ISSUE 96: WEEK OF December 7, 2020
Recent News
Regional News

  • In-person & Online FNR Extension/ Outreach Programming & Fees Survey Now Live
  • Woodland Health Practices Handbook: A Practitioner’s Guide for Creating, Enhancing, and Maintaining Natural Areas
  • UKY Researchers Seek Help Finding Ash Trees that Have Beaten EAB
  • VT Cooperative Extension Offers Online Woodland Options for Landowners Course
  • Texas A&M Forest Service Announces Texas Community Forest Award Winners 
  • Learn more about the Deodar Weevil from UGA Outreach
  • GA Forest Landowners Benefit from New Qualified Timberland Property for Ad Valorem Taxes
  • TNDOF Launches Interactive Map of Wildfires
  • AL Botanic Garden Collects Local Acorns to Grow Ancient Oaks
  • UA Launches Survey of AR Forest Landowners Enrolled in Forest Certification Programs
  • NCSU Offers Virtual Christmas Tree Farm Tours
  • International Marketing Practices for Small to Medium Sized Forest Products Firms- New Book!
  • Oh, Christmas Tree- VT Extension Extols the Yule Tree
  • New Report States that SC is Worst Prepared for Coastal Flooding
  • NCSU Releases Results of Landowners’ Needs Assessment


National News

  • USDA Launches AskUSDA Customer Approach
  • New Vision for MD Forest Industry Outlined in UMD Branching Out Newsletter
  • Gallery of Tools & Resources Released to Support “GIS for Science: Applying Mapping & Spatial Analytics, Vol 2”
  • World’s Largest Smiley Face in Western Forest
  • What is the future of school design in a rapidly changing world?
  • Conservation Project Intended to Increase Resiliency in two Coastal Marine Bases 
  • America’s Forests Develops “Tree Equity” Scorecard Amongst Suite of Tools
  • Preparing Wildlife for Climate Change

Webinars

  • Building Sustainably With Mass Timber: Virtual Workshop
  • Living with Wildland Fire: Webinar
  • Caring for All Relations: Tribal Wildlife Management
  • Managing for the Whole Forest, Webinar Series from UGA Forestry Outreach
  • The Importance of Management for Stabilizing Long-term Carbon in a Southeastern Forest Matrix Under Extreme Fire Weather

Funding Opportunities

  • USFS & The Endowment Announce RFP for Wood Nano Cellulose Projects
  • NFWF Announced 2021 RFP for Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund
  • Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Restoration Fund- 2021 Request for Proposals
  • 2021 USFS Wood Innovations Grant 


Job Opportunities

  • TN DOF- State Forester 2, Sewanee, Tennessee
  • TN DOF- Assistant District Forester/ State Forest Program Specialist, Lexington, Tennessee
  • TN DOF- Forest Inventory & Analysis Forester Positions, Multiple locations,
  • TN DOF- Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Strike Team, Tennessee
  • Assistant Professor, Extension – Mississippi State University
  • UF Extension Assistant Professor, Forest Economics and Business
  • Land Management Specialist, North Florida Land Trust
  • Assistant Professor, Wildland Fire Modeling, Oklahoma State University
Regional News
In-person & Online FNR Extension/ Outreach Programming & Fees Survey Now Live
Southern Regional Extension Forestry (SREF) recently launched a survey to better understand how Extension Forestry & Natural Resource (FNR) and other outreach professionals deliver programs to their audiences and what fees they charge, if any. If you have not received this survey in your inbox, consider accessing it here, or sharing this link with colleagues. Information from this survey will help to capture diverse approaches to FNR programming from Extension personnel as well as other individuals or organizations who conduct outreach program, continuing education, etc. Across the nation, there are differences in whether or not an organization or individual conducts solely in-person programming (prior to COVID19) or a combination of in-person and online programming. In addition, some organizations/individuals charge fees for programs, and some do not. Information from this survey will be shared when it is completed. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Leslie Boby, lboby@sref.info.

