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Dr. Jeff Stringer Named Chair of UK Forestry and Natural Resources

Congratulations to our Extension colleague, Dr. Jeff Stringer,   a longtime University of Kentucky professor and Extension specialist, who has recently been named chair of the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. We're excited to continue to work with Dr. Stringer as he settles into his new position!
              
 
  North Carolina Extension Forestry Team Adds New Wildfire Extension Assistant

 
We'd like to welcome Laurel Kays to to the Extension forestry community! Laurel is the new Extension Assistant at North Carolina State University's Extension Forestry Department. She'll be working on prescribed fire outreach with our friend, NC Extension Associate Jennifer Evans Fawcett. She previously worked as the Forestry Project Manager for the Southwestern North Carolina Resource Conservation and Development Association, a non-profit based in Waynesville, NC.  

                                               
 
Extension Partners from Three States Publish Article on Timber Prices

Understanding how timber prices are formed is crucial for forest stakeholders including landowners, investors, forest product industries, and timberland appraisers. That's why Drs. Rajan Parajuli of NCSU Extension Forestry, James Henderson of Mississippi State University Cooperative Extension, and Shaun Tanger of Louisiana State University's AgCenter collaborated on this article, in which they explain the details that drive timber prices, specifically factors influencing timber prices in the South.


                            
 
New Directory Helps Landowners Access Urban & Small Woodlot Forestry Businesses

Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) )and Virginia Cooperative Extension have teamed up to create the Urban and Small Woodlot Forestry Business Directory, a web page that was developed to help solve the challenges that we all face when trying to provide services for landowners with small acreages and also for those folks who live in urban/suburban areas. 

                   
 
New PINEMAP Fact Sheet: Soil Respiration as an Indicator of Forest Health
 
Forest soils are complex, living communities composed of numerous and diverse microflora and fauna interacting among themselves and with mineral and organic constituents. The soil community carries out a range of crucial physiological processes that directly influence tree vigor, health, and resilience. SREF Extension Associate Leslie Boby worked with Kristin McElligott, Virginia Tech, Marco Minor, Texas A&M University, Eric Taylor, Texas A&M Forest Service, Chris Maier, US Forest Service to produce this fact sheet, which explains how soil respiration can be an indicator of health in forest communities. 
                
                                            
                                                   
 
Extension Learning Opportunity: 
Webinar on Balancing Wildlife & Forest Management Objectives

Join Dr. Bronson Strickland of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Aquaculture at Mississippi State University for the next Forest Health and Invasive Species Outreach and Education Program (FHIS) webinar: Balancing objectives and outcomes for wildlife habitat and forest management. Dr. Strickland will discuss multi-use forest management and ways to create habitat whitetail deer will enjoy and use while keeping your forest healthy and thriving. 


        
 
                  
Nominations for the 2018 Family Forests Education Award Are Now Open

The National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA), in cooperation with the National Association of University Forest Resources Programs (NAUFRP) request nominations for the annual Family Forests Education Award, which will be presented at the 2018 Society of American Foresters (SAF) national convention in Portland, Oregon on October 2nd. The deadline for receiving  nomination materials is August 31, 2018. 

                                                   
 
USDA Climate Hubs Release National Survey of USDA Field Staff on Climate and Weather

USDA Climate Hub Associates Sarah Wiener, Gabrielle E. Roesch-McNally, and Rachel E. Schattman recently released a report detailing the results of 
a survey intended to capture NRCS and FSA employee perceptions and concerns related to the causes and effects of climate change on agriculture and forestry systems. Additional survey questions explored the types of climate and weather tools staff currently use in their work with land managers. A summary of the report as well as the detailed report itself is available after the link. 
                                                      
 
Job Opportunities in the US Forest Service

Two new exciting opportunities are available at the US Forest Service Region 8: 


Director of the National Seed Laboratory Deputy Regional Forester State & Private Forestry, Cooperative Forestry Unit, National Tree Seed Laboratory, Dry Branch, GA

                                                      
 
Extension Learning Opportunity: Three Upcoming Urban & Community Forests Webinars

The exciting and informative Extension  webinar series on urban and community forestry continues in April and May with 3 upcoming webinars: 

  Storm-Resilient Urban Forests: The Role of Species Selection & Maintenance Pruning -  April 24 at 1 PM ET with  Dr. Eric Wiseman of Virginia Tech 

Strong Roots, New Growth: Resolving Legal Challenges for Family-owned Forest and Farmland - May 4 at 11 AM ET with Mavis Gragg, Attorney,  John Schelhas, Research Forester, and Sam Cook  Executive Director of Forest Assets, NCSU. 

27 Years of Extension Urban Forestry Outreach: A Pennsylvania Success Story - May 9 at 1 PM ET with Vincent Cotrone, Regional Extension Urban Forester at Penn State University. 

