May 2024 Newsletter

The Wisconsin Forestry Center (WFC) is seeking its next Director. Les Werner, hired as the WFC’s first Director when the center was established in 2020, will be retiring in August.

The Director is a full-time (12-month), tenure-track, Extension specialist position that includes 80% Director responsibilities (administrative leadership, grant writing, research, Extension programming, and/or facilitation) and 20% undergraduate teaching (up to 2 courses per academic year).

This position is critical to leading the center's forestry professional development programming, the Wisconsin Forestry Careers Coalition, applied research projects, and public outreach initiatives. Please share this position with your forestry networks!

APPLY BY MAY 26

WISCONSIN FORESTRY CAREERS COALITION (WFCC)

National Forest Operations Training Coalition holds summit in CA

Earlier this month, WFC staff attended the National Forest Operations Training Coalition spring summit at Shasta College in Redding, Calif.

Shasta College offers an innovative Heavy Equipment Logging Operations (HELO) certificate program, which fostered great insights as the WFC prepares to launch its Forest Operations Immersion Training Program this fall.

This newly developing national coalition will leverage knowledge and support to ensure regional training programs effectively prepare the next generation of timber industry professionals.

High school teachers train on forestry equipment

Teacher trainings on Ponsse timber harvest simulators, chainsaw operation and safety, and the sawmill and kiln were successfully piloted in April.

Teachers discussed how to use these tools in the classroom and how to incorporate other content areas into the use of the tools.

“It was spot on," a teacher said on the training evaluation. "This brought a lot of depth to the curriculum, and I believe I'm going to create a Forest Management class next year just for this type of education.”

Participants' feedback will be implemented for training sessions for the 2024-25 school year.

EXPLORE THE WFCC

APPLIED RESEARCH

Forestry professional development needs assessment results released

The WFC has released the results of a forestry professional development needs assessment conducted last spring.

With a desire to inform the development of more relevant,

valuable, and accessible professional development, the WFC designed and administered a Wisconsin forestry training needs assessment survey in spring 2023.

The research objectives were to identify skill gaps and training preferences of forestry-related professionals in Wisconsin, barriers to participation, and training outcomes that motivate participation.

Click the button below to view the executive summary of results and recommendations to training providers.

VIEW THE RESEARCH RESULTS

FORESTER FIELD WORKSHOPS

Agroforestry for Foresters Farm Tour

Agroforestry is an emerging topic of interest for landowners across Wisconsin. This field day at the Savanna Institute's Spring Green campus will introduce foresters to agroforestry practices such as silvopasture, alley cropping, windbreaks, forested riparian buffers, and forest farming. We will tour demonstration sites and discuss ways foresters can engage in agroforestry planning, implementation, and management.

When: June 6, 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Where: Spring Green, Wis.

Fee: $25 or FREE for Wisconsin SAF members, with lunch included.

Registration Deadline: May 30.

Continuing Education: This workshop has been pre-approved for 6.5 SAF Cat. 1 CFEs, 6.0 Wisconsin DNR Cooperating Forester CEUs, and 4.0 Wisconsin SFI CEUs.

Balancing Act: Goats, Forests, and Invasive Plant Management

As a forester, how do you write forest management plans that include controlling invasive plant species without the use of chemicals or heavy equipment? Explore the challenges and opportunities of using goats to control unwanted woody and invasive plants in urban, suburban, and rural locations. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to experience how and why the City of Wausau is using goats in Barker-Stewart Island Park.

When: July 11, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Where: Wausau, Wis.

Fee: $35.

Registration Deadline: July 8.

Continuing Education: We are seeking pre-approval for continuing education credits through SAF, Wisconsin DNR, and Wisconsin SFI.

PRESCRIBED FIRE WEBINAR SERIES

Prescribed Fire in Urban Landscapes

A free year-long webinar series on prescribed fire for forest management continues on June 5 at 8:30 a.m. CT.

Join us for "Prescribed Fire in Urban Landscapes" presented by John McCabe, Director of Resource Management, Forest Preserves of Cook County; Steven Miller, Regional Director, Fire and Aviation Management, U.S. Forest Service Eastern Region; and Brian Schaffler, Regional Fuels Program Manager, U.S. Forest Service Eastern Region.

The presentations will be moderated by Michael Tiller, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Forest and Fire Management, College of Natural Resources, UW-Stevens Point.

We are grateful to Platinum Sponsor National Wild Turkey Federation and Silver Sponsor Ruffed Grouse Society for making this webinar series available for FREE!

When: June 5 from 8:30-10 a.m. central time.

Where: Online

Cost: Registration is free but required. Register once to access all sessions.

Continuing Education: CEUs and CFEs have been pre-approved. Please visit the website for more information.

Webinar sponsorships still available!

Join the growing list of organizations sponsoring Prescribed Fire for Forest Management! Don’t miss this opportunity to support the dissemination of prescribed fire best practices and research, while receiving the following benefits:

+ Direct access to a target audience of hundreds of natural resource professionals from around the world!

+ On-demand listening with continuing education approval for a more engaged audience.

SPONSOR THE SERIES

SILVICAST PODCAST

An Old-New Idea: Cluster Planting

In this episode of SilviCast, we explore the practice of cluster planting, a reforestation method that involves planting of trees or seeds in tightly spaced, small functional groups. Our guest is Dr. Somidh Saha of the Institute of Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis in Karlsruhe, Germany.

LISTEN NOW

This month's episode of SilviCast sponsored by:

SPONSOR SILVICAST

NATURE ENTHUSIAST WORKSHOPS

Get Goats to Eat Your Weeds!

Join Dr. Holly Petrillo and her goats to discover how they are being used as powerful allies in managing forests sustainably. See goats in action as they combat unwanted woody and invasive plants, such as buckthorn, honeysuckle, brambles, spotted knapweed, and more. Whether you’re a landowner, conservation enthusiast, or simply curious about innovative conservation practices, this workshop will explore how the city of Wausau is using goats in Barker-Stewart Island Park.

When: June 9, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Where: Wausau, Wis.

Fee: $25 or $10 for LIFE members.

Registration Deadline: July 8.

UTILITY VEGETATION MANAGEMENT (UVM)

Next offering of UVM certificate program kicks off in August

The next offering of North American Electrical Systems, the first course in a comprehensive training program in UVM, begins in August.

This introductory 5-week course provides the introductory knowledge necessary for moving through the remaining courses in the UVM Program. A mandatory orientation begins one week before the course.

Online Course Dates: Aug. 12-Sept. 22.

Registration Deadline: July 29.

Cost: $600.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS

The WFC offers a variety of on-demand continuing education options, including online on-demand courses and SilviCast podcast episodes. They are pre-approved for SAF and WI-DNR Cooperating Forester credits.

SILVICAST