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ISSUE 109: WEEK OF July 5th, 2021
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Regional News
- How the River Flows, Healthy Forest-Clean Water Podcast 8th Episode Available
- Enviva Forest Conservation Fund Awards 2021 Grants
- City of Dallas Adopts Its First Urban Forest Master Plan
- Forest Stewards Guild New “Learning About Burning” Video
- NCSU Ext. Intro to Forest Carbon Offset Markets Publication
- SFE Discusses UAVs for Measuring Prescribed Fire Behavior
National News
- Extension Foundation Creates National Registry of Cooperative Extension Programs and Assets
- FRA Creating Inventory of Logger, Trucker, & Mill Training Programs
- American Forests Creates Tool to Measure Tree Equity
- Global Forest Education Survey Reveals Challenges & Innovations in Forestry Education
- Lumber Prices Plummet
- SAF 2021 Call for Posters & Science Flash Proposals
- Warning Signs of Tree Mortality Masked by Extreme Drought and Bark Beetles
- NOAA Article: Living Shorelines Provide Better Buffers to Coastal Areas
- USFS Article Details Ways to Fight Back Against Invasive Species
- ISA 2021 Virtual Tree Climber Summit
- New! NWCG Guide to Fire Weather Forecasts
Webinars
- NMSFA Economic Analysis Webinar
- OSC and GTAC Geospatial Tools for Climate-Informed Management Webinar
- Penn State Utility-Scale Solar Siting and Forests Webinar
- Influence of Municipal Pruning Practices on Urban Forest Health and Storm Resilience Webinar
- Beyond Trees Network Remote Nature Therapy Session
- Herbicide for Pine Management Virtual Workshop
Funding Opportunities
- Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program Funding
Job Opportunities
- TCF Forest Analyst
- NCSU College of Natural Resources, Associate Dean for Research
- UT Asst. Professor of Forest Economics and Management
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How the River Flows, Healthy Forest-Clean Water Podcast 8th Episode Available
“How the River Flows,” a podcast created by Keeping Forests, that explores the healthy forest and clean drinking water now has eight episodes available for listening. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of the forest-water connection including the different ways that communities are funding water and forest protection through innovative means. Recent episodes focused on finding funding and interagency collaboration. Access all episodes here or subscribe through any podcast service.
City of Dallas Adopts Its First Urban Forest Master Plan
The city of Dallas, Texas, has adopted its first urban forest management plan which was developed by the Texas Trees Foundation. The plan includes several goals, such as increasing the tree canopy from 32% to 37% by 2040, and making urban forest access more equitable. In recent years, high-heat days have made Dallas' urban forests a necessity. Their existence helps mitigate heat islands created by impervious and non-vegetated surfaces. Click here to learn more.
NCSU Ext. Intro to Forest Carbon Offset Markets Publication
North Carolina State University's Extension forestry team, in 2019, put together a publication, "Introduction to Forest Carbon Offset Markets," explaining what these markets are and how they work. While things have changed rapidly in the past two years since this was published, this publication is helpful for understanding what types of forest carbon projects are out there as well as their key attributes. In addition, there is an explanation of the difference between voluntary and compliance markets, California's Cap and Trade Program and a list of some carbon credit registries, though there have been many changes in these registries as well. Read more here.
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Enviva Forest Conservation Fund Awards 2021 Grants
Recipients of the 2021 Enviva Forest Conservation Fund (the Fund) grants were recently announced. Funded projects will help with the conservation of over 4,000 acres in coastal Virginia and North Carolina. Grant recipients include the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust (NCCLT), North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), and the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF). Including these grants, the Fund has awarded 24 projects over the past six years. An estimated 31,000 acres will be protected once these projects are complete. Learn more about the Fund and its projects here.
Forest Stewards Guild New “Learning About Burning” Video
Recently, the Forest Stewards Guild (SGF) and partners released a video titled “Learning About Burning: An Introduction to Prescribed Fire for North Carolina Landowners”. In this video, fire professionals discuss the basics of prescribed fire, the tools needed for safe burning, as well as answers to commonly asked questions about how fire in the mountains is ecologically beneficial. Click here to watch the video. Click here to read the associated blog post.
SFE Discusses UAVs for Measuring Prescribed Fire Behavior
Earlier this year, the Southern Fire Exchange (SFE) released a video about the role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in prescribed fire. UAVs are currently used to help managers better understand fire dynamics. They provide an aerial view with both infrared and optical cameras. This allows managers to visualize active fires, their spread, and the aftermath. As UAV technology continues to develop, they can be used to develop new fire and smoke models. They can also aid managers in understanding fire behavior. Click here to watch the video.