Woodland Health Practices Handbook: A Practitioner’s Guide for Creating, Enhancing, and Maintaining Natural Areas
Virginia Cooperative Extension, University of Maryland Extension and Penn State Extension, have teamed up again to launch a new book from the “Woods in Your Backyards” partnership. This book, “Woodland Health Practices Handbook: A Practitioner’s Guide for Creating, Enhancing, and Maintaining Natural Areas” was written for professionals. This handbook is targeted towards green industry professionals, land managers, and forest industry professionals located in the eastern US who are looking to grow their businesses by providing natural area management services to clients with 1-9 areas. Funding for this handbook was provided by the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology. To access this book, click here.

UKY Researchers Seek Help Finding Ash Trees that Have Beaten EAB
University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources researchers and the Kentucky Division of Forestry are teaming up to find and grow seeds from mature trees that have survived Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestations. The EAB insect has caused devastating damage all over North America. These collaborators are asking the public to identify any surviving ash trees in the woods through the TreeSnap App. They say that finding these trees is like finding a needle in a haystack. Seeds that come from these mature surviving trees can be grown into trees that are more resilient against EAB. that have in an effort to rebuild the species as more resilient against the Emerald Ash Borers. You can report trees through the Tree Snap app. To learn more, click here.

VT Cooperative Extension Offers Online Woodland Options for Landowners Course
VT Cooperative Extension is offering a 12-week, self-paced online course that covers basics for woodland management, history of forestry in Virginia, mapping, sustainability, management practices, other resources, and more. This course was planned as an in-depth learning experience that is packed with information to give landowners more than just a foundational knowledge of woodland management. Participants will be able to define the goals they want to achieve and learn how to properly implement those goals. The course starts January 11th and runs through April 2, 2021. It is $45 per family. Learn more about each module in this  outlined syllabus. To learn more about this opportunity or register, click here.

Texas A&M Forest Service Announces Texas Community Forest Award Winners 
Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture recognized the award winners for the Texas Community Forestry Awards. These awards include Texas Arborist of the Year, which goes to someone with outstanding contributions to arboriculture in the community. The 2020 Award for Outstanding Landscape Improvement is awarded to groups or individuals that plant and care for trees and significantly impact landscaping. Another award, The Arboriculture Project of the Year recognizes specific projects that epitomize modern arboriculture practices. The final award is The Outstanding Arbor Day Award for organizations and individuals that promote Arbor Day projects, ceremonies, and articles with an Arbor Day theme. To learn about the award recipients, click here.

Learn more about the Deodar Weevil from UGA Outreach
Dr. Elizabeth McCarty of the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources wrote a brief article describing Deodar Weevil, and prevention of the pest. Deodar Weevil is a type of beetle that is reddish brown, with a small head and long snout. They wake up in the fall to start working through trees, particularly deodar cedar. Trees with large infestations will have bark swelling, as one of the only signs of these pests. To prevent deodar weevil from infesting your trees simply involves take care of your trees. Managed trees are much less likely to meet a deodar beetle. To learn more, click here.

GA Forest Landowners Benefit from New Qualified Timberland Property for Ad Valorem Taxes
Dr. Yanshu Li of the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources has posted an article that described another option that could reduce land property taxes, it is called the Qualified Timberland Property (QTP). Qualifying forest landowners can now start an application for the 2020 tax year. QTPs do not have tax penalties, and some things that may disqualify timberland for other tax programs are not the case for QTP. To learn more about this property tax program, click here.

