and now climate change that have created the Perfect Storm for megafires, and the strategies developed by WKRP to protect communities and valued resources, maximize carbon storage, and restore fire process and indigenous fire management. Specific examples from the Somes Bar Integrated Fire Management Project that is currently being implemented on 5,600 acres of NFS lands will highlight how WKRP strategies are implemented on the ground.
This webinar will be recorded and available in the Guild’s webinar library after the live event.

Sustainable Forestry and Managing for Rare, Threatened, or Endangered Species
2020-07-29 12:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York)
To Register contact Joe Kies by phone/text 715-459-1399 or email joseph.kies@domtar.com. 40 person maximum
SAF and the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association are hosting this joint meeting:
July 29, 2020
12:30 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Waushara WWII Veterans Memorial, 440 W. Main St., Wautoma, WI 54982
CE credits available as follows:
SFI: 4 hrs. CE Credits ($35 recording fee paid to FISTA. FISTA registration materials available at the door)
WDNR Cooperating Consultant: 3 hrs. CE credits
SAF CE credits 2.5 hrs. Category 1
Event agenda includes:
Sarah Herrick – WDNR – Endangered Resources Division, “NHI History, search procedures, concerns”
Mike Lynch – Forest Steward Guild, “Forest Practices Study – Impacts of Harvesting Restrictions to Logging/Forest Products Industry”
Adam Fuehrer – Industrial Forester – Verso Corp., “Establishing/administering a timber sale with endangered resources present”
Updates on SAF happenings and GLTPA happenings
Two hour dinner and social (on your own: buffet or off the menu) at Christiano’s in Wautoma
Sponsors include Domtar and Ahlstrom-Munksjo.
COVID-19 RESPONSE: Due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and protocols that will be in place at the time, we are planning on having this meeting as scheduled. However, the meeting may need to be postponed or modified due to changing pandemic conditions. More information will be shared after July 4.

Call for Presentations for NM Wildland Urban Fire Summit
2020-07-31
Mark your calendars! The New Mexico Wildland Urban Fire Summit will be in Las Vegas, San Miguel County, NM on October 22-23, 2020.
A call for presentations is open now! (view the full details)
Proposals due: July 31, 2020.
Submit proposals to Aelysea Webb at awebb@nmcounties.org
Theme: All Lands, All Neighbors (for wildfire resilience)
Audience: The NM Wildland Urban Summit is attended by community members, fire service volunteers and professionals, non-profit conservation groups engaged in fire adaptation, and federal, state and local government representatives.

Forestry for Maine Birds (FFMB) workshop
2020-08-07 09:30 - 14:30 (America/Halifax)
Register (free) by calling 207-796-2100 or emailing info@downeastlakes.org and indicate if you are staying for dinner.
August 7, 2020, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm ET
Location: Meet at the Grand Lake Stream school building, 15 Water Street, Grand Lake Stream, ME 04668
Approved for 3.5 Category 1 continuing education credits by SAF.
Event flyer to download
Maine Audubon and the Forest Stewards Guild are joining the Downeast Lakes Land Trust to host a Forestry for Maine Birds (FFMB) highlighting the forest management goals and recent forestry activities of the Downeast Lakes Land Trust, and to introduce participants to the FFMB goals of managing woodlands “with birds and other wildlife in mind.”
Our workshop will begin at the Grand Lake Stream school building. From there we will caravan to the Community Forest and make multiple stops at different sites, including an early successional stand, crop tree release site, riparian habitat, and older forest stand.
The entire workshop will be outdoors, rain or shine, so please dress for the weather, wear layers, bring extra warm clothes and a rain coat, and wear shoes or boots for traversing damp ground. Bring your own water, snacks, lunch, sunscreen and bug repellent as well. Lunch is available from the Pine Tree Store, and you can order ahead of time if you like.
To protect yourself and others during the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage you to wear a face covering and remain at least 6’ apart from anyone outside your household throughout the workshop. If you are feeling at all unwell, please stay home.
This workshop is designed to help foresters, landowners, and loggers learn more about community forestry, with a special emphasis on managing your woodland to benefit fish and wildlife in addition to other community and personal goals, specifically “with birds in mind.”
Working Agenda:
9:15-9:30 Welcome and Registration.
9:30-10:00 Overview and Introduction: Forestry for Maine Birds.
10:00-10:30 Introduce “handy” habitat assessment tool.
10:30-12:30 Visit several different forest stands/sites. Break into groups, practice habitat assessments, discuss silvicultural options, and share findings.
12:30-1:00 Brown bag lunch in the forest.
1:00-2:15 Visit several more forest stands/sites, conduct quick habitat assessments, and discuss different management options.
2:15-2:30 Closing circle and evaluations.
2:30 Adjourn
For those interested in staying for dinner, Leen’s Lodge will serve dinner for us. The menu that night is a choice of lobster or steak, and they will be following all COVID guidelines for dining together safely. It is BYOB, and the price is $35/ea or it is included in the price of lodging for anyone staying there ($220 per night includes all meals).
For anyone interested in staying overnight, we recommend you visit the DLLT website for a full list of lodging in the area, including some less expensive options.
The workshop is free, but you must register with the Downeast Lakes Land Trust by calling 796-2100 or emailing info@downeastlakes.org. We need at least 10 participants to run the program, and will cap enrollment at 22. When you register, please indicate if you are or are not staying for dinner at Leen’s Lodge as well.

