From Gregory.R.Lord at maine.gov Tue Apr 7 12:06:55 2009 From: Gregory.R.Lord at maine.gov (Lord, Gregory R.) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 12:06:55 -0400 Subject: [woodswisewire] Woods Wise Wire - April 7, 2009 Message-ID: Forest Guild Northeast Region Meeting Title: Practicing Forestry in Challenging Times: Innovative Approaches and Critical Issues Date: April 24-25, 2009 Location: Northwood, New Hampshire This two-day meeting for foresters, natural resource professionals, landowners, students and others will include nationally recognized speakers and detailed discussions on the economics of excellent forestry, woody biomass, aggregation for conservation easements, and new technology for field foresters. Two field tours will demonstrate excellent forestry in practice. You can view more information or register at www.forestguild.org/NEmeeting09.html or call Lois Manno at 505.983.8992 x 21. Tree Owner's Manual Available The Tree Owner's Manual is now available to property owners seeking information about caring for one of the most valuable assets on their land-its trees. The U.S. Forest Service created the Tree Owner's Manual to answer common questions about tree care, from planting, fertilizing, and pruning to troubleshooting signs of damage, injury, and disease. The manual also lists numerous organizations and sources of more information for keeping trees healthy and growing. The booklet is available in a simple black and white format that is easy to download and inexpensive to reproduce. The Forest Service will help organizations or businesses customize the cover of the manual with their own logo. To download a copy of the Tree Owner's Manual, or to request a customized version with a logo on the cover, visit the Tree Owner's Manual Web page. http://na.fs.fed.us/urban/treeownersmanual/ Estate Planning for Forest Landowners? What Will Become of Your Timberland? A new Publication Available from the USDA Forest Service The 199-page report provides a comprehensive summary of estate planning for non-industrial private woodland owners. The report includes examples, a discussion of State death taxes, forestry-specific estate planning tools, and an explanation of various forms of ownership. According to the authors, "the purpose of this book is to provide guidelines and assistance to nonindustrial private forest owners and the legal, tax, financial, insurance, and forestry professionals who serve them on the application of estate planning techniques to forest properties. The book presents a working knowledge of the Federal estate and gift tax law as of September 30, 2008, with particular focus on the unique characteristics of owning timber and forest land. It consists of four major parts, plus appendices. Part I develops the practical and legal foundation for estate planning. Part II explains and illustrates the use of general estate planning tools. Part III explains and illustrates the use of additional tools that are specific to forest ownership. Part IV describes the forms of forest land ownership, as well as the basic features of State transfer taxes and the benefits of forest estate planning. The appendices include a glossary and the Federal forms for filing estate and gift taxes." Copies of Estate Planning for Forest Landowners? What Will Become of Your Timberland? are now available. To download a free copy, visit http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/gtr/gtr_srs112.pdf FCSWCD's Conservation Expo has Something for Everyone FARMINGTON - Contractor certification, introductory and advanced GPS trainings, pond maintenance and construction, extending the growing season by using a greenhouse, and how to build a solar home are just a few of the seminars and workshops being offered at the third Maine Conservation Expo on Wednesday, April 22 at the University of Maine, Farmington from 8 am to 3:30 pm. Registration starts at 7:30. Hosted by Franklin County Soil & Water Conservation District, the Expo is a full day of seminars, workshops and vendor displays. Working in cooperation with state and federal agencies, other soil & water conservation districts, businesses, non-profits, and others, this event is a great opportunity for people to learn about alternative energy, growing local foods, and watershed issues. Other sessions being offered include: residential and small business wind power, buying local foods, home energy audits with conservation tips, harvesting and storing your produce, Farm-A-Syst (identifying land uses that may impact ground water), ESC Law and camp road construction; what's in your watershed, voluntary carbon markets in Maine, map and compass reading, gravel road maintenance and front runner training, as well as legislation that will affect camp road owners and associations. The Conservation Expo is designed for camp owners, code enforcement officers, contractors, foresters, gardeners, lake association members, road crews, road associations, town officials, and the general public. Pre-registration is required for contractor certification and the gravel road maintenance sessions. The cost for these classes is $55 each. Other classes are $20 for one, $30 for two, and $35 for three or more. Participants can sign up for as many or as few classes as they