TNDOF Launches Interactive Map of Wildfires
The Tennessee Division of Forestry has launched a Wildfire Public Viewer. It provides up-to-date information on wildfires across the state and aids Tennessee’s wildfire prevention and suppression efforts. The wildfire public viewer is available to anyone and includes a map of the state continuously updated with wildfire incidents. To view the map, click here.
AL Botanic Garden Collects Local Acorns to Grow Ancient Oaks
Birmingham, AL, founded in 1871, has hundreds of trees older than the city itself, but very few spaces where young trees can grow to the towering heights of their parents. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens created the Centennial Tree Program to give future generations of trees a chance to survive in the Birmingham area by collecting seeds from local mature trees, growing them, and planting the trees as close to the parent as possible to ensure maturity. More than 5,000 trees have been planted as part of this program so far. Furthermore, this project continues to grow and evolve to make sure these trees survive and thrive. The Garden has even worked to get the invasive species out of the area to begin reintroducing native plants. To learn more about this ongoing effort, click here.

UA Launches Survey of AR Forest Landowners Enrolled in Forest Certification Programs
The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture have launched a survey to gauge the number of Arkansas landowners that participate in land management practices and have participated in forest certification programs. Through this survey, these collaborators hope to better understand landowners’ perspectives on forest certification, whether they completed the certification or not and use the information to better tailor certifications. The purpose of this survey is to understand why landowners’ do not complete the certification process, and what could be changed to better serve participants in the programs. To learn more about the survey, to share it or complete it, click here.

NCSU Offers Virtual Christmas Tree Farm Tours
The annual summer farm tour of North Carolina’s Christmas Tree farms had to be postponed due to COVID-19 this year. The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association co-hosts this tour and includes extension and research projects.  In order to still present this annual tour, they have gone virtual. North Carolina Extension has posted videos of the tour and include a tree farm in Jackson County, as well as research and presentations on a Fraser Fire cone study, chemical treatments, hemlock scale research, long-term scale studies, and research on insecticides. The purpose of this program is not just to look at Christmas trees, but to inform viewers about the innovative research around the common Christmas tree varieties. To watch each video and learn more about the Christmas tree tour, click here.

International Marketing Practices for Small to Medium Sized Forest Products Firms- New Book!
Dr. Robert Smith from the Virginia Tech Department of Sustainable Biomaterials and Omar Espinoza and Anna Pitti from the University of Minnesota have teamed up to publish, “International Marketing Practices for Small to Medium Sized Forest Products Firms.” The purpose of this book is to assist forest products companies with information that they need as they enter international markets that are new to international marketing. The information in this book is meant to be easy-to-use and outlines applicable marketing for international markets. Contact Bob Smith to order copies, his email is rsmith4@vt.edu. Since this is the third installment in a series, you can also download the previous books here.

Oh, Christmas Tree- VT Extension Extols the Yule Tree
Christmas Trees are a great example of renewable resources, as compared to their alternative, fake trees, created with nonrenewable iron and petroleum. Christmas tree farms plant their trees and tend to them for 6-12 years. An article written by Adam Downing with Virginia Extension reminisces on his days growing trees with his family and all the work that went into taking care of them. In this article he further explains the renewable and creative options for Christmas tree and the benefits of buying from a tree farm. To read the article, click here.

New Report States that SC is Worst Prepared for Coastal Flooding
Climate Central has released a report titled, “States at Risk” as a type of report card for each state that determines readiness for effects from climate change. Based on their findings, South Carolina is the least prepared for coastal flooding because so many residents and tourist areas are located on their coastal region. The biggest threat to South Carolina’s coast is unpreparedness as sea levels continue to rise, because it is so expensive to build seawalls amongst other mitigation strategies. To learn more about this report’s perspectives on South Carolina, click here. Those who are interested in learning more about South Carolina or any other state can also go to the States at Risk website. The site will show you the most important risks for each state and allows you to learn more about those particular risks are within your state. 