             
                  
 
Opportunity for Extension to Get Involved: The 2018 Eastern Seed Zone Forum Summit

The US Forest Service needs your help to develop seed zone guidelines for the eastern United States! Join us and  a diverse group of forestry and natural resource professionals on May 9-10 in Lexington, Kentucky to help develop terminology that describes the origins of seed in the eastern US applicable to and useful for practitioners in many fields.  The focus will be on trees and plants used for reforestation or restoration plantings. This will be the culmination of the Eastern Seed Zone Forum's work in 2017. We hope to see you there! 


 
 
SREF Expands Involvement in Extension Wildland Fire Programming


Since 2014, SREF has become more involved in wildland fire educational programming. Working with the Cohesive Fire Strategy, the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS), NC State University, and other regional partners, SREF is developing resources and facilitating discussion and action for ways to engage Extension and communities in more wildfire and prescribed fire education. In addition, Extension Associate Leslie Boby started working with the Southern Fire Exchange to assist with outreach of fire science information to stakeholders in the South. Some of the resources produced and activities planned are: 
To learn more about increasing the southeast's fire resiliency contact: Leslie Boby (lboby@sref.info) or Holly Campbell (hcampbell@sref.info). 


                    
 
EVENTS
April

  KY: Log & Lumber Grading Course
  USDA Science & Technology Webinar:: Fire, Smoke, & Air Quality
  KY: 4-H Forestry Senior Statewide Competition
  Urban Forestry Webinar: Storm-Resilient Urban Forests: The Role of Species Selection & Maintenance Pruning
  KY: Log & Lumber Grading Course
  MS: Unmanned Aerial Systems Short Course - Greene County
  FL: Prescribed Fire for Wildlife Workshop
  Forest Health Webinar: Balancing objectives and outcomes for wildlife habitat and forest management
  GA: Conservation Easements: Management Tools for Working Lands
 
VA: Managing Emerald Ash Borer and Other Tree Pests in Our Woodlands
 
NC: CFE Seekers: Herbicide Workshop
 
FL: Managing Invasive Plants for Longleaf and Wildlife
 
GA: Forest and Wildlife Management Continuing Education Program
 
FL: Family Heirs Property in Florida: "Cloudy Titles" 2018 Workshop Series - Session 3
 
AL: ANREP 2018 Conference 

May
 
  VA: Virginia Forestry Summit
  FL: 45th Annual SAF / SFRC Spring Symposium:"Get Proactive in the Age of Disturbance"
  SC: First Look at Woodland Management - Pee Dee Region
  VA: Quail Management Workshop and Tour
  SC: Growing Our Future
  VA: Emerald Ash Borer - What are my Treatment Options?
  SC: Growing Our Future
  Urban Forestry Webinar: 27 Years of Extension Urban Forestry Outreach: A Pennsylvania Success Story
  SC: Carbon Markets for South Carolina: Promotion of a Sustainable Carbon Market to Forest Landowners
  VA: Backyard Woods Workshop - Ruckersville
  VA: Sources of Conservation Funding Workshop
  VA: Backward Woods Workshop - Leesburg 
  VA: Emerald Ash Borer - What are my Management Options? - Bedford 
  MS: Understanding Global Positioning System (GPS) Workshop
  VA: Invasive Plant Identification and Treatment Methods
  VA: Sources of Conservation Funding Workshop
  VA: 9th Annual CPS Vegetation Management Workshop
  VA: Spring Venture Outdoors Tree ID Series
  VA:  Forest Farmer Field Day
  NC: 2018 Forestry Day at the NC Legislature
 
 
NC: Innovations in Wood Energy Workshop & Tour

 

  Urban Forestry Webinar:  Storm-Resilient Urban Forests: Response Resilience, Are You Prepared to Respond?
  FL: Wildlife and Invasive Species Education (WISE) Workshop
  VA: Spring Venture Outdoors Tree ID Series - Lynchburg
  FL: Family Heirs Property in Florida: "Cloudy Titles" 2018 Workshop Series - Session 4
  AL: Tree Risk Assessment Qualification Workshop  

 June

  NC:  Dry Kiln Operator's Short Course

  NC:  NC Division Summer Meeting, Alternative Land Uses

 
  NC: Include Native Plants - Beautiful & Beneficial 
  Urban Forestry Webinar: Promoting Urban & Community Forestry through Staffing, Volunteer Groups, Tree Boards, & Ordinances
  GA: Logging Cost Analysis 
  AL: Tree Identification Techniques and Using Natives in your Landscape

  Urban Forestry Webinar: 
Have you Checked your Trees Lately? A Routine Check-up of Trees Saves Lives & Property

   
 
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