wish. There will be an additional $10 fee to register at the door. For more information, or to pre-register, contact FCSWCD, 107 Park St., Farmington, 778-4279 or info @franklincswcd.org or visit http://www.franklincswcd.org . Forestry Internet seminar: Rehabilitate Cutover Stands >From Cornell University Cooperative Extension Many woodland owners and foresters find themselves confronted by the desire and need to rehabilitate an woodland that has suffered an exploitive harvest. Although recognition of the problem has increased, only recently have guidelines been developed to correct these unsustainable practices. On Wednesday April 15th, join Dr. Ralph Nyland for a webinar on Rehabilitating Cutover Stands. Dr. Nyland will cover the steps and criteria to guide forest activities, determine the optimum strategy to salvage the stand, and satisfy the owners objectives. The April webinar is a sequel to the February 2009 webinar by Dr. Nyland that covered the impacts of exploitation harvests. A recorded version of the February webinar can be viewed at the ForestConnect website. Dr. Nyland is a Distinguished Service Professor at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. 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 1200 owners and managers from 40 states and nine 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 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 at cornell.edu 607-592-3640 www.ForestConnect.info -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/woodswisewire/attachments/20090407/79619d6a/attachment-0001.html From Gregory.R.Lord at maine.gov Tue Apr 14 06:13:00 2009 From: Gregory.R.Lord at maine.gov (Lord, Gregory R.) Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:13:00 -0400 Subject: [woodswisewire] Woods Wise Wire - April 14, 2009 Message-ID: Upland Invasive Plant Species Identification and Control Workshops The Maine Forest Service in cooperation with the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District, Androscoggin Land Trust, Town of Freeport Conservation Commission, Maine DOC Bureau of Parks and Lands, USDA Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, Verso Paper and CPS Timberland will be holding three invasive plant identification and control workshops. These workshops will provide participants with an introduction to identification of common upland invasive plants. Participants will also be introduced to different control strategies for invasive plants, including both mechanical and chemical methods. The workshops will concentrate on plant species that are invasive in Maine's forests. Anyone with an interest in invasive plants is encouraged to attend. These workshops are free. Workshops will have a field component so please bring appropriate field gear for the forecasted weather conditions. Workshop 1 - Freeport - Thursday June 4th, 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Freeport Public Library. Field site TBD. Coffee and snacks will be provided by the Freeport Conservation Commission. Workshop 2 - Hebron - Friday June 5th, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Hebron Academy in Hebron. The field portion will be on Maine DOC, Bureau of Parks and Lands public reserved land in Hebron. Workshop 3 - Jay - Friday June12, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Verso Paper's Murray Hall in Jay. Field Site TBD. Workshop space is limited and registration is required. To register or for more information including directions, contact Ken Canfield via email at ken.canfield at maine.gov or call (207) 657-3535. If registering please include the names of those attending and contact information for each person. CREDITS: It is anticipated that continuing ed credits will be available for Maine Licensed Foresters as well as herbicide applicators. Protect Your Woodlot From Timber Trespass & Theft SWOAM Whitney Lot Gray 5/17/09 9 AM-Noon SWOAM, Maine Forest Service, and Maine Boundary Consultants are presenting a workshop on how to avoid timber trespass and theft on your woodlot. A professional land surveyor, a consulting forester, a state forester, and a forest ranger will be present to discuss necessary steps to protect your trees, and what happens in the event of a theft or trespass. The entire workshop will be outside, so please come dressed for the weather. The workshop is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Ken Canfield at 657-3535 or ken.canfield at maine.gov Webinar Silviculture 101: Systems and Terminology April 21. 