NCSU Releases Results of Landowners’ Needs Assessment
North Carolina State University Extension has published some findings from their recent need’s assessment of private forest landowners. Private landowners own 65% of the state’s forests. NC State Extension wants to provide the best management and educational opportunities possible for these landowners and to do this they need to gain a better understanding of these audiences. The information gathered from this study is now being used to develop educational programs that will meet the needs of their forest landowners. To read the preliminary findings, such as level of interest and programming preferences, click here.
National News
USDA Launches AskUSDA Customer Approach
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has just launched AskUSDA. It is a contact center that will now allow the public to call or online chat with a customer service representative. It was designed to enhance interactions in an effort to improve the experience for those looking for resources on the USDA website. AskUSDA is set up to answer common questions like food safety and pet travel guidance. If customers have more specific questions, then AskUSDA will send them to the appropriate agency experts. Before USDA launched the AskUSDA service, the USDA website had no chat option or platform for self-service. Now customers will no longer have to comb through the website to find the appropriate contacts. This new program will help customers such as farmers, researchers, travelers, parents, and others to have a more efficient outlet for questions. To learn more about this program, click here.

New Vision for MD Forest Industry Outlined in UMD Branching Out Newsletter
The University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources posted a plan for economic adjustment created by the Community Development Services (ACD) that explains the economic impact of recent forest industry closures in the state. 73% of Maryland’s forests are private, and lacking markets and regulations to harvest those trees has become an issue. One sawmill that recently closed effected 675 jobs. Conservation partners are key to sustaining healthy forests in Maryland. The (ACD) is trying to establish clear goals to strengthen the already existing forestry industry while also diversifying the resources for forestry. To read ACD’s plan, click here.

Gallery of Tools & Resources Released to Support “GIS for Science: Applying Mapping & Spatial Analytics, Vol 2”
GIS for science is an online companion site to volumes 1 and 2 of the book, GIS for Science: Applying Mapping and Spatial Analytics. There are a variety of online resources including storymaps, Python notebooks in more. One example of a resource that could be found on the site is the Urban Tree Canopy. The Urban Tree Canopy is a resource site for government and academic partnerships using Lidar and GIS technology for community maps, assessments, and monitors for urban tree canopies. This website recently added the online resources for volume 2 of the textbook above. Volume 2 includes resources like GIS response to COVID-19, tracking global forest loss, monitors for air quality in the US, and more. To learn more, click here.

World’s Largest Smiley Face in Western Forest
Hampton Lumber in Oregon has planted a smiley face 80 meters in diameter! Since this piece of land is easily visible from the road, this gave timberland managers an opportunity to be creative and support healthy regrowth in the forest. This project started back in 2011, and this has been the first fall that the smiley face was seen by drivers on Oregon’s Highway 18 in Willamina, just an hour’s drive outside of Portland. It took Hampton Lumber a week to measure and plant the trees for this long-term project. The smiley face is estimated to be visible for about 10 more years. The smiley face has now become an attraction for people all around Portland. To see the smiley face, click here.
What is the future of school design in a rapidly changing world?
Schools are starting to use wood, sustainable technologies, and unconventional floor plans to meet the needs of their evolving students and their community. This article showcases Lord Kitchener Elementary School in Vancouver, Canada and its wood structure. Their school has 480 students, so they built this building with community in mind, each classroom has one wall that is a garage door. This allows for all the classrooms to open into one shared common area. The article also showcases the UniverCity Cildcar Centre, also in Vancouver. This building’s design helps to teach the students more about nature, and sustainability. Schools are experiencing the benefits of using wood in their buildings, as it not only destresses people by surrounding them with natural materials, but it also more cost efficient. To learn more about wood in schools and see the other schools that were showcased, click here.

Conservation Project Intended to Increase Resiliency in two Coastal Marine Bases 
Pew and Naval Weapons Station is joining with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Christopher Newport University, the National Parks Service, and other organizations to create a living shoreline. This project, The Yorktown Project, will support conservation and restoration to the country’s largest estuary- the Chesapeake Bay and will create 900 feet of living shorelines. They plan to integrate artificial oysters to serve as filters for the water, and seagrass beds to slowdown waves and serve as a physical barrier for any strikes against the military bases along this area. This project will improve the resiliency of not only the marine habitats, but also the military bases by acting as a barrier for air strikes. To learn more, click here.

