Regional News

SREF News

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 .

SREF Awards Spotlight: Research Technology Transfer & Project Administration

Each week Southern Regional Extension Forestry (SREF) will be highlighting two of their SREF award program recipients. This week, we are featuring winners from the categories Research Technology Transfer and Project Administration. One of our three winners for Best Research Technology Transfer goes to the University of Georgia's Dr. Michael Mengak and Charles T. Todd for their work The Impact of Wild Pig Hunting Outfitters on Pig Populations Across the Southeast. This survey and report provides baseline data for comparing the biological and economic impacts of future policies regarding wild pig populations. Our winner for Best Project Administration goes to North Carolina State University's Dr. Robert Bardon for his role in the . formation of North Carolina Sentinel Landscapes. This is an innovative partnership focused on collaboration and coordination between foresters, conservationists, and military installations in order to provide mutual benefits to protect the state’s two largest economic sectors.  See the complete list of awards given .

US Forest Service Launches New Urban Forestry South Website

The US Forest Service (USFS) Southern Research Station, in collaboration with Southern Regional Extension Forestry and other partners, have created a new website. Urban Forestry South (UFS) offers quality urban natural resource science, technology, and information to improve the long term sustainability of urban ecosystems. The website will act as a central hub for urban forestry news, publications, factsheets and programs in the US South. In addition, they have an extensive resource library with up to date trainings, projects and presentations. Start using this library now.

Subscribe to the New Urban Forestry South Quarterly Newsletter 

In addition to the new Urban Forestry South website, the US Forest Service (USFS) Southern Research Station will also be launching a quarterly newsletter. This newsletter provides information about the USFS's Southern Region's Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF) program, state highlights, useful resources, upcoming events, and much more. Also available is an online archive of past newsletters. Subscribe to this newsletter now.

National News

Funding Opportunities

USDA Extends Conservation Stewardship Program Deadline 

The USDA Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) has extended their application deadline to May 10, 2019. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to invest up to $700 million for new enrollments and contract extensions in fiscal year 2019. CSP helps build on your existing conservation efforts while strengthening your operation. The program is for working lands. It is the largest conservation program in the United States with more than 70 million acres of productive agricultural and forest land enrolled in CSP.  The USDA will help landowners create a custom schedule to assist in stewardship practices such as timely planting of cover crops, developing a grazing plan that will improve your forage base, or implementing a no-till to reduce erosion or manage forested areas in a way that benefits wildlife habitat. Applicants must meet the May 10 deadline to ensure funding for 2019.  Learn more about the CSP, or read detailed instruction on how to apply.

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.

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.

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.

Job Opportunities

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.

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.

UF School of Forest Resources: Lecturer in Quantitative Data Science

The University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conservation is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the position of Lecturer in Quantitative Data Science. This is a 12-month non-tenure-accruing position that will be 100% teaching. Duties and responsibilities include developing and teaching undergraduates, graduates, short courses and workshops. A successful candidate should be able to effectively communicate technical concepts to students from a wide range of backgrounds and should be committed to a vision that includes instruction in emerging new approaches to data science. View the application.

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.

KY Division of Forestry: Environmental Control Manager

The Kentucky Division of Forestry is a seeking a qualified candidate to fill their Environmental Control Manager vacancy. This position will provide management level oversight to the Morehead Branch and its associated activities. These include daily/weekly interactions with the Frankfort Headquarters program staff to ensure that field staff provide quality services to the public to best benefit the state’s forest resources. Applications should be submitted April 22, 2019. Learn more about the position.

Clemson University: Climate Resilience Specialist, CAFLS

Candidates with Ph.D.'s in Meterology, Climatology or other relevant fields are being sought for a climate resilience specialist position at Clemson University, that will be housed within the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences. This tenure-track position could include joint appointments and close work with the SC Water Resources Institute. View the application.