2015 National Conference of Private Forest Landowners in June
ATLANTA--This June 2-5 meeting to be held in Virginia Beach, VA, includes sessions on creating a legacy, business and tax strategies, alternative land uses, and a question and answer forum--among others--as well as a separate tax workshop. The conference is open to members and nonmembers. Registration ends May 15; early bird rates end May 2. Partial registrations are available. Get more information and register at the Forest Landowners Association Web site.
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Largest Forest Service Restoration Initiative Reaches Milestone
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Kaibab National Forest, AZ (Photo: USDA Forest Service)
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WASHINGTON, April 20, 2015 --U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said today that the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), the largest landscape-scale restoration initiative of its kind, has reached a pivotal milestone towards achieving accelerated forest restoration on more than 500,000 acres of the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests and grasslands in Arizona. Coconino National Forest Supervisor Earl Stewart and Kaibab National Forest Supervisor Mike Williams signed the final decision document for the project's first Environmental Impact Statement on April 17th. Read the press release on USDA.gov.
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Forest Service Among Top 100 Employers in America
JERSEY CITY, N.J.--Forbes just released its list of the 500 best employers in America. The Forest Service made the list at number 60! Other Federal agencies in the top 100 are the Department of State and the National Institutes of Health. View the entire list at Forbes' Web site.
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Filipino Foresters To Visit Northeast in May
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Ashokan Reservoir, NY (Photo: Wikipedia Commons)
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NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.--A group of high-ranking Filipino visitors who will be participating in the United Nations Forum on Forests in New York City will visit sites in the city's watershed management area, May 18-19. They are interested in learning about forest restoration and ecosystem services. The visit, supported in part by the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, will visit the Ashokan Reservoir and the Model Forest at Frost Valley.
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Earth Day Reminder From an 11-Year-Old
MANSFIELD, N.H.--Brooke Leifer is teaching kids about the environment through song. Brooke, an 11-year-old fifth-grader at the Jordan-Jackson School in Mansfield, helped write and record an original song called "One Earth" to help raise awareness about environmental initiatives. She did it in partnership with Green Schools, a nonprofit organization dedicated to K-12 environmental education in Massachusetts schools. Read the full article and access the video in "The Sun Chronicle."
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Recognizing Common Diseases of Oaks in the Midwest 
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.--The Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry has published a new quick guide to diagnosing diseases of oaks. The guide was developed to help forestry professionals, forest woodland managers, and homeowners in the Midwestern States to identify and manage the most common diseases of oak trees, some of which can easily be confused with others. The guide compares and contrasts key features of each disease to help distinguish them. Included are images of the diseases and the damage they cause. View the guide at the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry's Web site.
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Slowing Ash Mortality Caused by Emerald Ash Borer
DURHAM, N.H.--Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry Entomologist Nate Siegert worked with scientists from Michigan State University on developing and integrating tactics to slow ash mortality caused by emerald ash borer. Read the study in "The Canadian Entomologist."
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Help Monarch Butterflies and Pollinators: Plant Habitat
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Monarch butterflies and caterpillars need milkweed plants. (Photo: Angie Hammond)
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NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.--Loss of habitat is one reason populations of monarch butterflies and insect pollinators are declining. Native flowering plants provide food for monarch butterflies and native pollinators. The best way to support and protect monarch and pollinator populations is by preserving, enhancing, and restoring plant habitat they use as food sources and reproductive areas. See Pollinator-Friendly Plants for the Northeast United States on the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Web site, and see the new brochure on this topic for New Hampshire on our Web site. Home |
Video on Value of Urban Trees Earns Award
GOSHEN, Ind.--A video funded by a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant from the USDA Forest Service describes economic, social, ecological, and esthetic benefits of urban trees. The Broadcast Education Association awarded Goshen College students Chau Bui and Jake Smucker, who made the film, second place in the instructional/educational video category at their annual Media Arts Festival. Read more and watch the 14-minute video on the Goshen College Web site. Home |
Free Educational Resources on Invasive Insects
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is offering a variety of educational resources designed to make middle-school-age students aware of invasive species and the damage they cause. There are lessons and activities for both classroom and outdoors. Access the resources at the Hungrypests.com Web site.
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Northeast Urban Forestry Meeting
ACTON, Mass.--Federal and State Urban Forestry Community members across New England and New York met in March, to discuss program issues and share information to increase their program capacity. Massachusetts State Urban Forestry Coordinator Julie Coop led a tour of reforestation efforts in the Asian longhorned beetle quarantine area in Worcester, where over 30,000 trees have been planted since 2009. Forest Service staff John Parry and Phillip Rodbell (Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry), and Jesse Scott (Eastern Region) helped to coordinate the meeting. Home |
Soils Clean and Capture Water
Soil naturally filters particles out of water that passes through it. Soil itself is made up of particles of different sizes, which vary in their ability to filter out pollutants. The more slowly that water passes through soil, the more pollution particles will be filtered out. Many minerals in soil chemically bind to and store pollutants, resulting in cleaner water. Get the lesson "Dirt Cleans Water" from the Ag in the Classroom Web site. Watch a 3-minute video of water moving into and through basic soil types on YouTube. Home |
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Outreach: Partnership Coordinator for Forest Service and Nature Conservancy
ELKINS, W.Va.--The Monongahela National Forest will soon be advertising for a full-time permanent partnership coordinator responsible for developing and coordinating the forest's many ecosystem restoration partnerships. The position is also supported by the West Virginia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and the incumbent will divide their time between the two offices. Interested candidates should respond by May 12, 2015. View the outreach notice and form.
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Outreach: Executive Assistant, Institute of Tropical Forestry
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico--The International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, will be advertising the permanent, full-time position of Executive Assistant to the Director. Replies are due by May 1. View the outreach notice and form. Home |
| Vacancy: Natural Resources Recreation and Tourism Position ATHENS, Ga.--The University of Georgia's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources is seeking an Assistant or Associate Professor for a 9-month, tenure-track, position. Applications must be received by June 15, 2015. For more information, refer to the detailed announcement at Warnell's page on the University's Web site. Home |
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