Appalachian Cove Virtual Series - Ginseng webinar
2020-08-07 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax)
Three-pronged ginseng. Photo by Jennifer Chandler.
This webinar is the first in a series that replaces an original event that was scheduled for August 7, 2020 entitled Mountain Cove Forest Management and Conservation in the Central Appalachians. That original event will not be held due to Covid-19.
This webinar was recorded
The effect of timber harvest on the growth of American ginseng
August 7, 2020
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET
This webinar is pre-approved for 1 SAF CFE credit
Ginseng agenda
Timber harvest is a common disturbance that is important due to its ongoing, cyclical nature and its direct effects on forest canopy structure. Most of the research regarding logging has focused on the study of trees, with less emphasis placed on the incredibly diverse herbaceous understory. Due to the high demand for its root on the Asian market, ginseng is the premier medicinal non-timber forest product in the United States. Historic accounts suggest that ginseng was once far more abundant than it is today, and while over harvesting of ginseng for its root is often described as the primary cause of reductions in population size, extensive changes in ginseng habitat caused by logging likely played a role in ginseng decline.
In this webinar, we asked: “Do the traditional logging practices of eastern hardwood forests have negative side effects on the survival, growth, and reproduction of wild American ginseng?”
Presenters: We were joined by Dr. James McGraw, and Dr. Jennifer Chandler who is the Guild’s new Southeast Program Manager!
James McGraw is Professor Emeritus of Plant Population Biology and Ecology at West Virginia University. He received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University in 1978, and his Ph.D. in Botany from Duke University in 1982. His ecological research has spanned field sites from Alaska to Colorado to Zimbabwe to Antarctica. For the past 20+ years, a major focus of his lab’s work has been the study of valuable native medicinal plants of the eastern deciduous forest, especially American ginseng. Dr. McGraw was an Aldo Leopold Leadership Program Fellow, and he believes firmly that scientists must reach beyond the Ivory Tower to explain what they do, and why.
Jennifer “Jen” Chandler recently joined the Forest Stewards Guild as the Southeast Region Manager after spending several years in academia. She received her B.A. in Business Administration from Transylvania University in 2004 and her B.S. in Biology from Northern Kentucky University in 2009 before completing her Ph.D. under the mentorship of Dr. James B. McGraw at West Virginia University in 2016. Her research has focused primarily on plant response to discrete and chronic disturbances, including the response of American ginseng to both natural and man-made canopy disturbances, and the impact of the invasive pest, spotted lanternfly, on woody plants in the forests of Pennsylvania.
A downloadable flyer for the full series will be updated as we have more information.

