Friday, June 6, 2008

Forestry "Podcasts" Now Available!

Have you heard there is forestry in the air? Forest landowners, natural resources professionals, and anyone interested in learning about our forests can now download podcasts from Bob Hansen, D.F., Forest Resources and Maple Products Extension Educator in Penn State’s Northeast region.

"What is a podcast?" Simply put, a podcast is similar to a radio broadcast. It comes from the combination of the word iPod and broadcasting. However, a podcast can be played on any computer or device that supports the MP3 format, including iPods. People can subscribe to receive topic specific podcasts via Really Simple Syndication (RSS) channel. This is similar to a magazine subscription except that it is a broadcast instead of print.

Dr. Hansen’s first podcasts are available at the iTunes store. To access them you need to have the free iTunes download on your computer and then visit iTunesU at The Pennsylvania State University. On the iTunesU site scroll down to The College of Agricultural Sciences, click there and find NE Pennsylvania Forests. Podcasts currently available are "Selling Timber" and "Emerald Ash Borer." While on the site, subscribe to NE Pennsylvania Forests and listen to future podcasts as they are uploaded. Future podcasts will cover topics on the care and management of woodlands, especially relating to Pennsylvania.

While you are on your computer, visit the Bradford County Extension website at http://bradford.extension.psu.edu. On that site, navigate to the natural resources link and then the forestry resources link. There scroll down to the podcast site and click on the Northeast PA Forests link. Visit the site often to try it out.

After listening to the podcast Bob welcomes your feedback and ideas for future topics. If you have suggestions, email Bob at rsh7@psu.edu. New 'casts will be posted on a regular basis. Listening to these podcasts is a new and simple way to get a daily dose of forestry. Try it out.

Contact: Bob Hansen
Email: rsh7@psu.edu

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