8:30 to 9:30 AM http://sfec.cfans.umn.edu/featured.html Originally developed for Training Group 4 in the Certificate Course in Ecosystem Silviculture, this seminar presents silvicuture systems and terminology in the context of contemporary forest management. The collection of silviculture terms we learned in college now often seems difficult to use with current management goals and directives. Using photographs and diagrams, Dr. D'Amato has developed a presentation with clear and simple examples that demonstrate how we combine our evolving knowledge of forest ecology and development dynamics with our organizations management goals and vision and our own professional expertise to create a desired future forest condition. Presenters: Dr. Tony D'Amato, Professor, UMN Forest Resources Department SAF CEUs: 1 Category 1-CF Cost: $15 ($10 SFEC). Time: 8:30 to 9:30 AM To register and for information on how to connect to the webinar, please visit the Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative website: http://sfec.cfans.umn.edu/featured.html Northeast Forest Health Field Workshop (formerly the Northeast Forest Pathology Workshop) June 2-5, Winter Harbor, Maine, USA. Second Announcement. Sponsored by: University of Maine, School of Forest Resources Cooperative Forestry Research Unit Maine Society of American Foresters Maine Forest Service The Northeastern Forest Health Field Workshop will be held on June 2-5 at the Schoodic Educational and Research Center, Winter Harbor, Maine. Check-in will begin Tuesday evening, June 2, and 7:30 am on June 3. The theme for Wednesday's field trips is "Using Silviculture to Reduce Risk from Pests" and will focus on spruce/fir, American beech, and eastern white pine forest types. Thursday's field trips will be examine the "Forest Health of Acadia National Park" on Mount Desert Island and will focus on invasive species, air pollution, and monitoring. There will also be time available in the evenings and Friday morning for activity reports from the attendees. The workshop has been previously called the "Northeastern Forest Pathology Workshop", but the name has been updated to reflect the greater breadth of topics that are covered in the field workshops. The workshop is being co-sponsored by the University of Maine School of Forest Resources, the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit, Maine Forest Service, and the Maine Division - Society of American Foresters. We expect the workshop to provide an ideal opportunity for scientists, students, and forest professionals to learn basic information about pests and other stresses, both native and invasive. Because Maine's forests primarily develop from natural regeneration, the silvicultural strategies for minimizing risks due to pests are all compatible with natural systems. We expect healthy discussions between researchers, educators, and professionals as we learn more from each other about forest health issues. The web address is: http://www.forest.umaine.edu/education/livingston/NFHFW/NFHFW09.html Vernal Pool Workshop Monday, May 4, 2009 9:30 AM - 3 PM Francis Malcolm Science Center Route 1A Easton, Maine Schedule 9:30 Registration 10 AM - 11AM What are Vernal Pools: The Basics 11AM - 12PM Regulations associated with Vernal Pools 12 PM - 1 PM Lunch (provided) 1PM - 3 PM Site Visits to Vernal Pools in the Easton Area Instructors Gordon Moore, Maine Forest Service Dave Rochester, Maine Forest Service Linda Alverson, Central Aroostook SWCD Dotty Dudley, Easton Science Educator Continuing Education Credits Available (pending approval) Name Address Phone E-Mail Cost per person: $25.00 Limited to 20 people. To Register: Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District, 735 Main St. Suite 3, Presque Isle, ME 04769, call 764-4153 ext 130 or E-Mail: Linda.Alverson at me.nacdnet.net http://www.deerandforests.org/ Caring for Deer and Forests By Susan L. Stout A Resource Center for Eastern North America Deer, Forests, and people are connected. Forests provide food, cover, and clean water that deer need. Forests growing on nutrient-rich soils with many food plants can support many more deer than forests with poor soils and few forest floor plants. That is, they have a higher carrying capacity. Deer add grace and beauty to the forest. What they eat affects how forests grow, how many deer they can support, and habitat for other wildlife. Hunters seek deer for meat and for the love of the hunt as they have for hundreds of years. Peoples' understanding and choices about deer and forests shape all these connections. This site has two main goals: 1. to provide information and examples about these connections - about deer habitat, deer impact, and strategies to care for deer and forests together; and 2. to serve as a clearinghouse for resources about connections among people, deer, and forests. The site was developed by a team of scientists and extension educators with input from a broad-based advisory team, and funding from the USDA Forest Service Electronic Commons project and Northern Initiatives. It is maintained by the University of Georgia, Penn State University, and US Forest Service Research & Development. SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL FISH HABITAT AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED Maine's Project SHARE awarded Extraordinary Action Award. Award Ceremony to be held at Jim Range National Casting Call - Winners include: EPA, Patagonia, Project SHARE, LLI-University of Wisconsin-Extension Lakes (Washington, DC) - A group of the nation's leading authorities on aquatic conservation, the National Fish Habitat Board, will honor two exceptional organizations and two individual champions in aquatic resource conservation at the Second Annual National Fish Habitat Awards ceremony on April 27, 2009 at the Jim Range National Casting Call hosted by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association. >From nominations submitted by the hundreds of organizations that comprise the National Fish Habitat Partners Coalition, the