Forestry Internet seminar: Understanding Forest Exploitation

An unsustainable forest harvesting practice, diameter-limit cutting, has been recognized in several scientific studies for its exploitive effects on forest growth and productivity. Join Dr. Ralph Nyland, Distinguished Service Professor of Silviculture at SUNY College of Environment Science and Forestry, on Wednesday February 18th, 2009 for a webinar on "Diameter-limit Cutting and Exploitation." The webinar will address the correct role of silviculture relative to the negative impacts of diameter-limit cutting on forest growth, yield, and value. Dr. Nyland has researched and written broadly about this subject. He is the author of numerous articles, bulletins, and the textbook: "Silviculture - Concepts and Applications."

ForestConnect is a program of Cornell University Cooperative Extension and offers the monthly Internet seminar series using web conferencing technology. The ForestConnect Internet Seminar Series is an interactive web conference and was the first of its kind in the US. Each seminar uses the Internet to distribute, or webcast, a live and interactive presentation. Since May 2007, web-based seminars have connected forest owners, managers, and practitioners from throughout the United States and overseas. More than 1000 owners and managers from 40 states and three countries are registered and receiving announcements for the monthly webcasts.

Seminars occur on the third Wednesday of each month. Each webcast is provided live, twice. The initial broadcast each month is from noon to 1:00 PM with a repeat live broadcast the same day from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, Eastern Time. Participation is as easy as a high-speed internet connection via a web browser. Participants will connect to a secure Cornell Cooperative Extension server to join the presentation. Participants must pre-register once, without charge, at http://www.forestconnect.info/. Email notification of internet URL details for the web conference will be sent to everyone registered.

New PA Study of Split Antlered/Antlerless Deer Seasons

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and U. S. Geological Survey’s Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Pennsylvania State University today presented an overview of a new deer research project to the Board of Game Commissioners.

For the 2008-09 deer seasons, the Board approved a change in the firearms deer season in WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C, and 4B. The change made antlered deer legal for the first five days of the two-week firearms deer season, followed by seven days of antlered and antlerless deer hunting. Previously, these four WMUs had a two-week concurrent firearms season for antlered and antlerless deer season.

To read the full story go to:

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?Q=175759&A=11

(PA Game Commission Release #012-09, Jan. 26, 2009, For Information Contact: Jerry Feaser, 717-705-6541, PGCNews@state.pa.us)

Announcing the 2009 Forest Landowners Conference

2009 Central Region Forest Landowners Conference
Planned for Saturday, February 28, 2009

Penn State Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with Penn State School of Forest Resources, the DCNR Bureau of Forestry, the Woodland Owners of Centre County, and the Clearfield/Jefferson Counties Forest Stewardship Committee are providing an educational conference specifically for forest landowners. The conference is scheduled from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm., Saturday, February 28, 2009, at the Penn State School of Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA.
This conference focuses on energy and is subtitled “Your Forest, An Energy Source for the Future.” Topics to be presented include: woody biofuel, forest certification, carbon trading, energy leasing opportunities, tree planting for energy production, reducing energy exploration impacts on wildlife and water, and farm bill opportunities; all as they relate to private, non-industrial forest landowners. Conference sponsors include the Woodland Owners of Centre County, Centre County Conservation District, Melville Forestry Services, and Fox Rothschild LLP.

Forests cover nearly 60% or over 17 million acres of Pennsylvania. Over 750,000 private forest landowners own approximately 75% (12.5 million acres) of this land. Forests provide us with many benefits including wood products, wildlife habitat, places to recreate, and beautiful vistas. They also give us clean water by protecting watersheds and clean air by removing carbon dioxide. Forests are also vital to the economy of Pennsylvania. The forest products industry is the fourth largest industry in the state, employing over 90,000 workers in 2,500 firms and contributes more than 5 billion dollars to the state’s economy annually. To continue providing these benefits into the future forests must receive proper management.

To register or for more information contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in Centre County at 814-355-4897 or e-mail CentreExt@psu.edu. The registration fee is $20.00 per person and includes presentations, a luncheon, and educational materials. The deadline for registration is Friday, February 20. Participants must be pre-registered. To download a copy of the conference brochure go to: http://centre.extension.psu.edu/ and click the Natural Resources link.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, contact Centre County Cooperative Extension at 814-355-4897 in advance of your participation of visit.