Communicating for Climate Change Adaptation (webinar)
2020-08-13 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
Register here
August 13
9:00 a.m. PT/ 10 MT/ 11 CT/ Noon ET
This webinar is approved for 1 CFE credit by SAF
As we work to confront impacts of climate change and to support adaptation in our forests, being able to communicate effectively with other professionals and stakeholders is crucial. Our final webinar in the Forest Adaptation Series will address best practices for talking about climate change with natural resources professionals and woodland owners. We will offer a series of short examples of communication for climate change adaptation emphasizing woodland owners, and conclude with a forum discussion on engaging diverse audiences for climate adaptation in our forests.
Recordings from the full webinar series are available. The series was hosted by the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and the Forest Stewards Guild.

Trails for People and Wildlife
2020-08-13 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Halifax)
Register
Trails for People and Wildlife: A Guide to Planning Trails that Allow People to Enjoy Nature and Wildlife to Thrive
Thursday, August 13
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET
Hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, and horseback riding are just some of the ways we get outside to enjoy nature and relax. However even these seemingly low-key activities can have a negative impact on wildlife by reducing their abundance, reproductive success, or even survival.
Join Jim Oehler from NH Fish and Game as he presents a webinar on a new mapping tool and guide called “Trails for People and Wildlife” that aims to encourage people to get outside and enjoy nature while allowing wildlife to thrive. The tool was funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and produced by the NH Fish and Game Department and Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Intended for landowners, conservation groups, and natural resource professionals, the objective of “Trails for People and Wildlife” is to help facilitate the placement of thoughtfully located networks of well-maintained trails. It seeks to balance having wildlife species there for all of us to enjoy for years to come while providing trail planners and builders with the resources needed to achieve their public access goals.
You can also check out wildnh.com/trails for more information and to download the guide.

Carbon and Carbon Markets (webinar)
2020-08-19 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Halifax)
Register
Wednesday, August 19
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET
Forests across the globe, including those that blanket Vermont, have tremendous potential to help us mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration and storage. Increasingly, there are a number of programs that aim to compensate forest landowners for providing this important ecosystem service. These programs include both regulatory and voluntary forest carbon markets, which can be dizzying in their complexity. In this webinar, Dr. Caitlin Littlefield of UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources will help demystify forest carbon markets and discuss the ways that landowners can promote carbon sequestration and storage—via or independent of these markets. She’ll briefly discuss the important roles of both sustainable forest management and wood products with regards to carbon as well as how critical it is to simply keep forests forested in the face of global change.

Virtual Forestry Stewardship 101
2020-08-19 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Register (free)
August 19, 2020
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. CT
This event is geared towards Aitkin County residents with 20 acres of forested land, but all are welcome to join us as we talk about the basics of forest stewardship and managing your lands for things like wildlife, water quality, and forest health.
Aitkin County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and My St. Croix Woods (an SCRA program), are partnering up to provide you with several options and opportunities in your area to help keep your woods healthy and forested. Watch drone footage of Aitkin County’s forested lands, learn about tax incentive programs and cost-shares, and hear about how you can potentially permanently protect your land with an easement, and connect with your local foresters to ask your woodland questions.

Old Growth Forests (webinar)
2020-08-19 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Halifax)
Register
Old Growth Forests: What They Are, Why They’re Important, and Opportunities for Management
Wednesday, August 19
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET
Old growth forests can be defined as forested ecosystems which have developed somewhat independently over a long time, usually at least several centuries. In addition to being beautiful demonstrations of how forests naturally grow and develop, old growth forests are incredibly valuable for our landscape. They are diverse and resilient, feature amazing habitat opportunities for wildlife, provide clean air and clean water and store more carbon than the relatively young forests that dominate Vermont’s landscape today. Vermont contains very little old growth forest today, although ecologists have placed an ideal target of 6.7% of Vermont’s landscape (9% of our forests) to be maintained as “old forest.”
Join Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester, for a discussion of old growth forests. Ethan will discuss what old growth forests are like (it may surprise you!), why they should be important to us, and what our role may be in helping develop new old growth on our landscape.
In addition to allowing forests to grow and develop into old growth on their own, new research has highlighted opportunities to manage forests actively to become more like old growth forests sooner than they would naturally. Combined with an ecological forestry approach, this presents an opportunity to manage forests while increasing biodiversity, resiliency and overall health. Ethan will discuss opportunities for employing this approach across Vermont’s landscape.