awardees demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to fish habitat conservation, science and education. They are leading by example to help resolve the nation's most significant fisheries problems. For 2009, the selection committee added an additional award category, Extraordinary Action category in support of fish habitat, bringing the total number of awards to four. Also, in honor of the recently passed Jim Range, who tragically lost his battle with cancer, the selection committee has re-named the Exceptional Vision Award in Jim's honor. The award will now be the Jim Range Conservation Vision Award. "Renaming the Award in honor of Jim, is just a small token to honor all that he has done in Washington to support fish and wildlife conservation. The Board found it fitting to rename the award and there is no better venue to honor Jim than Casting Call." said Kelly Hepler, National Fish Habitat Board Chairman. "Jim was a true pioneer for conservation and was a true visionary when it came to fish and wildlife related issues." The Winners of the 2009 National Fish Habitat Awards are as follows: Outreach and Education Award: The Lake Leaders Institute, University of Wisconsin-Extension Lakes The goal of the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute is to enhance Wisconsin's lake resources through education, leadership and citizen action. The Institute assists citizens in developing and improving both their technical and people skills, to enrich their communities and the waters within them. Participants learn in an atmosphere of openness, trust, friendship and camaraderie. Lake Leaders Institute courses give participants the opportunity to take field trips, enjoy natural beauty, exchange and forge ideas, and develop friendships. Over 200 Lake Leaders Institute graduates have made a personal commitment to engage others in their community to ensure our water resources are preserved for future generations. The University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Lakes is part of the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. UWEX Lakes (education) works with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (science) and the Wisconsin Association of Lakes (citizens) to form the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership. Award Contact: Kim Becken Outreach Specialist Lake Leaders Institute kbecken at uwsp.edu (715) 346-2116 http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes Scientific Achievement Award: Stephen J. Jordan, Lisa M. Smith, Janet A. Nestlerode, Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Research and Development The team of Jordan, Smith and Nestlerode, have broken new ground in quantifying the value of nursery habitats to a major fishery and ecological resource. In their research article (Cumulative Effects of Habitat Alterations on Fishery Resources: Prediction at Regional Scales) published in Ecology and Society, they have modeled how the detailed spatial extent and distribution of marsh and submerged aquatic vegetation affect blue crab recruitment at the scale of the US Gulf of Mexico, and shown how the model can be used to predict the effects of habitat alteration on the fishery. The novel modeling concepts applied to this research can be used more widely in quantitative analysis of the consequences of fish habitat loss and restoration at spatial and temporal scales. Article Link: (Cumulative Effects of Habitat Alterations on Fishery Resources: Prediction at Regional Scales) http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss1/art16/ Award Contact: Steve Jordan PhD, Office of Research and Development, EPA jordan.steve at epa.gov 850-934-9350 Jim Range Conservation Vision Award: Yvon Chouinard Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia's founder, started Patagonia in 1973 to meet the equipment and clothing needs of outdoor enthusiasts, primarily rock climbers, hikers and anglers. From the very beginning, Patagonia devoted time and money to the increasingly apparent national and world-wide environmental crisis. Yvon saw what was happening in the remote corners of the world: creeping pollution and deforestation, the slow, then not so slow, disappearance of fish and wildlife and decided to do something about it. Since then, Patagonia never looked back. Yvon had the foresight and commitment to have Patagonia become a leader in giving back to natural resources to ensure their future viability and stability. In 1986, Patagonia began a program that makes it unique among corporate entities that care about fisheries habitat. Patagonia committed to donate 10% of profits each year to grass-roots environmental groups. They later upped the ante to 1% of sales, or 10% of profits, whichever was greater. Patagonia has kept to that commitment every year since, and placed a high emphasis on fishery habitat protection over the years, as evidenced by the starting of the World Trout Initiative to specifically address trout habitats and populations, the 1% For the Planet program that supports local grass-roots projects which include fishery habitat projects, and the Conservation Alliance - a program that enlists other funding sources to participate in wildlife and fisheries habitat projects. Award Contact: Patagonia, Inc. www.patagonia.com Extraordinary Action Award: Project SHARE Project SHARE (Salmon Habitat and River Enhancement), a 501(c)3 organization, was created in 1994 through the efforts of concerned landowners, salmon anglers, businesses and various government agencies, to establish a forum to protect and enhance Atlantic salmon habitat in the five Downeast rivers of Maine. SHARE's mission is to conserve and protect Atlantic salmon habitat in the Dennys, Machias, East Machias, Pleasant, and Narraguagus rivers. This is based on the premise of voluntary participation by area landowners, businesses, as well as local, state and federal government, academia, conservation organizations, research and educational interests and any other entity that will enhance the healthy functioning of these riverine ecosystems. Since 2006, Steve Koenig - Project SHARE Executive Director has completed 22 USDA NRCS/WHIP projects that contributed $930,000 for stream habitat connectivity projects in Downeast Maine. The more impressive figure is the 19 additional WHIP (additional $1,000,000) projects currently under contract. Combining landowner and other contributions to Project SHARE's WHIP projects, these 41 stream restoration projects equate to nearly $2.6 million in on-the-ground conservation efforts that benefit Endangered Atlantic Salmon and other Service trust species such as brook trout and American eel. Award Contact: Steve Koenig skoenig at salmonhabitat.org 207-853-0931 The First Annual National Fish Habitat Awards were held on April 28, 2008 at the National Casting Call event and the winners were, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Outreach and Education Award), The Fish and Aquatic Ecology Unit of the U.S. Forest Service & Trout Unlimited (Co-winners - Scientific Achievement Award) and Stephen Perry (Exceptional Vision Award). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/woodswisewire/attachments/20090414/fa3b4221/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 73 bytes Desc: image001.gif Url : http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/woodswisewire/attachments/20090414/fa3b4221/attachment-0003.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 73 bytes Desc: image002.gif Url : http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/woodswisewire/attachments/20090414/fa3b4221/attachment-0004.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 73 bytes Desc: image003.gif Url : http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/woodswisewire/attachments/20090414/fa3b4221/attachment-0005.gif From Gregory.R.Lord at maine.gov Tue Apr 21 12:39:15 2009 From: Gregory.R.Lord at maine.gov (Lord, Gregory R.) Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:39:15 -0400 Subject: [woodswisewire] Woods Wise Wire - April 21, 2009 Message-ID: Bees and your Woodlot A hive of bees flies over 55,000 miles to bring you one pound of honey. A honey bee can fly 15 miles per hour. Honey bees must tap two million flowers to make one pound of honey. Each worker honey bee makes 1/12th teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. Honey bees visit 50-100 flowers during one honey collecting trip. Bees have been producing honey from flowering plants for at least 10 million years! And maybe even as long as 20 million years! In one day a honey bee can fly 12 miles and pollinate up to 10,000 flowers. Honeybee workers must visit 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey. Healthy woodlots are an essential component for the success of bees. Bees need to pollinate, trees need to be pollinated, it's as simple as that. Come Join the Upper Kennebec Valley chapter of SWOAM on Saturday, May 30th, from 9-12 in Mercer to hear avid beekeeper, our own Peter Lammert, talk about the delicate balance in our ecosystem between bees and woodlots. He will answer such questions as, how can you manage your woodlot to encourage honey bees? What are some things you don't want to do on your woodlot if you want bees? How do can you started keeping bees? Can you just get started with bees already out in the wild? And much more! We will be meeting at SWOAM/Tree Farm members, Mary and Bob Burr's place in Mercer on the Beech Hill Road. Mary and Bob are also avid beekeepers and woodlot managers. They are1.5 miles on the left off US Route 2, number 1334 Beech Hill Road. Look for the "Blue Ribbon" and Tree Farm signs. The workshop is free and open to all, please come join us! If you have any questions, contact Patty Cormier at 474-3499, or patty.cormier at maine.gov. Island Heritage Trust Activities Heritage House Workday Wednesday April 22 9am til noon Celebrate Earth Day with IHT Bring rakes and we'll clean up the lawn! Preserve Workdays May 8-9 Scott's Landing May 16 Pine Hill May 20-21 Crockett Cove Woods & Barred Island with TNC June 6 Wreck, Round and Millet Islands World Ocean Day Boats and bodies needed! 348-2455 Help us with your favourite preserve! Island Heritage Trust Walks & Talks 2009 Unless otherwise noted, all Talks are at Heritage House - 420 Sunset Road and are FREE April 18 - Pruning Workshop with Tim Seabrook and Leslie Cummins of 5-Star Nursery. Learn about pruning apple trees from the experts. We will use the overgrown trees at Heritage House and the Historical Society as practical examples of what can be done to save old apple trees. Bring your pruning tools and ladders (if you have them) for some hands on experience. 