America’s Forests Develops “Tree Equity” Scorecard Amongst Suite of Tools
American Forests’ have created a way to score city neighborhood trees based on different statistics such as surface temperature and population density. The score will help in decision making and investments for the community, and estimation of beneficial projects down to the length of your street. By 2022, the Tree Equity Score should cover areas that include 70% of the population in the US. Planners for these urbanized areas can now have access to a deeper understanding of what their greenspaces mean and have the evidence and resources to determine what can be done better in their area. To learn more, click here.

Preparing Wildlife for Climate Change
The Journal of Wildlife Management has released an article titled, “Preparing Wildlife for Climate Change: How Far Have We Come?” As biodiversity continues to decline, the emphasis on conservation and wildlife research is still inconsistent with the times. These researchers now have a comprehensive summary of articles that researchers analyzed, with recommendations for wildlife management. This article covers topics like invasive species, pollution, overexploitation, and climate change and goes through the steps they used to discover recommendations. To learn more about this research on climate adaptation for wildlife, click here.  
Webinars
Building Sustainably with Mass Timber Sustainably: Virtual Workshop
This virtual workshop has been planned to capture perspectives on building with mass timber from foresters, architects, construction specialists and more. Wood his the original sustainable building material and new developments in Mass Timber have created significant opportunities to expand its use! Join this workshop to learn from the experts about why mass timber is so great for building and sustainability as well as what types of wood buildings are a good fit for your needs.

Caring for All Relations: Tribal Wildlife Management
Drs. Serra Hoagland (USFS) and Michel Kohl (University of Georgia) will discuss will discuss the value and important of wildlife management in Indian country. Information will highlight the differences between cultural, commercial, and subsistence management practices that occurs both on and off tribal lands. Tribal models of land stewardship that balance the triple bottom line of social, environmental and economic needs of the community will be discussed. This presentation will also introduce participants on the incorporation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into tribal and non-tribal wildlife management practices as well as the need for tribal engagement in all natural resource management decision making.
Join this webinar, Friday December 11th at 1 pm ET here. This webinar is the third in a series about tribal land management. Review the recorded webinars from the second webinar in the series here: Tribal lands, Treaties, Federal Trust Obligations and Opportunities for Collaboration here. The first webinar in the series, Introduction to Tribal Lands and their Management, can be accessed here.

Living with Wildland Fire: Webinar
The Prescribed Burn Associations including The Western Region of the Wildland Fire Leadership Council, the University of California Extension, Learning Network, and the Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils present “Living with Wildland Fire: Virtual Shared Learning Series.” This webinar includes nine practitioners that will present their models and experiences with effective wildfire response. The purpose of this virtual webinar is to educate other practitioners because there is a broad understanding of prescribed fire to create landscape resiliency. The Prescribed Burn Associations aim for this webinar to include different models to fit into all regions of the US. The virtual webinar will be Dec. 10 from 10 am to 11:30 am MT. To learn more or register, click here.


Tribal Lands: Treaties, Federal Trust Obligation, & Opportunities for Cross-Boundary Collaboration
Learn more about the unique political relationship that federal agencies have with tribes as sovereigns, and as current stewards of traditional homelands. Dr. Alicia Bell-Sheeter and Lexie Rue-Harris from the Office of Tribal Relationsat the United States Forest Service will present an overview of this relationship, legal obligations of federal trustees, and opportunities for collaboration with tribes across boundaries and land jurisdiction, in order to achieve landscape scale benefits.The webinar will be presented Thursday Dec. 3rd at 1pm ET, and can be accessed here. This is the second in a seven-part series on tribal land management, a recording of the first webinar, can be accessed here.