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Extension Foundation Creates National Registry of Cooperative Extension Programs and Assets
This month, the Extension Foundation announced the development of the National Registry of Cooperative Extension Programs and Assets. This new tool will allow Cooperative Extension professionals to register projects, programs, and curriculum for nationwide collaboration. This will allow Extension professionals to quickly find similar programming efforts and reduce duplication of work. The Extension registry also includes features such as updating your programming, a dynamic search engine, and the ability to add new digital assets. Click here to read more about the Extension registry. Click here to access the Extension registry and your program and/or curriculum.
American Forests Creates Tool to Measure Tree Equity
This week, American Forests released a new tool used to measure Tree Equity scores in urbanized areas of the United States. Data is currently available for over 450 areas. American Forests defines Tree Equity as a metric that helps cities assess how well they are delivering fair tree canopy cover to all residents. It is derived from measures of canopy cover, climate, demographic, and socioeconomic data. This new tool is designed to help urban foresters and city residents discover how targeted tree plantings can improve the health and well-being of their communities. Click here to learn more.
Lumber Prices Plummet
This month, Forest2Market released a blog post detailing the current trends of southern yellow pine (SYP) lumber prices. SYP lumber prices saw drastic inflation this year and last year but have begun to drop over the past several weeks. Yet, when compared to historical trends, they have remained high. Experts believe that may take several more quarters for the price to settle. Click here to read more.
Warning Signs of Tree Mortality Masked by Extreme Drought and Bark Beetles
A recent tree-ring study, by United States Forest Service (USFS) scientists, shows that concurrent drought and bark beetle outbreaks blur tree growth patterns, defense, and physiology. USFS ecologists Charlotte Reed and Sharon Hood collected data from California national forests in 2012-2016, when the region was experiencing both extreme drought and bark beetle outbreaks. These events killed an estimate 147 million trees. They found that the patterns preceding death varied across species, with some species experiencing short-term variability in defense and long-term physiological differences. Others were more affected by the growth suppression caused by drought. However, all species were more impacted by concurrent drought and beetle outbreaks than a singular event. Click here to read more.
NOAA Article: Living Shorelines Provide Better Buffers to Coastal Areas
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently published an article about living shorelines. Living shorelines are a form of green infrastructure made entirely of natural materials such as trees and grasses. They promote resilient shoreline communities, both biologically and structurally; they have also been shown to be more effective than bulkheads in protecting coasts from the effects of hurricanes. Living shorelines also improve water quality and promote recreation. Click here to learn more.
ISA 2021 Virtual Tree Climber Summit
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) will host a new virtual event on July 13th, titled the Virtual Tree Climber Summit. Anyone who climbs trees, whether professionally or for sport, is welcomed to attend. The event will include a panel on best gear check practices, a panel on personal protective equipment (PPE), and live networking. The event will open at 10 AM EST and conclude at 10 PM EST. Registration is $75 USD. Click here for additional information.
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FRA Creating Inventory of Logger, Trucker & Mill Training Programs
Training the next generation of logger, Forest product trucker and Mill Workers is critical to maintaining a forest industry workforce. However, it can be difficult to find training programs for these positions, as there is no centralized list. This month, the Forest Resources Association (FRA) put out a call for logger, forest product trucker, and mill training programs. The FRA is attempting to inventory these programs so that they may be better advertised and promoted. In addition, once inventoried, the FRA plans to survey these programs to develop a baseline understanding of each. Click here for additional details or to submit a program.
Global Forest Education Survey Reveals Challenges & Innovations in Forestry Education
The Global Forest Education Project (GFEP) conducted a survey to assess how well forestry is taught in primary and secondary educational institutions across the globe. Results suggest that forestry education is limited, especially at the K-12 levels, and that students have little hands-on exposure to the field. They also found that forestry has an image problem and some weaknesses in vocational and forestry university programs. However, the survey also revealed many innovative approaches to forestry education as well. Results from this survey were recently presented at the International Conference on Forest Education (ICFE). The conference included examinations of this topic and others, more information should be available in conference proceedings. Attendees at the ICFE were tasked with beginning to explore methods of creating more formal forest education as well as examining the need for more practical field training and continuing education for forestry professionals. Click here to read more about the survey and the ICFE’s plans.
SAF 2021 Call for Posters & Science Flash Proposals
The Society of American Foresters (SAF) has put out a call for posters & science flash proposals for their virtual 2021 convention. The theme of the convention is “Forests For All”. Submissions should be in line with this theme. The submission deadline is August 31st, 2021. The convention will take place November 3-6, 2021. It will include professional development seminars and Continuing Education Credit (CEU) opportunities. Click here for additional information or to submit a proposal.