10-1:00 $15/per person. Call 348-2455 to register. May 6 - Introduction to Vernal Pools IHT Executive Director, and Herpetologist, Mike Little will present a slide show about the fascinating critters that live in these ephemeral wetlands. 6:30pm May 9 - Visit to a Vernal Pool -Join IHT Executive Director, and Herpetologist, Mike Little for a visit to an active vernal pool. Meet some of the denizens first hand. 9-11am. Meet at IHT office to carpool. Register at 348-2455 Wings Waves and Woods - Deer Isle's Birding Weekend May 15-17 See http://www.islandheritagetrust.org/ for complete schedule Activities at Heritage House include: May 16 -Introduction to Birding Join IHT Executive Director Mike Little for a discussion of binoculars, scopes, guidebooks and where and when to find birds. 9-10 am. May 17 - Introduction to Birdfeeding Jim and Carol from The Birderwatchers' Caf? in Blue Hill will talk about birdfeeders and birdfeeding. 10am Evergreen Garden Club Program Wednesday April 15 4:00 pm at Deer Isle Town Hall Leslie Clapp of Downeast Audubon on Creating Backyard Habitat for Wildlife Attend this program, then help IHT do a demonstration birder's garden at Heritage House Do you have native shrubs to donate? Call Mike at 348-2455 ======================================================== Island Heritage Trust (mailing address) PO Box 42 Deer Isle, Maine 04627 207-348-2455 Bare Root Planting Publication Creating the Urban Forest: The Bare Root Method >From Urban Horticulture Institute, Department of Horticulture,Cornell University, Ithaca, New York http://www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/pdfs/bareroot.pdf Maine loggers: There are good jobs in the woods >From Forests For Maine's Future newsletter - Fresh from the Woods By Andrew Kekacs Editor's note: Economic turmoil, global warming and wildly fluctuating energy costs have led policy makers, scientists and investors to look more closely at the world's forests. The shift in attention from Wall Street to Wytopitlock offers great promise and potential problems for Maine. In the coming months, Fresh from the Woods will focus on the capacity of Maine's forests to provide new products and good jobs in an uncertain world. We live in interesting times. The economy is shrinking faster than at any time since the Great Depression. More than 13 million Americans are out of work, and even more are facing the potential loss of their homes. The impact of the recession can be felt in every part of the economy, from restaurants to auto restoration. Natural resources are not immune. Yet in the face of what could be one of their most difficult years in decades, Maine loggers are cautiously optimistic that they will survive, and even prosper. "Prices have dropped, but they were too high last year," said Anthony Madden, a third-generation logger and owner of A.W. Madden Inc. in Milford. "Mill yards have too much inventory [of raw logs], and we might have a longer shutdown than normal for mud season. But business hasn't really changed much for us yet." In fact, some loggers believe the future could be unexpectedly bright. Uncertainty over energy prices, and emerging technologies that transform wood into a host of high-value products, suggest that Maine's forests will be more important - not less - in the post-recession economy. "Look at Red Shield [the former Georgia-Pacific paper mill now called Old Town Fiber and Fuel]," said Gene Goodine, a logger from Lagrange. "They are going to be producing a jet fuel supplement [from wood fiber]." The Old Town mill has a partnership with researchers at the University of Maine, who have developed a process to use wood to create virtually any chemical now made from petroleum. The Old Town bio-refinery plans to generate electricity, produce wood pulp and ultimately make jet fuel to complement its owners' helicopter manufacturing business in Arizona. Given the developments in wood technology, demographics - rather than economics - could be the biggest challenge for today's loggers. As in farming, fishing and other natural-resource sectors, the logging workforce is growing older. Finding new workers is critical. "I've got 20 good people," said Madden. "It's the best crew that I've ever had, but most of my best operators are 55 or older." Madden, who started his company in 1980, was chosen last summer as Outstanding Logger in the Northeast Region by the Forest Resources Association. Logging has changed dramatically since Madden was a child. His father and grandfather used horses, then crawler tractors, and finally cable skidders to move logs from the forest. All of that equipment required loggers to use chainsaws to fell trees, a physically demanding and dangerous task. Madden's crews have come out of the weather and into the cabs of modern logging equipment. "[The changeover] took the guys off the ground," he said. "It is safer and more comfortable ... They start the machines, turn on the heater or air conditioner, and switch on the stereo." Madden encourages young people to consider logging as a career. He looks for those who enjoy working outside, have basic repair abilities, an