Managing for the Whole Forest, Webinar Series from UGA Forestry Extension
Extension forestry specialists and public service faculty from the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources are delivering a lunchtime webinar series the second week of December. This series will cover a range of forestry and natural resource topics beginning with Intermediate Stand Management for Pines and Hardwoods, then delving into understory plants alongside traditional forestry. Additional webinars will cover invasive species including problems and solutions, as well as management recommendations for beneficial and pest insects. The series will wrap up with information on water quality best management practices and watershed management. Learn more about the series here. Find the first webinar here on forestrywebinars.net. The series will be daily at 12-1 pm ET from Monday December 7th to Friday December 11th.

An Introduction to Forests, Carbon Sequestration and Markets
Pennsylvania State University Extension is offering a webinar for forest owners and land managers to introduce information about how forests store carbon as well as the current state of carbon markets, and opportunities for landowners in Pennsylvania. This webinar is for professionals and landowners interested in forest carbon; knowledge of this topic is not required. This is a 2-part series. The first is an “Introduction to Forest Carbon” where speakers will define what forest carbon means, how to manage it and carbon markets. The second webinar is titled “Q & A with the Nature Conservancy and the American Forest Foundation” where administrators and participants will have the opportunity to ask about carbon programs within these two organizations. In order to receive SAF credits there is a fee of $5, however it is free for general participants. The webinars are scheduled for Nov. 24th and Dec. 15th from 12 pm to 1 pm ET. To learn more or register, click here.

Funding Opportunities
USFS & The Endowment Announce RFP for Wood Nano Cellulose Projects
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment), in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, today announced the initiation of a new round of $2,000,000 in funding and related request for proposals (RFP) for their public-private partnership known as P3Nano. The proposal submission deadline is January 15, 2021. The RFP supports efforts aimed at rapidly commercializing cellulosic nanomaterials. Accepted proposals will show great potential for commercialization, have compelling business analysis, a credible research and development approach, and make a strong case for how P3Nano funding will address key development challenges. There is no specific dollar limit for each proposal, but the Endowment hopes to fund four to eight proposals with anticipated budgets of $250,000 to $500,000 each. This round of funding will entertain proposals from a broad range of market segments and researchers from universities, private companies, and other entities with the potential to rapidly commercialize this revolutionary technology. Cellulosic nanomaterials are a new class of cellulose particles with properties and functionalities distinct from molecular cellulose and wood pulp. The available funds will support costs associated with pioneering products that utilize cellulosic materials and open the door for more widespread adoption of these innovative materials. The intent is to develop new technology that solves industrial challenges, provides climate solutions, and creates markets for forest products. Award announcements will be made around March 1, 2021. Visit the Endowment RFP page for more details and the RFP application. To learn more, click here.


NFWF Announced 2021 RFP for Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced the release of the 2021 request for proposals under the Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund. In 2018, NFWF’s board of directors adopted the Business Plan: Longleaf Forests and Rivers. The longleaf pine component of this 10-year plan builds upon the efforts of the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative and includes a goal of restoring, enhancing or maintaining three million acres of longleaf pine habitat to improve populations of the species dependent on this ecosystem. The plan also outlines goals for the red-cockaded woodpecker, gopher tortoise, Bachman’s sparrow, and northern bobwhite, species that are representative of a broader suite of wildlife that will also benefit from a healthy longleaf pine ecosystem. This request for proposals (RFP) expects to award approximately $4.3 million in federal and private sector funding in support of projects that restore, enhance and maintain longleaf pine on private and public lands to improve wildlife habitat and water quality. In addition, some funding is available to support bottomland hardwood restoration and enhancement within specific geographies outlined with the RFP. All proposals must specifically address how projects will directly and measurably contribute to the longleaf pine and associated species goals outlined in the Longleaf Forest and Rivers Business Plan. For the registration link, click here.
Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Restoration Fund- 2021 Request for Proposals
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has today announced the release of the 2021 request for proposals under the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Restoration Fund. NFWF adopted a ten-year business plan for the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley in 2019. The vision for this plan is to improve the capacity of the bottomland hardwood ecosystem to maintain robust and resilient populations of native species, while safeguarding clean water that flows through the Lower Mississippi Basin’s watersheds. The plan outlines goals for species found in and along the lower Mississippi River, including helping to restore, enhance or conserve 100,000 acres of bottomland hardwood forest and wetlands. Special attention will be placed on the Louisiana Black Bear, waterfowl, forest birds, an array of fish species, and the swamp rabbit, an indicator species that benefits from more forest structure and disturbance. This request for proposals expects to award approximately $1.6 million in federal and private sector funding in support of projects that restore, enhance and maintain bottomland hardwood forests and wetlands and promote aquatic connectivity on private and public lands to improve wildlife habitat and water quality. All proposals must specifically address how projects will directly and measurably contribute to the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Business Plan goals. Full proposals are due Jan 14th (2021) by 11:59 pm ET. To register for the applicant webinar Nov 19th at 2 pm, click here. To learn more about the RFP, click here.

