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ISSUE 46 : WEEK OF March 25, 2019
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Regional News
- South Carolina DNR Releases Story Map of Hurricane Florence Impacts
- Forestry Herbicide Prescriptions Publication Released for Western Gulf
- UGA Warnell School Named Clean Water Hero for Dam Removal Project
- Virginia DOF to Host Thermally-Modified Wood Short Course
- MSU Study Shows Promise in American Sycamore Breeding Success
- ACES Releases Management Minute Video on Deer Population Density
SREF News
- 2018-2019 Extension Award Winners- SREF Awards Program
- SREF Awards Spotlight: Best Journal Publication and Mass Media
- USFS, NCSU & SREF to Host Webinar on Timber Tax Filing for 2018
National News
- ANREP Announces Winners of 2018-19 ANREP Awards
- New Studies Show Wetland Trees Produce Methane
- IAFC, WFPC Release Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Chief's Guide
- Nominate a Private Forest Landowner for the FLA 2019 Awards Program
- PSU to Host Noon and Evening Webinar on Rx Fire Management
- USFS and BLM Announce 2019 National Conservation Awards
Funding Opportunities
- USFS, US Endowment Offer up to $1 Million for Mass Timber Grant
- JFSP, BLM Announce Wildland Fire Funding Opportunity up to $500K
- NRCS GA State Office Seeks Partners to Improve State Conservation
- NC Florence Restoration Fund Offers Aid to Affected Areas
Job Opportunities
- ABAC: Assistant Professor of Forestry
- Florida Forest Service: Forest Hydrologist
- Tennessee Department of Forestry: Reforestation Unit Leader
- UGA Center for Forest Business: Associate Director
- US Forest Service: Supervisory Forester GS-13
- NC A&T Extension: Natural Resources Extension Specialist
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South Carolina DNR Releases Story Map of Hurricane Florence Impacts
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has created an interactive story map detailing the impacts of Hurricane Florence on the state. This story map outlines the statistical impacts as well as the coordinated efforts between federal, state and local agencies as the events unfolded. Although the landfall occurred in North Carolina, the storm’s slow forward movement of under three miles per hour and Florence’s unique track brought unprecedented rainfall across a large portion of North and South Carolina. This caused extensive flooding and requiring coordination and support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross.
Start using the story map.
Forestry Herbicide Prescriptions Publication Released for Western Gulf
A collaboration of the Texas A&M Forest Service, LSU AgCenter, University of Arkansas Extension and Louisiana Tech University (Western Gulf) has released a new publication on forestry herbicide prescriptions. This publication provides general suggestions for herbicides used to control unwanted vegetation for forest management situations in the Western Gulf region of the U.S. This ranges from southern Arkansas, Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, and eastern Texas. Vegetation control varies tremendously when treatments are applied under less than optimum conditions and/or with inexperienced applicators. The provided information discusses key elements to successful application; however, users should always refer to the respective herbicide labels prior to making any application.
Read the publication.
ACES Releases Management Minute Video on Deer Population Density
The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service (ACES) has releases the latest video of their Management Minute Series. These minute long videos offer landowners easily digestible tips on how to manage their land. The newest in the series is about the use of camera surveys in order to estimate deer population density. Many studies have shown that high deer and other ungulates population browsing can quickly decrease the biodiversity in a forest understory . This video shows you how to monitor your deer population, and potential management options to deal with them.
Watch the video.
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UGA Warnell School Named Clean Water Hero for Dam Removal Project
The University of Georgia (UGA) Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources was named one of The Georgia Water Coalition's Clean 13 Water Heroes for 2018. Warnell was awarded for a groundbreaking removal of the White Dam located in the Whitehall Experimental Forest. In July, the school and multiple state and federal partners breached an obsolete century-old dam to reconnect 22 miles of the Middle Oconee River vastly improving the habitat for numerous fish species. The Clean 13 report highlights individuals, businesses, industries, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies whose extraordinary efforts have led to cleaner water in Georgia.
Learn more about the White Dam removal
, or
view all Clean 13 award winners.
MSU Study Shows Promise in American Sycamore Breeding Success
Researchers at Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension are getting promising results in their American sycamore breeding trials.The American sycamore has been limited in use due to an aggressive disease known as bacterial leaf scorch. American sycamore has an extremely large range, which gives it a great deal of genetic variability. They began finding certain types of sycamore that were more resistant than others. Researchers used a few of these resistant trees in a breeding trial. When the resistant trees were crossed with other resistant trees, they were not affected by the leaf scorch. However, susceptible sycamores crossed with resistant ones still ended in tree death. Currently, the U.S. Forest Service and MSU are collecting sycamore parents resistant to bacterial leaf scorch and breeding them to produce seedlings that show even higher rates of resistance.
Read the full study here.
Virginia DOF to Host Thermally-Modified Wood Short Course
The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is hosting a Thermally Modified Wood Short Course on October 17, 2019 in Charlottesville, VA. Thermally modified wood is considered more decay resistant and more dimensionally stable than non-modified wood. This short course introduces the basic concepts of thermally-modified wood including production process, properties, applications, and markets.The cost of the course is $100 per participant with continuing education credits available.