open mind and a willingness to learn. New loggers are trained in-house, he said. The work day starts at 6 a.m. for Madden's crews, and even earlier for many other loggers. But there is also a shutdown for about six weeks during mud season in the spring, and usually several weeks off in the fall. Earnings for loggers vary widely, but typically range from $30,000 to $40,000 per year. "At least take a look at it," he said to young workers. "Understand what we do." Goodine is also operating modern logging equipment, though on a smaller scale. He has been in the business for 18 years, starting with a small farm tractor on his own land and now working with a state-of-the-art, cut-to-length system. He was chosen as Mechanical Logger of the Year in 2008 by the Certified Logging Professionals program. "The equipment is very expensive," he said. "Maintenance is key. But after it is paid for, you should be able to make a good living." Gooding describes himself as "an outdoorsy guy," someone who enjoys the independence of working in the woods and the satisfaction of a job well done. A good reputation is very important, he said, because a successful logger operates on land owned by many satisfied owners. He mostly works on woodlands that were farmed less than 100 years ago. Other challenges include the markets for raw logs, where which prices can change fast and unpredictably, and the weather, which can do the same. Paul Vicneire, 38, of Embden, was named 2008 Conventional Logger of the Year by the Certified Logging Professionals program. He is the youngest of the three contractors, and still uses a chainsaw and skidder. Vicneire has worked in the woods since he was a child, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Job satisfaction is important to him. So is the sense of freedom that comes from being his own boss. "The hours are long," he acknowledges. "It's a tough job, and sometimes stressful ... you have to go into it with an open mind. It can't be all about money. Yes, I'm in it to make a living, but I also enjoy what I do." It's not a job for a late riser. His day starts with a good breakfast at 4 a.m., and he is in the woods warming up his equipment by dawn. He often works seven days a week in the winter. But he still finds time to coach basketball and serve as a Scout leader. Working in the woods demands that you always have to think about safety first, said Vicneire. He is a strong advocate of programs that train and certify loggers. Vicneire focuses on specialty cutting. About 70 percent of the people who hire him live on the land that is being harvested, so aesthetics are extremely important. "You have to care about the environment," he said. "It's not just a job. You are trying to leave a forest for your children." >From the secret life of vernal pools to the potential for bio-fuels from the forest, you can find in-depth, factual and objective information at http://forestsformainesfuture.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/woodswisewire/attachments/20090421/45ee13fc/attachment-0001.html From Gregory.R.Lord at maine.gov Tue Apr 28 08:42:31 2009 From: Gregory.R.Lord at maine.gov (Lord, Gregory R.) Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:42:31 -0400 Subject: [woodswisewire] Woods Wise Wire - April 28, 2009 Message-ID: MFS Releases Report on Inventory and Growth of Maine's Forests. Based on 60% of the total plot set (3 year's worth of data), the 2006 Midcycle Report on Inventory and Growth of Maine's Forests offers a first look at paired plot remeasurements and resultant information about the growth, removal, and mortality processes in Maine's forests. The summarized data and analyses on forest health and sustainability are located at http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/pubs/midcycle_inventory_rpt.html. USDA Forest Service Creates Website for Carbon Market Opportunities The USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry has created a new website, "Carbon Market Opportunities for Private Forest Landowners." The website provides background information on climate change and forests and as well as information about how private forest landowners can engage in voluntary markets and the potential costs, benefits, risks and opportunities of doing so. Look for other updates, tools and resources on the website as well, including a link to CVal, a newly released forest carbon spreadsheet valuation tool designed for landowners and consulting foresters. The Carbon Market Opportunities website is found at: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/ecosystemservices/carbon/index.shtm. Carbon Trading 101 April 30, 2009 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (Eastern Time) Presented by Kurt Krueger District Manager, Larson & McGowin, Inc This special one-hour program will discuss the basics of forest carbon offset projects, how landowners might qualify, and how carbon credits are sold on various markets. CFEs: One hour of SAF CFE Category I credits has been applied for To participate, visit: forestrywebinar.net Join us by simply logging in No registration required Brought to you by Web Access Instructions On the day of the webinar, go to: http://forestrywebinar.net about 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the