Trees and Ice Storms Publication

A new publication is available entitled:

Trees and Ice Storms: The Development of Ice Storm-Resistant Urban Tree Populations

"Planting a diverse urban forest that includes trees resistant to ice storms and performing regular tree maintenance to avoid or remove structural weaknesses will reduce damage caused by severe ice storms. Management plans for urban trees should incorporate information on the ice storm susceptibility of trees in order to: limit potential ice damage; to reduce hazards resulting from ice damage; and to restore urban tree populations following ice storms. Susceptibility ratings of species commonly planted in urban areas are presented in this publication for use in developing and maintaining healthy urban tree populations." [from Introduction] 2006 Second Edition Joint Publication of College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences and the Office of Continuing Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

To view this publication online go to:

http://www.urbanforestrysouth.org/resources/library/trees-and-ice-storms-the-development-of-ice-storm-resistant-urban-tree-populations/view

Authors:

R.J. Hauer, J.O. Dawson, L.P. Werner

Date Published:

November 2006

Publisher:

College of Natural Resources, University of WisconsinStevens Point, WI

Canada’s Forests Release More Carbon than They Absorb

According to the Chicago Tribune, a series of recent studies has concluded that Canada's forests, stressed from damage caused by global warming, insect infestations, and persistent fires are now pumping out more climate-changing carbon dioxide than they are sequestering.

For more information, visit the website of the Hartford Courant.

(Edited from the Society of American Forester's electronic newsletter. E-Forester, January 12, 2009)

Climate Change Webinar Series

The USDS Forest Service has begun a webinar series on climate change. See details below, including where and how to connect.

This webinar series will run from January - May and feature monthly presentations geared to help land managers, consulting foresters, and private forest landowners stay informed on the latest science and tech transfer tools related to forest-based adaptation and mitigation of climate change. Each webinar is an hour long, including Q & A, although there will be an optional additional 15 minute Q & A period. Each webinar counts as one hour of continuing education credit for certified foresters.

The webinar and dial-in info for the Climate Change Continuing Education Webinar Series is as follows:

Website: http://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=747085393&p=&t=c

Meeting Number: 747085393; Phone number: 1.866.581.6894; Passcode: 8623725

The first two scheduled meetings are as follows:

January 14, 2009 Wed 2pm EST: Interactions Between Carbon, Climate, and Forests Presenter: Chris Swanston (Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, USFS) This presentation will set the stage for a broader discussion on climate change and forests by briefly examining interactions between climate change, carbon cycling, and forest sustainability. First, we?ll cover some key mechanisms and major trends in climate change, and then explore forecasts of future climate and associated uncertainty. Next, we?ll survey the global carbon cycle and the distribution of carbon in major forest ecosystems. We?ll then consider several general ecophysiological concepts and how projected changes in climate may interact with forest ecophysiology. Finally, we?ll discuss how all these considerations may combine to affect forest carbon storage and productivity in the Lake States and Northeast.

February 11, 2009 Wed 2pm EST: Forest Management During Climate Change Presenter: Maria Janowiak (Outreach Scientist, Northern Institute of Applied Carbon Science) Climate change is expected to have significant effects on the condition and function of forested ecosystems; however, the exact nature of the stressors, their intensity, and the ensuing impacts on forests are quite uncertain. Forest managers will need to cope with this uncertainty, balancing the paucity of detailed information on future conditions against the demands of active and sustainable resource planning and management. In this context, sustainable forest management must recognize the need for ecosystems to adapt to changing climatic conditions in order to achieve desired objectives including, among other things, maintenance of habitat, production of wood, and mitigation of increased levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases. This presentation synthesizes available information on forest management options in the northeastern United States to provide a background for working with an uncertain climate future.

Forestry Internet Seminar: Ecology of Forest Invasions

Northeastern woodlands and those throughout the United States are experiencing dramatic increases in the arrival and abundance of invasive pests. Understanding the ecology of pest invasions and the effects they are likely to have on forest ecosystems will help us prepare for and respond to changes they evoke. On January 21, 2009 join Dr. Andrew Liebhold of the US Forest Service who will offer an Internet web conference presentation on "Non-native pest invasions and forest change." Dr. Liebhold will draw from decades of his research and others on forest ecosystem response to a variety of pest species.

ForestConnect is a program of Cornell University Cooperative Extension and offers the monthly Internet seminar series using web conferencing technology. The ForestConnect Internet Seminar Series is an interactive web conference and was the first of its kind in the US. Each seminar uses the Internet to distribute, or webcast, a live and interactive presentation. Since May 2007, web-based seminars have connected forest owners, managers, and practitioners from throughout the United States and overseas. More than 800 owners and managers from 40 states and three countries are registered and receiving announcements for the monthly webcasts.

Seminars occur on the third Wednesday of each month. Each webcast is provided live, twice. The initial broadcast each month is from noon to 1:00 PM with a repeat live broadcast the same day from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, Eastern Time. Participation is as easy as a high-speed internet connection via a web browser. Participants will connect to a secure Cornell Cooperative Extension server to join the presentation. Participants must pre-register once, without charge, at http://www.forestconnect.info/. Email notification of internet URL details for the web conference will be sent to everyone registered.

For program information: Peter Smallidge, Cornell University. pjs23@cornell.edu 607-592-3640 http://www.forestconnect.info/