Screen Free Week -

I wanted to let you all know that this week is Screen Free Week, a time to get kids outdoors.  One of the National 4-H Forestry Invitational sponsors, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), is a big supporter.  Recently an article was posted on TreeHugger. I have provided the article below. Please feel free to share this article far and wide throughout your local community. I am proud to be involved with the 4-H Forestry and other 4-H outdoor related programs and it is great to have such strong support from groups like SFI.

If you weren’t already aware of "Screen Free Week," check out their web site by clicking here. Seems like a natural fit for 4-H. Maybe some local coordinators have events planned for this week? If so, please be sure and share them with us. I hope you can make the connection for less screen time and more tree time!


Are our kids out of the woods? Help them go 'screen-free.'

For today’s kids, reaching the next level of an online game can seem much more natural and important than taking a hike in the forest. But this lack of outdoor activity is taking a toll on the health of the next generation.

Just sitting around in front of a screen has gotten a lot more serious. Childhood obesity has doubled in the United States and Canada over the past 30 years. Obesity in children increases their risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and lifelong health problems, not to mention the toll on our society as a whole. Physical activity is critical to reversing this trend, and it can begin as simply as putting down the smart phone and picking up some leaves and twigs in the front yard.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is an independent, non-profit organization that aims to make the world a better place by promoting sustainable forest management through standards, research, conservation partnerships, and community building. One of SFI’s key priorities is getting more kids away from their screens and into the great outdoors by fostering partnerships with and awarding grants to nature-based community programs across the US and Canada.

In addition to getting them interested in nature today, these programs teach our kids how forests touch our daily lives and the importance of conserving it for the future, too.

Take a look at these five examples of kids doing good — and feeling good — in the great outdoors.

To read the rest of the story click here.

Penn State Extension - May Webinar Series

I wanted to share the May webinar series from Penn State Extension's Renewable Natural Resources Team with you.  Please share with others that may be interested.  We look forward to having you join these discussions and learning experiences.

Penn State Extension Green Infrastructure Webinar Series: Tips for Success in Establishing and Maintaining Forested Stream Buffers, Tuesday, May 5, 2015, 12 p.m. ET. Presented by David Wise, Watershed Restoration Manager, Stroud Water Research Center.
https://meeting.psu.edu/pacommunityforestry

PA Forest Stewardship Webinar: Shale Gas Development and Landscape Changes, Tuesday, May 12, 2015, noon and 7 p.m. ET.
This webinar will present research examining landscape changes associated with shale gas development in Pennsylvania forests and in particular the effects of pipelines on bird abundance and distribution. To examine landscape scale changes, Lycoming County was used as a case study for a geographic information system (GIS) analysis to quantify habitat fragmentation resulting from shale gas development and determine differences based on land ownership (public vs. private). The webinar will also discuss research conducted on the response of bird communities to shale gas pipelines across the north-central region and strategies for reducing negative impacts through habitat restoration. Presented by Lillie Langlois, PhD Candidate, Penn State Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. Approved for 1.0 Society of American Foresters CFE credit, Category 1-CF.
https://meeting.psu.edu/paforestweb/

Northeast Woody/Warm-Season Biomass Consortium Webinar: An Overview of US Law and Policy Affecting Second Generation Biofuels, Tuesday, May 12, 1 p.m. ET.
Law and policy changes over time helped create and shape incentives for biofuel production. This webinar explores the evolution of law and policy over time, especially how it is affecting second generation biofuel development. While the focus is primarily on federal law and policy, the webinar will also touch on state and regional developments as well. Don't miss it! Presented by Lara Fowler, Penn State University.
https://meeting.psu.edu/bioenergy

Penn State Extension Green Infrastructure Webinar Series: Green Roofs for Stormwater Management, Tuesday, May 19, 2015, noon ET. Presented by Rod Berghage, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Horticulture, Director of the Center for Green Roof Research, Penn State University.
https://meeting.psu.edu/pacommunityforestry

Penn State Extension Green Infrastructure Webinar Series: Artful Rainwater Design, Tuesday, May 26, 2015, noon ET. Presented by Stuart Echols, Ph.D., Professor of Landscape Architecture, and Eliza Pennypacker, Ph.D., Department Head and Professor of Landscape Architecture, Penn State University.
https://meeting.psu.edu/pacommunityforestry

Water Resources Webinar: Water Quality Trading, Wednesday, May 27, 12 – 1 p.m. ET. Presented by Jim Shortle, Penn State University.
https://meeting.psu.edu/water1

Spring Green: Reading a Story of Forest Health

Spring, it is finally here. Even if you love winter, there is something about the warming days, gentle rains, and spring green that draws you outdoors or at least warrants a longing look out the nearest window.

Almost magically, we go from the brown gray fields and lawns to that fresh green, which is somehow vigorous and alive. A green that is much different from the green of June and July. Spring green, in its many shades, communicates a message of renewal and health.

If you are fortunate enough to have a forest or woodlot nearby, you can watch as the canopy takes on other colors and hues. A month or so ago you might have noticed tinges of purple, or, now, reds, yellows, and shades of green. This is truly a season of colors. Not the same bold all-encompassing colors of fall; rather, the soft pastels of spring.

Unfortunately, not all shades of green in our forests tell a story of health and vibrant renewal. Some of the early greens tell of unwelcome and health-robbing exotic invasive plant species. Many of these plants once occurred only in our yards and gardens; now they are increasingly dominating our forested landscapes and replacing more desirable native trees and understory shrubs and herbs.

The careful observer is aware that many of the early greens in our urban and forested landscapes are not our native plants. These early, and sometimes just as lovely, shades of green tell a story of changing plant health. Many of the most successful invasive plants have a physiological advantage over natives. Simply, they start to grow leaves earlier in the spring than do many native species.

Looking out my office window, it is easy to pick out the Norway maples in the neighborhood across the way. Already, they are sporting yellow-green crowns of flowers and young leaves, while the native maples, basswood, elm, and oaks are just beginning to show activity. The elms are brown-looking, the red maples are tinted red, and the sugar maples and basswood are still waiting to play their hands. In the woods, where Norway maple is becoming increasingly common, especially near our cities, the green really stands out early in the season.

The understory tells the same story. Some of the first plants to show their young, soft, green leaves are not native. If you know some of these plants, you will readily recognize that privet, bush honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, and autumn olive are quick to green-up and gather in early spring sunlight before native trees begin to show leaves. These Asian plants also begin to green before native understory plants such as dogwoods and viburnums and by doing this being to express their dominance. Our native plants fall behind in the competitive race for water, nutrients, and light.

Should we care if these once friendly and invited guests from other places take over niches in our forests and woodlands? According to some researchers the answer is an emphatic yes. Physiologically, these plants have a jump on natives and because they are foreign to our landscapes, many of them do not host insects that would normally control, in part, their spread across our landscapes. These competitive exotic plants are not part of the ecosystem and they do not feed insects, which in turn feed other insects, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. In short, many of these plants do not contribute to forest health -- they actually take away.

The story of forest health and early spring green is complicated. If you take your time, you can learn to read this story on many landscapes. If you care, learn how to write a different story in coming springs. Work to control unwanted early spring green and plant natives in your yard and landscape. By doing so, you can still have spring greens, but know they represent a gift to others who benefit from and enjoy healthy forest landscapes.

Dr. Doug Tallamy, professor of entomology at the University of Delaware, has written a very informative book about the importance of native plants to our native insect and bird populations and what homeowners can do to enhance native habitat in their own backyards. "Bringing Nature Home," is an excellent addition to your library as you work to be a good steward of the land.

By Jim Finley, April 23, 2015