session (pay attention to the time zone on the announcements), Click on the particular webinar link, Enter your name to login (no password is needed)....follow instructions for SAF CFE credit if desired, and The webinar will then load on your computer. Get online early because we cannot take phone calls for technical assistance one it is 5 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. Particular use of the Elluminate software will be addressed at the beginning of the session. For those with firewall blocking, getting your IT support to test it the day prior to the event might be necessary (this is rare). Hardware or software issues can be directed to Elluminate Support at 1-866-388-8674, option 2, www.elluminate.com/support. Technical questions or problems should be addressed to Bob Bardon (Robert_Bardon at ncsu.edu , 919-515-5575) or Eric Taylor (eric-taylor at tamu.edu, 903-834-6191). Program questions or to suggest future webinars, please contact Bill Hubbard (whubbard at uga.edu, 706-340-5070). First Time Webinar Attendees This Webinar will use Elluminate. If you have not yet participated in a Elluminate webinar then Please go to www.elluminate.com/support for setting up your computer. You should do this at least 24 hours in advance of a live webinar in case you have any problems that need to be resolved. If you have any hardware or software issues you can call Elluminate Support at 1-866-388-8674, option 2. You will be prompted to download some software which may take anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes depending upon your Internet connection speed. The steps you will complete are as follows: Check that you have Java installed. If you do not the screen will tell you how to download the latest version of Java. Make sure your speakers and/or microphone are set up correctly. You will need to enter the "Configuration Room" in order to test your audio setup. Do the "Recorded Introduction" to get an overview of how to use Elluminate as a participant. This takes about 5-10 minutes to complete CVal: A Carbon Valuation Tool for Foresters and Private Forest Landowners The CVal spreadsheet is a powerful tool that will help foresters, managers, and project developers work with private forest landowners to assess the economic profitability of participating in carbon markets. CVal provides a discounted cash flow analysis based on a full accounting of variables, including tract size, carbon sequestration rate, carbon price, and enrollment and trading costs. Automated, financial break-even analyses in the macros version quickly assess threshold values of key variables for profitable projects, and the program readily performs "what if" calculations after storing starting values. CVal was designed to evaluate managed forest and afforestation projects traded on the Chicago Climate Exchange, but its methodology could be adapted for other trading mechanisms and agricultural sequestration projects. Documentation is provided in the program itself and in GTR-180. CVal was developed by Ted Bilek (USFS Forest Products Lab), Peter Becker (Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council), and Tim McAbee (LandMark Systems), and is available at no cost. Download CVal and GTR-180 at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fpl_gtr180.html . Latest Department of Conservation Newsletter is now available. http://maine.gov/doc/pdf/from_the_field_%2004-24-09.pdf University of Maine Cooperative Extension Announces Third Northeastern Forestry Conference EMERGING TRENDS: Opportunities in the Family Forest Learn how to enjoy and profit from your family forest at the Forestry Conference on Saturday, June 27, 2009 at Messalonskee High School in Oakland, ME. You can brush up on your knowledge of alternative forest products, learn about new small business enterprises for your woodland, or tackle the issues of changing traditional markets among other subjects. This program has been reviewed and is approved for professional CFE credits by the Society of American Foresters under Category 1-CF: 4 credits (1 for each 1 hr session), and 2 Maine Pesticide credits, 1 each for Insects and Disease Control and Finding Solutions for Invasive Plant Problems. Browse through trade show vendors to view the latest in forestry products, service providers and woodlot management equipment. Make plans to attend any four of the twelve seminars offered with lunch provided and opportunities to view products and services at the trade show. The registration fee is $20.00 per person and some scholarships will be available. Please register by Monday, June 22, 2009. For more information or to request an application brochure, please call the University of Maine Cooperative Extension at 1-800-287-1495 or 207-474-9622. If you are a person with a disability and will need any accommodations to participate in this program, please call the Somerset County Extension Office at 1-800-287-1495 or TDD: 1-800-287-8957 to discuss your needs. Receiving requests for accommodation at least 10 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet the request, however all requests will be accepted. The University of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/woodswisewire/attachments/20090428/bd0daee5/attachment-0001.html