UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.
--Individuals who want to learn about properly caring for their woodlands
now have the opportunity to take an online course from the comfort of
their own homes offered by Penn State Extension.
"WoodlandStewardship: Management Practices for Landowners" is designed for woodland
owners and those who are interested in understanding the complexity of the
woodland ecosystem and improving their own practices in caring for that
resource. The course offers participants a solid understanding of what it means
to be a woodland steward.
Participants can learn ways to apply their new knowledge to
their woodlot, such as practical, hands-on skills, as well as some "big
picture" concepts related to woodland management. Although this course
focuses on Pennsylvania woods and landowners, much of the information applies
to land in other states as well, particularly those in the Northeast.
Upon course completion,
participants will be able to understand the importance of forests and the need
for woodland stewardship; use field characteristics to identify trees; use forest
measurement tools to collect field data; describe a tree’s relationship to its
surroundings and other life forms; and identify how they can use
forest-management techniques to reach desirable goals and outcomes.
Participants will also learn
how forest-management activities relate to wildlife habitat; describe the
relationship between forests and water and ways to protect water quality;
identify plans for the future of the woods beyond the current tenure; and take
steps to engage heirs or other land-protection strategies to continue
stewardship.
"The information and skills you learn will enhance your
enjoyment of the woods in addition to helping you make better informed
decisions about caring for your woods," said course instructor Allyson
Muth, Forest Stewardship Program Associate and Associate Director of the Center
for Private Forest at Penn State. "As you will learn, there are a variety
of reasons why woodland stewardship is of critical concern today."
In teaching the course, Muth is joined by Jim Finley, Director
of the Center for Private Forests, and other forest experts in Penn State’s
College of Agricultural Sciences.
You can view the
introduction and register for the course at: https://extension.psu.edu/woodland-stewardship.
You can view all of Penn State Extension's forestry related online courses here.
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