Appalachian Cove Virtual Series - Tom's Run "Field Tour"
2020-09-04
This virtual field tour is the second in a series that replaces an original event entitled Mountain Cove Forest Management and Conservation in the Central Appalachians. That original event will not be held due to Covid-19.
A virtual tour of Tom’s Run Preserve in West Virginia
Download a one-page, PDF study companion to the video above.
This is a pre-recorded field tour made available on September 8, 2020.
The stands at Tom’s Run vary from early successional ‘old-fields’ of red maple, black cherry, poplar, and locust to ‘almost old-growth’ oak-hickory and mixed-mesophytic stands of between 100 and 140 years old. Of particular interest is a large stand of recently (2014) high-graded mixed-mesophytic forest, previously quite similar to the older mixed-mesophytic forest but now radically different in species composition and structure.
Topics that will be addressed:

Combatting invasive species like Ailanthus
Regenerating oak species
Hydrologic impacts of management

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

Forest management from a landowner's perspective (webinar)
2020-09-09 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Halifax)
Register
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
Approved for 1 SAF Category 1 CFE credit
Foresters often talk with landowners about the value of working with a professional in managing their land, but professionals frequently do not get candid feedback from their clients. What is the experience of taking care of a property and working with a forester, from the owner’s perspective?
Landowners Bet and Patrick Smith of rural northeastern Connecticut will share how they came to own and steward their woodland and will discuss their experiences and lessons learned from working with different private and public foresters. We will also be joined by Connecticut NRCS District Conservationist Bill Purcell, who has worked with the Smiths and many other landowners and is familiar with common issues that can arise.
This “flipped” webinar will be a good opportunity for foresters and allied professionals to learn from landowners and participate in a facilitated discussion about how we can best work in partnership.
The event is part of a larger USDA Forest Service tri-state grant project focused on Increasing Resiliency in Southern New England Oak Forests.

Using Trail Cameras to Study Wildlife Behavior
2020-09-09 16:00 - 17:15 (America/Halifax)
Register
Wednesday, Sept 9
4:00 – 5:15 p.m. ET
This one-hour talk followed by Q&A will introduce trail cameras – how they work and how to set them up – and then discuss smart camera placement so that you too can capture photos and videos that reveal the secret habits of animals. These “camera traps” have become critical to wildlife research because they are a noninvasive way to shed new light on the private lives of wild creatures. But, you don’t need to be a scientist. Anyone with curiosity, persistence, and an inexpensive trail camera can study cutting edge animal behavior topics.
About the Presenter:
With a master’s degree in conservation biology and a Level III Wildlife Tracking certificate from CyberTracker, Janet Pesaturo teaches wildlife tracking and camera trapping through Winterberry Wildlife in Massachusetts. She is the author of Camera Trapping Guide: Tracks, Sign and Behavior of Eastern Wildlife and chronicles her nature discoveries and adventures in a blog at winterberrywildlife.ouroneacrefarm.com. This program is made possible by gifts to the NH Coverts Project.

Identifying Birds by Sight & Sound (webinar)
2020-09-10 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Halifax)
Register
Thursday, September 10
1 – 2:30 p.m. ET
This is the first webinar in a four-part virtual series by ForestHer NC.
The opportunity for backyard bird-watching is growing exponentially! We are excited to share all the tips and tricks you need to get started identifying birds by sight and sound. It’s a wonderful world of color and song you won’t want to miss!
We will also look at Who We Are & How Far We’ve Come. In North Carolina, 65 percent of private forestland is entirely jointly owned by women. Learn more about these women (including you!) and why ForestHer NC is so important.
About the series: ForestHer NC is going virtual! Presentations scheduled for the March 2020 Managing for Wildlife workshops will now be held as a free, four-part virtual series. Join us as we come together as a statewide community for the first time!