USFS Article Details Ways to Fight Back Against Invasive Species
United States Forest Service (USFS) scientists are constantly exploring the impacts of invasive species in forests. They are also working to develop early intervention strategies that can be applied by landowners and managers and this recent article from the USFS office of communications summarizes many of these efforts. A variety of tools are currently used to detect invasive species, including environmental DNA and electronic noses. Most recently, they have released a land managers guide to hemlock preservation. Eastern hemlocks have struggled with Hemlock Woolly Adelgids since the 1950s. To read more about the USFS’ efforts, click here. To read the hemlock preservation guide, click here.
New! NWCG Guide to Fire Weather Forecasts
This month, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) released an update to the Fire Weather Forecasts guide. This guide, which was originally published in 1970, includes tips on building a mental model of weather forecasts. The guide was designed for firefighters of all experience levels, and for fire weather meteorologists. This update establishes mandatory fire weather forecasts variables, as produced by Incident Meteorologists (IMETs). Click here to access a digital copy of the guide.
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Northeast-Midwest State Foresters Alliance Economic Analysis Webinar
The Northeast-Midwest State Foresters Alliance (NMSFA) has announced a free webinar about economic analysis in forestry. Topics will include ongoing economic analysis projects. These include an urban forestry sector analysis and planned analyses of the wood biomass power industry. The webinar will take place July 8th at 12 PM EST. Click here to learn more, and click here to register.
Penn State Utility-Scale Solar Siting and Forests Webinar
Penn State Extension is offering a free webinar titled “Utility-Scale Solar Siting and Forests”. The hosts will address land use and carbon sequestration tradeoffs when implementing utility-scale solar arrays, particularly on forested lands. This webinar is appropriate for both landowners and forestry professionals who are interested in solar arrays. It will take place July 8th, 2021, at 12 PM EST. Learn more and register here.
Herbicide for Pine Management Virtual Workshop
The Rankin County Extension Office (Brandon, Mississippi) is offering a virtual workshop on herbicide for pine management. This free workshop intends to inform attendees of current herbicides available for use in pine management, their appropriate application rates, and more. The workshop will be hosted 9-10:30 AM EST on July 13th, using Zoom. Click here to register.
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OSC and GTAC Geospatial Tools for Climate-Informed Management Webinar
Join the Office of Sustainability and Climate (OSC) and the Geospatial Technology and Applications Center (GTAC) for a webinar about geospatial data and tools to support climate-informed management. Topics will include OSC resources, post-fire mapping support, and rangeland management tools. This webinar is appropriate for anyone interested in incorporating geospatial tools and climate-informed management into their work. This webinar will be hosted July 21st, 2 PM EST. Click here to join the webinar on Microsoft Teams.
Influence of Municipal Pruning Practices on Urban Forest Health and Storm Resilience Webinar
Join foresters Dr. Hauer (University of Washington-Stevens Point), Dr. Brandt (United States Forest Service), Randy Krouse (City of Milwaukee), and Paul Johnson (Sustainable Forest Initiative) as they discuss the impacts of municipal pruning practices on urban forests and storm resilience. Less than half of US communities have reported systematic tree pruning despite its benefits. One continuing education credit (CEU) will be available with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). The webinar will be hosted on July 14th from 1-2:15 PM EST. Click here for more information.
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Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program Funding
The National Fish and Wildlife Federation (NFWF) is seeking proposals for the Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program. Approximately $2 million is available. The goal of the program is to improve quality and connectivity of forest and freshwater habitats. Eligible applicants include 501(c) organizations, state agencies, local and municipal governments, Tribal governments, and educational institutions. Applicants are encouraged to deploy a range of strategies to engage public and private landowners in active stewardship through technical and financial assistance, demonstrations, education and outreach and other innovative approaches. Click here for additional information.
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NCSU College of Natural Resources, Associate Dean for Research
North Carolina State University (NCSU) is hiring an Association Dean for Research. This position will serve the College of Natural Resources. The associate dean will handle duties such as promoting the college and supporting forestry research. Application reviews will begin in August 2021. Click here for additional information.
TCF Forest Analyst
The Conservation Fund (TCF) is hiring a Forest Analyst in Chapel Hill, NC. The Forest Analyst will support woodland conservation and management through their GIS skills. This position was posted on June 22nd and will remain open until filled. Click here for additional information.
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UT Asst. Professor of Forest Economics and Management
The University of Tennessee (UT) is hiring an Assistant Professor of Forest Economics and Management. This is a 12-month, tenure-track position. It has a split appointment of 65% research and 35% teaching on the Knoxville, TN campus. Applications will be reviewed starting July 31st, 2021. Click here for additional information.
