CFRC Weekly Summary

IATP Special Event

Getting Juiced, Sustainably!
A training workshop focused on the past, present and future of sustainable biofuels in Minnesota
This workshop for natural resource and agriculture educators focuses special attention on small-scale biodiesel and bioenergy crop options. We'll look at past bioenergy efforts and discuss the successes and challenges of emerging community renewable energy projects.

Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Lunch is on your own. Some sessions will be outside; please dress for weather conditions.

Location: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
2104 Stevens Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN
612-870-0453

Cost: No charge for natural resource and agriculture educators, natural resource professionals, students or interested community members.

Registration: Registration is required. Please contact Amy Stratton at astratton@iatp.org to register. Write "Workshop Registration" in the subject line and be sure to include your name, title and organization, address, phone and email. You will receive a confirmation email.

News

St. Pauldrafts plan to battle threat to its ash trees (Minn.)
Star Tribune | June 25, 2009
Fighting the emerald ash borer, found in the city last month, could cost millions of dollars per year. http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=106311

Ash borer pesticide has birders concerned (Minn.)
MinnesotaPublic Radio | June 25, 2009
The discovery of the emerald ash borer in St. Paul has not only gotten tree lovers concerned about their trees, it's also prompting bird lovers to worry about what the chemicals used to treat the trees might do to their favorite animals. http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=106312

NAU forestry students protect aspen on Kaibab National Forest (Ariz.)
Williams-Grand Canyon News | June 25, 2009
The Northern Arizona University Forestry Club teamed with the Kaibab National Forest in late April to repair one of the forest's damaged aspen fences, with the goal of protecting the struggling trees growing within. http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=106305

Blog: Forest restoration project brings together old enemies in logging wars (Ore.)
The Gaea News | June 25, 2009
Ground zero in timber wars shows signs of peace http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=106306

Desert icon Joshua trees are vanishing, scientists say
The Press-Enterprise | June 25, 2009
A breeze stirs the silence at Joshua Tree National Park as a red-tailed hawk takes flight from the spiky arm of one of the namesake plants in search of breakfast. http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=106307

First Biomass Pellet Mill in US to Receive FSC/Rainforest Alliance Certification (Vt.)
Environmental News Network | June 25, 2009
The Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program has certified the first biomass pellet mill in the United States to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards, a significant step in the FSC's entry into renewable energy sources. http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=106308

Into the Woods (Calif.)
Wall Street Journal | June 25, 2009
Looking to rein in development, more cities are taking control of local forests http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=106309

Tree replantings to take place of Ash (Mich.)
The Ann Arbor News | June 25, 2009
Program to strive for variety of species http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=106310

Events

Invasive Plant Species Control Measures
July 20, 2009, Grand Rapids, MN
Discuss problems presented by invasive non-native plants and the difficulties in eradicating them from your properties.

For more information, contact Ketih Matson at 218-246-8104 or keithmatson@hotmail.com, or visit http://www.forestrycenter.org/events.cfm?refID=105947&categoryID=.

Landowner perspectives on forest stewardship and sustainability
July 27, 2009, Online
Webinars provide an opportunity for nationally acclaimed speakers (see list below for example) to provide an educational experience via a high-speed Internet connection to people around the world. ForestConnect is a pioneer in offering forest-related webinars and includes more than 1200 registered participants who own or manage almost 10 million acres.

For more information, contact Peter Smallidge at pjs23@cornell.edu, or visit http://www.forestrycenter.org/events.cfm?refID=106313&categoryID=

Estate Planning for Forest Landowners—Your Living Legacy
August 1, 2009, Eagle River, WI
The meeting will feature three expert speakers who will emphasize different aspects of this central issue. The day opens with Carol Nielsen, a longtime member of the Wisconsin DNR division of forestry.

For more information, contact Joe Hovel at 715-479-8528 or logcabin@nnex.net, or visit http://www.forestrycenter.org/events.cfm?refID=106315&categoryID=.

Information

Job Openings: Clearwater Forest Consultants, LLC
Clearwater Forest Consultants, LLC is seeking to hire one Forester and one Forest Technician. Both positions will initially be located in our Piedmont, Missouri office. Visit www.clearwaterforestconsultants.com for detailed job descriptions and application instructions.

Woody Biomass Harvest for Habitat Restoration in Minnesota
An RFP titled "Woody Biomass Harvest for Habitat Restoration" has been posted to solicit potential projects to be funded through the Woody Biomass Project of the MN DNR Ecological Resources Division. Funds to be dispersed in this final round resulted from previous projects that were completed at a cost lower than originally estimated.

The project description, selection criteria, selection process, and application information can be found on the MN DNR Grants webpage at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/grants/habitat/biomass.html. Application deadline is 12:00 noon on June 26, 2009. Please contact Barb Spears, Woody Biomass Project Coordinator, with any questions at 651-259-5849

New: How to Respond to Questions about EAB in Minnesota
Since the discovery of EAB in St. Paul and just into Wisconsin east of Houston County, Minnesota, you may have landowners calling you about EAB. Attached is a one-pager that outlines EAB information sources and who to contact if you or one of your clients has questions about EAB. The document also addresses EAB quarantines, firewood restrictions, and gypsy moth information. View the document by visiting http://www.forestrycenter.org/library.cfm?refID=106189.

Information on Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine in Houston County, MN
On April 22, 2009, Minnesota established a quarantine area for emerald ash borer (EAB) which included all of Houston County. EAB has not been detected in Houston County, but Minnesota has established it as a quarantine area due to its physical proximity to a known EAB infestation in Vernon County, WI.

For more information on the EAB quarantine area in Minnesota, visit http://www.forestrycenter.org/library.cfm?refid=105911.

New York Invasive Species Clearinghouse Web site on Emerald Ash Borer
With the unfortunate (not not unexpected) discovery of EAB in western NY, the NY Invasive Species Clearinghouse has rolled out a new EAB page on NYIS.INFO. You can get to it either from the EAB announcement at the top of our homepage or go directly to our emerald ash borer page. The page contains links to numerous state, regional, federal, research and educational resources regarding the insect; new material is being added continuously.

Publications

Property Tax Relief for Forest Landowners
Mel Baughman | Feb. 26, 2009
An excellent document written by Mel Baughman for the Minnesota Forestry Association about SFIA and 2c. http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=105337

2010 National Report on Sustainable Forests
USDA Forest Service | Jan. 29, 2009
The Draft National Report on Sustainable Forests--2010 describes the state of forests in the United States of America and the indicators of national progress toward the goal of sustainable forest management.

Read the report at http://www.forestrycenter.org/index.cfm?RefID=105063.