National Tribal and Indigenous Climate Conference (NTICC)
2020-09-14 - 2020-09-17
“Climate Justice for Seven Generations”
Register by August 31!
Online conference – full event website
September 14 – 17, 2020
Agenda and details coming soon.
Call for proposals deadline: August 7, 2020
The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) is honored to host the United States’ First Biennial National Tribal and Indigenous Climate Conference (NTICC) along with support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Resilience Program. The NTICC is open to all US tribal nations and Indigenous Peoples from throughout the world, with an emphasis on including our Elders and Youth. The NTICC will convene experts on climate change and will include a balance of Traditional Indigenous Knowledges and Western Science. This conference will allow an opportunity to share information and support one another. We welcome all to join us!
The conference features keynote speaker Winona LaDuke, an Anishinaabekwe (Ojibwe) enrolled member of the Mississippi band of Ashinaabeg and founder of the White Earth Land Recovery Project. A full conference agenda will be available soon.

Insights for resilient forest landscapes in the Rogue Basin of southwestern Oregon
2020-09-17 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Denver)
Register
September 17, 2020
Noon – 1:00 p.m. PT
Severe wildfires threaten forests and communities of the northern Klamath Mountains. Historically these forests thrived with frequent, low-mixed severity fire. However, hotter, drier summers, a century of fire exclusion, and past destructive logging practices are increasing the likelihood of destructive fire. Insights from historical fire regimes and stand conditions have been integrated with contemporary evaluations of wildfire risk and habitat needs to inform the collaboratively derived Rogue Basin Cohesive Forest Restoration Strategy.
Dr. Kerry Metlen, Forest Ecologist with The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, will share this approach to thinking about forest management from an integrated regional perspective in a webinar open to all (recording will be available afterward).

Prospects for Resistance Breeding in Trees (webinar)
2020-09-22 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Halifax)
Register
September 22
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
Training event announcement
Our speaker Carolyn (Carrie) Pike is a Forest Regeneration Specialist with the USDA Forest Service. Carrie will talk about ongoing work to improve resistance in beloved tree species like American elm, the ash species, and butternut to build in resistance to Dutch elm disease, emerald ash borer, and butternut canker, respectively, that have devastated these species.
This is part of a Forest Ecology and Management Webinar Series by the Forest Ecology Working Group and the US Fish and Wildlife Services National Conservation Training Center (NCTC). Previous webinars are available to few for a few weeks at the Training Center’s website.
Contact John Ossanna with technical questions or if Closed Captioning is required: john_ossanna@fws.gov

Woodland Owner Webinar Series: Forestry and Climate Change
2020-09-23 01:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Register
September 23
1:30 – 2:30 pm CT
1 CFE credit is available for attending the live webinar
How can we protect our woods in a changing climate while also taking advantage of our forests as carbon sinks? This webinar will help answer these questions.
Stephen Handler, a climate change specialist with the USDA Forest Service, will discuss how you can factor climate change in forest management. He will also discuss tools to help evaluate your climate change risks.
Gabriel Burns, a climate change specialist for the MN DNR Division of Forestry, will talk about emerging carbon market opportunities for private forest landowners. He will discuss different incentive programs designed for landowners interested in improving forest health and provide an example of a landowner who benefited from enrolling their lands in an offset program.

Efficacy of Post-fire Treatments
2020-09-24 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Register
September 24
2:oo – 4:00 p.m. CT (3:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET)
A robust conversation on the efficacy of post-fire treatments and current research results.
Registration is free thanks to sponsorship of National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy! Coalitions and Collaboratives, Inc is hosting.

Physiological Response of Trees in Maine Mountain Forests to Climate Stress (webinar)
2020-09-24 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Halifax)
Register today (free of charge)
September 24, 2020
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET
Physiological Response of Trees in Maine Mountain Forests to Climate Stress
Speaker: Dr. Jay Wason, University of Maine
The Maine Mountain Collaborative is hosting a series of webinars leading up to the autumn Symposium on Climate Change in Maine’s Mountains. This is the third in the four-part webinar series. Prior webinars in the series can be found on our webinar library page.