2021 USFS Wood Innovations Grant 
The U.S. Forest Service requests proposals to substantially expand and accelerate wood energy and wood products markets throughout the United States to support forest management needs on National Forest System and other forest lands. This Request for Proposals focuses on the following priorities to: Reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health on National Forest System and other forest lands, reduce costs of forest management on all land types, promote economic and environmental health of communities. Project types include, but are not excluded to means for developing manufacturing capacity and/or other necessary wood products infrastructure, creating markets for wood products that support forest ecosystem restoration, showcasing quantifiable environmental and economic benefits of using wood as a sustainable building material in an actual commercial building, establishing statewide wood utilization teams and statewide wood energy teams and more. The intent of the Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity is to stimulate, expand, and support wood products markets and wood energy markets. Proposal submissions are due Jan. 20, 2021, to learn more, click here. 
Job Opportunities
TN DOF- State Forester 2, Sewanee, Tennessee
Provides input and guidance to the Cumberland Assistant District Forester for State Forests regarding forest management activities on Franklin and Bledsoe State Forest. Functions under the general supervision of the State Forest Supervisor and provides data and input to the supervisor regarding forest management activities, maintenance and overall forest operations. Provides technical assistance and relevant forest management information to landowners, schools, communities, non-profits, municipalities and cities through field day activities performed on the state forest, when appropriate. Administers a compartment plan process to help provide multiple use benefits for the people of Tennessee. The primary uses include timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, water quality, natural resource research, forest resource management demonstrations, and aesthetics. To learn more, click here.

TN DOF- Assistant District Forester/ State Forest Program Specialist, Lexington, Tennessee
The Assistant District Forester/State Forest Program Specialist manages the state forests within the West Tennessee District to improve the sustainability, health and diversity of those forests. This position leads a team of foresters, forestry technicians and forestry aides to manage forests owned by the Division of Forestry for revenue, demonstration and multi-use purposes. Directly supervises two state forest foresters and indirectly supervises twelve other state forest personnel. To learn more, click here.

TN DOF- Forest Inventory & Analysis Forester Positions, Multiple locations,
There are four FIA Forester positions available across Tennessee including Nashville, Crossville, Knoxville. The candidates will work in two-person crews and report to the FIA Program Specialist. The FIA Forester will primarily work from the Nashville workstation, but some flexibility in workstation and location exists. Plots are located statewide, and foresters may be sent to assist data collection in other areas of Tennessee on an as-needed basis. FIA foresters must be willing to work in challenging terrain, travel to remote plot locations (sometimes overnight), and plan their work according to weather conditions. The full-time work schedule is typically 37.5 hours, Monday—Thursday. This position has built-in flexibility during the Monday—Friday work week to accommodate weather-related impediments. Some weekend and overnight travel may occur. Data is collected to defined standards, and data quality is confirmed by the U.S. Forest Service. Standards of performance must be demonstrated annually to maintain data collection certification. The Forest FIA Specialist will provide training and support during the certification process. Loss of certification could result in job termination. To learn more, click here.