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Upcoming Events:
July 13th | Virtual
ISA 2021 Virtual Tree Climber Summit
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) will host a new virtual event on July 13th, titled the Virtual Tree Climber Summit. The event will include a panel on best gear check practices, a panel on personal protective equipment (PPE), and live networking. Click here for additional information.
July 16th-18th, 2021 | Hilton Head Island, SC
GFA Annual Conference
The Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) will host its annual conference July 16th-18th on Hilton Head Island, SC. The conference will be centered around connecting forestry professionals with Georgia’s political leaders, informing attendees about GFA’s policy goals, and opportunities for professional networking. In-person registration is limited to 250 participants. Virtual registration is unlimited. Click here to view the conference website.
July 28th- August 2nd, 2021 | Virtual
North American Agroforestry Conference
The North American Agroforestry Conference will be hosted July 28th through August 2nd, 2021. The conference will be virtual, is hosted by the Savanna Institute and the Association for Temperate Agroforestry. It will center around the theme of scaling agroforestry up for carbon drawdown. Additional details and registration information can be found here.
August 5th, 2021 | Virtual
Pine Seedling Genetics and Nursey Update Workshop
Dr. David Dickens and Dr. David Clabo, of the University of Georgia, will be hosting a pine seedling genetics and nursey update workshop on August 5th, 2021. This workshop will be virtual. Continuing education credits will be available for Forestry Education and Logger Education. Additional details and registration information can be found here.
August 1-6, 2021 | Flagstaff, AZ
64th SWST International Convention
The 64th International Society of Wood Science and Technology Convention will be held August 1-6, at Little America Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona USA . The overall theme is “Value from Wood Resources through Innovation”. Preview the agenda and/or register here.
August 12-13, 2021 | Tybee Island, GA
Georgia Climate Conference
The Georgia Climate Conference will be hosted on August 12-13, 2021, on Jekyll Island, GA. This conference is hosted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. It will feature keynote speakers Roy Richards Jr., and Representative Lynn Smith. CEUs will be available for certified planners, floodplain managers, attorneys, and professional engineers. Additional details can be found here.
November 3-6 | Virtual
SAF 2021 Virtual Convention
The Society of American Foresters (SAF) will host their 2021 convention November 3rd-6th. This convention will be virtual. The theme is “Forests for All”. Click here for additional details and registration information.
October 4-6, 2021 | Dallas, TX
Advancing Mass Timber Construction Conference
The 2nd annual Advancing Mass Timer Construction conference will be taking place in Dallas, Texas, October 4-6. A wide variety of content will be available including two content tracks, six workshops, over fifty speakers, and dozens of hours of networking opportunities. This is an in-person event. Register before June 18th and save up to $500 on registration fees. Additional information can be found here.
October 4-6, 2021 | State College, PA
National Extension Energy Summit & National Sustainability Summit
The National Extension Energy Summit (NEES) and the National Sustainability Summit (NSS) will be hosting a joint conference this October, at Penn State University. The focus of this conference is Extension and research strategies used to strengthen the community of practice and collaborations, and to share experiences as sustainability and energy educators. Additional information can be found here.
October 4-8, 2021 | Asheville, NC
4th National Cohesive Strategy Workshop
The 4th National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy Workshop will be hosted on October 4-8, 2021 in Asheville, NC. The proposal deadline for those who want to share about implementing the Cohesive Strategy will be June 1st. Click here for workshop details.
October 12-13th, 2021 | Gainesville, FL
SAF Florida Division and UF FFGS Symposium Announced
This fall, the Society of American Foresters (SAF) Florida Division and the University of Flordia’s (UF) School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatic Sciences (FFGS) will host a joint symposium October 12-13th in Gainesville, FL. The event will discuss a broad array of topics relating to Southern pines including genetics, health, management, and market status. Program and registration details will be available soon.
December 6-7, 2021 | Athens, GA
Southern Forestry & Natural Resource Management
GIS Conference
The University of Georgia and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources will be hosting the 13th Southern Forestry and Natural Resource Management GIS Conference on December 6-7, 2021 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel in Athens, Georgia. More information about abstract submissions can be found in the Call for Presentations and on the conference website.
December 7-9, 2021 | Virtual
ACES 2021 Conference
The 2021 A Community on Ecosystem Services conference has been rescheduled for December 7-9, and will be a virtual event. The focus of the conference is to link state-of-the-art science, practice, and decision making by bringing together the ecosystem services community and decision makers from around the United States and the globe. In partnership with Ecosystem Markets and the Ecosystem Partnership (ESP), the conference will engage leaders across all fields to advance the use of ecosystem services science and practice in resource management. This is a broad event geared towards individuals with interests such as resource management, policy, government, business, conservation, and urban and non-urban development. Click here for additional information.
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