Colorado Wildland Fire Conference
2020-09-30 08:15 - 2020-10-01 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Register
The Colorado Wildland Fire Conference is moving to a virtual platform this year, incorporating the “Discover Your Role” theme including a variety of presentations.
September 30
8:15 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. MT
and
October 1
8:15 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. MT
Conference schedule
Special message from Fire Adapted Colorado
This event has been approved for:
Society of American Foresters: Sept. 30, 4 CAT 1 CFE and Oct. 1, 2.5 CAT 1 CFE
Society for Range Management: 5 CPRM Credits
Society for Ecological Restoration: Pending

Virtual and interactive workshop on prescribed fire in northern Minnesota
2020-09-30 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
Register
Title: Prescribed Fire: Forest History and Today’s Implementation
September 30, 2020
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. CT (7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET)
The use of fire on the landscape is a hotly debated topic, despite being a natural process in our northern forests. It is seen as a vital tool by land managers to improve forest health and spur regeneration.
This webinar will look at the history of fire and its benefits in the NE region of Minnesota. Then, virtually, take a walk in the woods with us to see and hear how the Superior National Forest land management team is using fire as a tool to restore the forest and wildlife and plant habitat within its borders.
This event is hosted by Dovetail Partners and supported by the U.S. Forest Service – Superior National Forest. The webinar agenda includes speakers Lane Johnson from the University of Minnesota Cloquet Forestry Center, and Timo Rova the West Zone Fire Management Officier from the Superior National Forest.

Appalachian Cove Virtual Series - Invasives webinar
2020-10-02 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax)
Bittersweet taking over a stand of trees. Photo courtesy of EcoForesters.
This webinar is the third in a series that replaces an original event entitled Mountain Cove Forest Management and Conservation in the Central Appalachians. That original event will not be held due to Covid-19.
Invasives in Appalachian cove sites
Watch the webinar recording
October 2, 2020
Noon – 1:00 p.m. ET
Pre-approved for 1 SAF CFE credit
Pre-approved for 1 CE credit with MD-DE Master Logger Program
Agenda for download
Forests in the Southern Appalachians have seen a steady increase in non-native invasive plants for decades. Did you know that invasive plants are present on 1 out of every 10 southern forest acres? These invasives inhibit regeneration and growth of native trees and plants, adversely affecting the overall health of our forests. They can even destroy native forests! EcoForesters is a non-profit professional forestry organization dedicated to conserving and restoring Appalachian forests through education and stewardship, and one way they do that is through invasive species control.
About EcoForesters Non-Native Invasive Species Control Crew: developed to provide landowners an option for ecological stewardship action by improving your forest’s health through invasive species assessments and control. Our crew mechanically treats targeted species predominately through the use of handsaws and hatchets, with the assistance of herbicides tailored for specific species.
This webinar will talk about managing non-native invasive plants that threaten cove forests. Through interactive example scenarios, you will gain the tools needed to start the journey of implementing invasive species treatments on properties you manage or your own land.
Some questions we will answer:

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

Presenter Bios
Andy Tait: Andy has been the EcoForestry Director at EcoForesters since its inception in 2015. He oversees all of EcoForesters’ Southern Appalachian forestry projects, including forest stewardship planning and timber sale administration. Prior to this position, he spent 6 years conducting on-the-ground research on forest restoration at the US Forest Service’s Southern Research Station and the Bent Creek Experimental Forest in Asheville. In addition, he also did hands-on ecologically beneficial stewardship on both public and private woodlands in western North Carolina.
Mary Vann Johnston: Mary Vann is the Non-native Invasives Control Crew Leader with EcoForesters. She received her B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Sustainable Forestry from Warren Wilson College. She began her career in forestry with a student internship at Forest Stewards and after college began working full time at Blue Ridge Forestry in Asheville. Mary Vann is passionate about her work at EcoForesters because of its dedication to positive impact forestry, conservation, and education here in the Appalachian Mountains.
A downloadable flyer for the full Appalachian Cove Virtual Series will be updated as we have more information.