TN DOF- Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Strike Team, Tennessee
The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is a non-native insect that has been killing thousands of hemlocks in TN. This team will spend 70% of their time chemically treating HWA; 25% of their time supporting TN's biological control programs; 5% of their time supporting the activities of the Tennessee Hemlock Conservation Partnership (THCP). This is a seasonal position: January through May. Responsibilities include one crew boss ($16/hour), and three crew member ($13/hour) positions are available, Forestry/Conservation experience preferred; training provided on job, no benefits. Travel expenses with per diem are covered when applicable, state crew vehicle and gear provided, supplies and gear are in Rockwood, TN, work on Cumberland Plateau and East TN, work is in all weather conditions, rough terrain, and is physically
intensive. To learn more, click here.

Assistant Professor, Extension – Mississippi State University
This is a 12-month tenure track assistant professor position consisting of 100% Extension (MSU Extension). This position is located at the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center (CMREC) and has an academic home in the Department of Forestry on the main campus. The primary function of this position will include planning and implementing a comprehensive, science-based Extension Forestry and research program to meet the educational needs of targeted audiences in SW Mississippi. The opportunity exists for the specialist to be assigned statewide responsibility for subject matter programming in the individual’s area of expertise. This faculty member will maintain programmatic ties with research faculty, State Specialists, and other scientists in the Department of Forestry at Mississippi State University. The successful candidate will develop and teach educational programs to the appropriate clientele and county Extension Agents based on national, state, and county needs assessments. These documented Program Plans will include documented curricula that can be delivered and evaluated by the successful candidate and/or county Extension Agents resulting in measured impacts. To learn more, click here.

UF Extension Assistant Professor, Forest Economics and Business
This is a non-tenure track 12-month position that will be 60% extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service), 40% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences), and available in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. Duties will include developing a robust outreach (Extension) program aimed at forest landowners, forest products companies, and associated stakeholders in forest business/forest economics. Either a master's degree plus 10 years of relevant experience, or a doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in forest economics, forest business, or a closely related discipline. Significant experience with topics related to forest business, economics, forest markets, taxation, land appraisal, or related topics. Candidates should have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, forming and working in partnership with industry, agencies, and organizations. To apply, click here.

Land Management Specialist, North Florida Land Trust
North Florida Land Trust is a 501(c)3 accredited land trust founded in 1999 with a mission to conserve natural areas, historic resources, and working lands of northeast Florida. With headquarters in Jacksonville, NFLT works throughout northeast Florida and has protected over 24,000 acres of land throughout the region. The Land Management Specialist works with the Land Manager and Stewardship Manager, as well as independently, to complete assigned land management tasks including fee property monitoring, property maintenance, and habitat management. Primary responsibilities include prescribed fire planning and implementation, controlling exotic invasive species, assisting with timber management operations, reporting on progress of restoration efforts, repairing and maintaining preserve infrastructure, and operating and maintaining tools and equipment for land and ecosystem management. Ideal candidate will have prior experience and knowledge of prescribed fire, invasive exotic plant management, as well as proficiency in safe use of equipment and tools including chainsaws, 4WD vehicles, and small boats. Learn more about this job opportunity, click here.

Assistant Professor, Wildland Fire Modeling, Oklahoma State University
The Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (NREM) at Oklahoma State University invites applications for a full-time, eleven-month, tenure-track position (75% Research and 25% Teaching) in fire modeling.  Application and/or development of models to understand fire behavior at multiple spatial scales is required.  Possible outcomes of research include improved management of fuels and smoke with prescribed fire, reduction of wildfire risk and mitigation of its effects to infrastructure, reduced impacts of smoke on human health, and improved ecosystem function. Requirements include a Ph.D. in natural resources or field related to fire modeling.  Candidate should have ability to apply model results to improve management of fuels and ecosystems and mitigate risk and impacts of wildfire. For information or to apply, click here.


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