Learn more
, or
register for this course.
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2018-2019 Extension Award Winners- SREF Awards Program
The Southern Regional Extension Forestry (SREF) announces winners to their regional Extension awards program. Awards are judged by a regional team in multiple categories ranging from Extension and journal publications to websites, youth education and more. Submissions included nearly 100 nominees and co-nominees. In the coming weeks, this newsletter will highlight many of the award-winning unique programs and products. Congratulations to all the winners.
See the complete list of awards given
.
NCSU, USFS & SREF to Host Webinar on Timber Tax Filing for 2018
North Carolina State Extension Forestry in collaboration with the US Forest Service and Southern Regional Extension Forestry will host a free one-hour webinar on April 2, 2019 at 1:00 PM EST. The purpose of this webinar is to help the private forest landowners, foresters, loggers and timber businesses with their 2018 tax return filings. Participants will discuss the timber-related income tax reporting rules, including the latest major new law changes affecting timber transactions. Registration is required.
Register for the webinar.
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SREF Awards Spotlight: Best Journal Publication and Mass Media
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ANREP Announces Winners of 2018-19 ANREP Awards
The Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP) has announced their 2018-19 award recipients. The ANREP Awards Program recognizes significant achievement, and expands the use of high quality, innovative materials and programs by honoring the outstanding members and partners who developed them. There are thirteen different categories. Nine of the categories are tiered with winners receiving either a gold, silver or bronze award. The last four categories are for individual achievement.
See the full list of the 2019 ANREP Award Winners
IAFC, WFPC Release Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Chief's Guide
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), in collaboration with the Wildland Fire Policy Committee (WFPC), is releasing the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Chief's Guide. This new resource is specifically designed to assist fire chiefs and other officials help communities effectively manage fire risk in the WUI. Designed for fire chiefs, the WUI Chief's Guide provides a better understanding of the WUI and the necessary information to help prepare for, mitigate, respond to and recover from wildfire.
Start discovering information, advice, case studies and links to applicable resources right now.
USFS and BLM Announce 2019 National Conservation Awards
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) recognized the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and the Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto (NRMG) as winners of their 2019 National Conservation Awards. The awards were presented at the 84th North American Wildlife & Natural Resources Conference. The RMEF received the Forest Service-BLM 2019 Conservation Partner of the Year Award for sustained outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation and public access across the West. The NRMG was awarded the Forest Service-BLM 2019 Conservation Project Award for its leadership and innovations in building collaborative partnerships that promote sound land management practices and conservation of public lands.
Read the press release.
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New Studies Show Wetland Trees Produce Methane
Scientists have known for years that wetland tree species store vast amounts of carbon in their saturated soils. However, a new study by Dr. Vincent Gauci, chair of global change ecology in the School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at the Open University, shows that these trees release that carbon as methane. Dr. Gauci's study shows that tree stems can be important surfaces of exchange for powerful greenhouse gases. Methane is second only to carbon dioxide in its importance as a greenhouse gas emission linked to climate change. It is important to note, that forests were major factors in the stable carbon and temperature balance for the past 10,000 years prior to humans intervention.
Read Dr. Gauci's study
, or
read an article on the subject.
Nominate a Private Forest Landowner for the FLA 2019 Awards Program
The Forest Landowners Association’s (FLA) is accepting nominations for their 2019 Awards Program. These awards recognize outstanding landowners and forestry professionals contributing to the advancement of the private forest landowner community. The three categories are Forest Landowner of the Year, Extension Forester of the Year, and Young Forest Landowner of the Year. The award winners will be honored at the FLA Family Forest Business Conference in Olympic Valley, CA from June 18-21, 2019. Nominations are due by April 1, 2019.
Learn more and nominate a candidate.
PSU to Host Noon and Evening Webinar on Rx Fire Management
Penn State University (PSU) College of Agricultural Sciences is offering two opportunities view their webinar on prescribed fire in natural resources management. Both are free one-hour webinars on April 9, 2019. The first webinar is at 12:00 PM EST with an encore at 7:00 PM EST. Participants will discuss the reasons for increased use of fire in eastern forests. Topics include creating early successional habitat for wildlife, increasing landscape diversity, and improving oak management. No registration is required.
View the portal to the noon webinar
, or
to the evening webinar.
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USFS, US Endowment Offer up to $1 Million for Mass Timber Grant
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) plan to award up to one-million dollars under the Mass Timber University Grant Program and related Request for Proposals (RFP). The intent of the Mass Timber Grant is to inspire interest in and support for mass timber products among the architectural, developer and building communities as well as the public, by showcasing them in highly-visible projects on university campuses. This grant is a cost share/matching program meaning that for every dollar awarded from the Mass Timber Grant, the recipient must match that same dollar amount. Submission are due by May 31, 2019.
Learn more and view detailed instructions on how to apply.
