January 2024 Newsletter

Wisconsin Forestry Center

Calendar of Events

January

Jan. 1: SilviCast new episode, "Putting the Old in Old-Growth," sponsored by The Nelson Paint Company, McCoy Construction & Forestry, and Family Forest Carbon Program

February

Feb.1: SilviCast new episode: Mycorrhizae and Forest Management

Feb. 7: Prescribed Fire for Forest Management webinar series: Prescribed Fire as a Restoration Tool for Savanna Communities

March

March 1: Did Smokey Bear Get it Wrong? nature-enthusiast online program

March 6: Prescribed Fire for Forest Management webinar series: Fire and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Lake States

April

April 3: Prescribed Fire for Forest Management webinar series: Fire and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Beyond the Lake States

May

May 1: Prescribed Fire for Forest Management webinar series: Fire and Game Species

May 8: Forest Management for Neotropical Migratory Birds workshop

Due Feb. 2: Science of Tree Felling high school scholarship applications

Do you know a high schooler looking for a headstart in a forestry or natural resources career?

In UW-Stevens Point's Science of Tree Felling course, students spend a weekend learning how to safely use a chainsaw and fell trees. Even better, thanks to generous sponsors, high-school students have the opportunity to complete this training for FREE!

Five scholarships for high school juniors or seniors are available. Preference will be given to students from underrepresented or underserved populations. The application will be evaluated based on the merits of a short essay.

These scholarships are made possible thanks to generous support from the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association, the FISTA St. John Education Fund, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Division of Forestry.

Scholarship Application Due: Feb. 2

Course Dates: March 22-24

Where: Treehaven, Tomahawk

Cost: Free tuition and course fees for high school scholarship recipients. Please note that on-site lodging is not available for high school participants.

Apply for a Scholarship!

WFC launches 'Day in the Life' series to highlight forestry careers

Do you have the best job in the world? Do you wish more people knew about what you do at work? Are you a forestry professional with a passion for sharing your work with others?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you’re well-suited to highlight the forestry profession through a new "Day in the Life" social-media series spearheaded by the Wisconsin Forestry Center.

We are seeking forestry professionals interested in working with us to create short 90-second videos showing an authentic representation of a ‘day in your life’ as you go about your normal job duties. This video will be posted on the Wisconsin Forestry Center's Facebook and Instagram to promote awareness of forestry jobs and foster workforce development.

Our objective with these videos is to create engaging and authentic content that showcases jobs across the forestry industry and helps viewers understand what a typical day working in forestry looks like.

If you are interested in participating or want more information, reach out to us today!

Participate in the "Day in the Life" series!

Professional Workshops

Workshop Details

Forest Management for Neotropical Migratory Birds

In this workshop, we will focus on the biology, habitat requirements, and tools to implement forest management that enhances habitat for neotropical migrant birds. By focusing on a handful of important species, we'll walk through their identification, habitat needs, and ideal silvicultural prescriptions. View a sample workshop agenda from 2023.

This workshop counts toward the Forest Management for Wildlife Certificate Program. Pre-approval will be requested for continuing education credits through SAF, Wisconsin DNR Cooperating Foresters, The Wildlife Society, Wisconsin SFI, and SER.

When: May 8, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Where: Portage County

Registration: Opens in winter 2024.

Prescribed Fire Webinar Series

A Restoration Tool for Savanna Communities

A free year-long webinar series on prescribed fire in forest management continues on Feb. 7 at 8:30 a.m. CST. The next webinar is titled "Prescribed Fire as a Restoration Tool for Savanna Communities."

Jeb Barzen of UW-Madison will discuss the potential for restoring savanna communities in Wisconsin at ecologically meaningful scales through the use of prescribed fire and through expanding social tools such as carbon credits or environmental labels. Brendan Woodall will dive into his work as a private lands biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and discuss how fire is used as a restoration and management tool in savanna communities on private land.

Each webinar (whether viewed live or recorded) has been pre-approved for 1.0 Wisconsin DNR Cooperating Forester CEU, 1.0 SER CEU, and 1.5 SAF CFE.

When: Feb. 7 from 8:30-10 a.m. CST, with 12 total Wednesdays scheduled through October 2024.

Where: Online

Cost: Free!

Webinar Series Details

Free Registration!

Webinar sponsorships still available!

Join the growing list of organizations sponsoring Prescribed Fire for Forest Management! Don’t miss this opportunity to support the dissemination of prescribed fire best practices and research, while receiving the following benefits:

+ Direct access to a target audience of natural resource professionals registered from 39 states, territories, and provinces!

+ On-demand listening with continuing education approval for a more engaged audience.

Sponsor the Series!

SilviCast Podcast

Putting the Old in Old-Growth

While we can't speed up time, we can speed up the development of old-growth characteristics through creative silviculture. Season 5 of SilviCast kicks off with Dr. Paul Catanzaro, professor of forest ecology and conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In this episode, we discuss a range of silvicultural techniques to restore old-growth characteristics in forests.

Listen Now!

Earn SilviCast CEUs!

This month's episode of SilviCast sponsored by:

Sponsor SilviCast in 2024!

Nature Enthusiast Workshops

Workshop Details

Did Smokey Bear Get it Wrong?

Smokey Bear says, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires!” But is all forest fire bad? Many of us are aware that prescribed burning is crucial for restoring and maintaining native prairie ecosystems. Forest managers know that fire is just as important for sustaining forest ecosystems. Join Michael Tiller, UW-Stevens Point assistant professor of forest ecology and fire management, as we learn about fire’s role in Wisconsin’s forests.

When: March 1, 1-2:30 p.m. CST

Where: Virtual via Zoom

Cost: Free!

On-Demand Credits

Looking for on-demand CEUs/CFEs?

We offer a variety of on-demand continuing education options, including short courses and SilviCast podcast episodes. They are pre-approved for SAF and WI-DNR Cooperating Forester credits. Click the icons to learn more and register.

Follow the WFC on Instagram!

The Wisconsin Forestry Center is now on Instagram! Follow us for the latest forestry news and to hear about upcoming professional development opportunities.

Follow the WFC on Instagram!

Do you have workshop or training ideas that you want the WFC to explore?

Submit your Ideas!