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HomeState & Private Forestry News
March 2017
New Web Sites to Help Chesapeake Communities Plant Trees
man in a field with a weeding tool
The Forest Buffer Network Web site contains tips on how to plant and maintain buffers. (Photo: Katie Ombalski, ClearWater Conservancy)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. --- Two new Web sites (Chesapeake Riparian Forest Buffer Network and Chesapeake Tree Canopy Network) aim to help people and communities in the Bay watershed meet their forest buffer and tree canopy goals. The Chesapeake Bay Program's Forestry Workgroup partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the U.S. Forest Service on the sites.

 

Forest buffers are considered one of the most cost-effective practices for reducing pollution because of their ability to efficiently trap and filter pollutants carried by storm water runoff. Trees in urban and suburban communities provide an array of benefits including cleaning the air, reducing polluted runoff, providing shade, and enhancing quality of life.

 

As part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, Chesapeake Bay Program partners committed to goals of restoring 900 miles per year of streamside forest buffers and conserving existing buffers, until at least 70 percent of the areas along streams throughout the watershed are forested. The tree canopy goal is to expand urban tree canopy, the layer of trees covering the ground when viewed from above, by 2,400 acres by 2025.

 
See a flier that lists features of the two Web sites. Visit the new   Chesapeake Forest Buffers and Chesapeake Trees Web sites.

Did you know? 
It is critical that we continue conserving, maintaining, and improving our watershed to meet population demands and to maintain the health of ecosystems we manage.


Updated Online Forest Adaptation Resources Now Available

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. --- The Forest Service's   Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science created the online Adaptation Workbook as an interactive version of the practical workbook. The online workbook was recently updated to include an updated design, climate information across the entire United States, and resources that support urban forestry and agriculture, in addition to forest management projects. Visit the Adaptation Workbook Web site. The workbook was also supported by    USDA's Climate Hubs and   Michigan Technological University.
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Avoid Spreading Oak Wilt During High Risk Period
Dead oak trees in the woods behind a house
Red oaks are very susceptible to oak wilt. New infections occur in spring, and symptoms develop in summer. (Photo: Joseph O'Brien, retired U.S. Forest Service)

ST. PAUL, Minn. --- The onset of the "high risk period" for overland transmission of oak wilt disease will arrive soon. Oak trees are at high risk when oak wilt fungal mats are present on trees killed the previous year by the disease and when nitidulids (sap-feeding beetles) are active. Nitidulids carry spores of the fungus. The beetles can be attracted to fresh pruning cuts or wounds on oaks and transfer the spores, initiating infection. To avoid infection, all wounds to oak in spring should be treated immediately with wound dressing or paint.

The onset of high risk occurs earlier as you go farther south and varies with weather conditions. The "rule of thumb" for the Upper Midwest is to avoid pruning or wounding oaks during the months of April, May, and June, and over a correspondingly longer period of time to the south. New symptoms of oak wilt disease usually are apparent in July and August. More information can be found in the publication   How to Identify, Prevent, and Control Oak Wilt on the Northeastern Area Web site.
 
What Is "Net Zero"?

WASHINGTON --- A new 3-minute video introduces the concept of Net Zero by walking you through the focus areas of energy, water, waste, and fleet, in the Forest Service. Watch the video on YouTube. For more information on the Forest Service's Office of Sustainability and Climate, visit its Web site.
Welcome, New Employee, Crystal Roach
Head-and-shoulders portrait of a woman.
Equal Opportunity Specialist Crystal Roach (Photo: Tara Banerjee, Smeal College of Business, Penn State)
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. --- Equal Opportunity Specialist Crystal Roach began working with the Forest Service's Office of Civil Rights - Washington Office, in January this year. In this position she serves the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, Eastern Region, Northern Research Station, and Forest Products Laboratory. Her major role is supporting a results-oriented Civil Rights Program, through effective management of Title VI (Federal financial assistance programs) and Title VII (employment programs). Read more.
Webinar on Clean Water State Revolving Fund

WASHINGTON --- The Forest Service and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are hosting a Webinar on March 29, 2017, at 1:30 pm on how EPA's Clean Water State Revolving Fund (usually around
$1 billion annually) can be used to fund urban forestry projects.  While the fund has traditionally been used for publicly owned treatment works, it can also fund green infrastructure including tree planting and land acquisition for water quality improvement and protection. View the Webinar flier.
Chain Saw Safety Recall for Fire and Burn Hazards
WARREN, Pa. --- STIHL is recalling their MS 461 gas-powered chain saws, and the MS 461 R chain saws with a wrap handle.  The model number is on the model plate, located on the starter cover. Recalled chain saws have a serial number between 173092800 and 181993952, under the front hand guard on the engine housing's sprocket side.   See complete information at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site.  
Grants Available

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative --- Through an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Forest Service anticipates receiving funds to support competitive projects that implement strategic, priority actions within Forest Service authorities to restore, protect, and maintain the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Successful projects will address invasive species, nonpoint source pollution impacts on nearshore health, and coastal habitat restoration activities to improve water quality. Proposals are due April 13, 2017. Learn how to apply through the Northeastern Area Watershed Program Web page.

Climate and Cultural Resilience Grants --- Enterprise Community Partners is seeking proposals to use creative placemaking strategies to strengthen the connection between cultural and climate resilience. Grant applicants must propose projects in which residents, artists, and other creative and cultural practitioners collaborate to address a local climate resilience challenge and other concerns, such as equity, racial equity, economic disparities, health disparities, and community engagement and cohesion. Proposals are due March 31. Learn more at the Smart Growth Web site.

"KEEN Effect" Grants for Nonprofits --- KEEN (footwear) has a program called the KEEN Effect: Preserving and Protecting the Places We Live, Work, and Play. They award grants to nonprofits around the world whose projects do the following: increase responsible outdoor participation as a way to work towards building a strong community, are innovative and creative, introduce new audiences to the outdoors through responsible outdoor participation. Application period opens May 9 and closes June 5 (World Environment Day). Nonprofits can get information and apply at the Keen Footwear Web site.

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Editor's Note

Send items for inclusion in "State and Private Forestry News"to rburzynski@fs.fed.us by the first of the month in which you want the item to appear. Include a related photo as either a jpg or tiff file with a resolution of 150 dpi or higher. As part of the text include a full-sentence caption for the photo and photo credit. If the photo is from a published or copyrighted source, also send the permission.