NRCS GA State Office Seeks Partners to Improve State Conservation
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Georgia (GA) state office is seeking opportunities to partner with like-minded natural resource conservationists. They are seeking partners to help enhance the implementation of key conservation objectives and priorities. Proposals will be accepted from Georgia. NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2019 will be approximately $6,500,000. Proposals are requested from eligible entities, non-profits, governmental or non-governmental organizations, and institutions of higher learning for competitive consideration of awards. Projects are expected to be between one and five years in duration. Proposals are due April 18, 2019. The objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions can be found
here.
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JFSP, BLM Announce Wildland Fire Funding Opportunity up to $500K
The Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plan to award up to $500,000 to prioritize and provide sound scientific studies that support the land management agencies and other stakeholders in addressing issues associated with wildland fire. The objectives of this grant are to identify or develop metrics to assess fuel break and fuel break system performance, evaluate fuel breaks and fuel break systems against these standards, and identify necessary improvements in the implementation of operational fire behavior models. All proposals are to be submitted using the electronic submission process provided on the
JFSP website.
Proposals must be submitted by 7:00 PM. EST on May 16, 2019.
Learn more about the program and how to apply.
NC Florence Restoration Fund Offers Aid to Affected Areas
The North Carolina (NC) Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS) are approving and administering aid to woodland owners in 52 counties impacted by Hurricane Florence and recognized as federal disaster areas. The NC General Assembly approved $2.5 million in time-limited funding for reforestation efforts. To receive reimbursement, at least 4.5 acres of approved, completed work must be documented. The maximum funding allocation will be 100 acres per landowner per fiscal year. Applications need to be submitted to the landowner’s local NCFS office for initial review, before they are sent to the NCFS State Office for final approval. Applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis until all available funds have been allocated.
Learn more.
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ABAC: Assistant Professor of Forestry
The Department of Forest Resources at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) is seeking an Assistant Professor of Forestry. The successful candidate will teach courses in support of ABAC’s Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management. Primary teaching responsibilities in forest resources may include but are not limited to Dendrology, Forest Measurements and Mapping, and Advanced Forest Ecology. This is a 10 month, tenure-track position. Position open until filled.
View the application.
Tennessee Department of Forestry: Reforestation Unit Leader
The Tennessee Department of Forestry is seeking a qualified candidate to fill their Reforestation Unit Leader Vacancy in Delano, TN.The Reforestation Unit provides quality, affordable tree seedlings to Tennessee landowners and optimizes genetic improvements of tree seedlings to increase the productivity of the state’s forest resource. This position oversees the fiscal, operational and marketing aspects of the East Tennessee Nursery program. Applications should be submitted by April 2, 2019 in to ensure consideration.
View the job description.
US Forest Service: Supervisory Forester GS-13
The U.S. Forest Service is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of Supervisory Forester. This position is located at the Southern Research Station Forest Inventory and Analysis {SRS-FIA) headquarters in Knoxville, TN. The incumbent serves as the Team Leader for the Resource Use Team and is part of the SRS-FIA management team. The incumbent is responsible for the implementation and management of timber and non-timber resource use surveys and utilization studies across the Southern Region in coordination with SRS-FIA and national leadership. Applications must be submitted by April 20th, 2019.
View the application.
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Florida Forest Service: Forest Hydrologist
The Florida Forest Service (FFS) is seeking a qualified candidate for their Forest Hydrologist position in Tallahassee, FL. The Forest Hydrologist is titled Environmental Specialist III on the website. The incumbent will coordinate and conduct the FFS’s Best Management Practice (BMP) Compliance Survey, including training for the Environmental Specialists and/or County Foresters, field data collection, analysis of data, preparation of reports, and presentation and publication of results. They will also assist public and private forest managers and landowners in applying BMPs to silviculture and activities such as harvesting, road construction, and maintenance or site preparation. Applications should be submitted by April 1, 2019.
Apply for this job.
UGA Center for Forest Business: Associate Director
The University of Georgia's (UGA) Harley Langdale Jr. Center for Forest Business of the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources is seeking to fill the position of Associate Director. This is a fiscal year Academic Professional (non-tenure track) faculty position. The position is about 70% administrative and 30% teaching appointment with undergraduate and master’s program instructional responsibilities. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning and conducting the biennial Timberland Investment Conference and other periodic continuing education programs, assist in strategic planning efforts, market graduate programs to prospective students, and maintain close ties to program employers and stakeholders. Applications must be submitted by April 15, 2019.
Learn more about this position.
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Upcoming Events:
April 30- May 1, 2019 | Gainesville, FL
Topics will include landowner associations, forest product markets, new landscape planning approaches, forest certification, economics, hurricane recovery, genetically improved southern pines, wildlife habitat provisions, intergenerational land transfer, and more
April 30- May 3, 2019 | Norfolk, VA
Registration is now open for the 2019 Virginia Forestry Summit. The Summit will take place at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel
May 11, 2019 | Grand Valley, PA
Registration is now open for the Loving the Land Through Working Forests Conference. Registation required. $20 per person, free for Members of the Foundation for Sustainable Forests, Pennsylvania Forestry Association and NW PA Woodland Association.
June 25, 2019 | Atlanta, GA
This class details the step-by-step process to understand, track, and analyze the price, demand, supply, and competitive dynamics of local timber markets and wood baskets, including the impacts of new and announced wood bioenergy projects.
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