Becoming a PA Forest Steward Volunteer

What trees do you take? What do you leave? Will your choices meet your goals? What will it look like when the harvest is over? What will your forest look like in 20 years? These were the questions these 17 woodland owners had to answer as they staked out plots and marked trees to cut during this hands-on simulated harvest assessment session.

Each year, a new class of Pennsylvania Forest Steward Volunteers goes through hands-on and classroom training that prepares them to share sustainable forest management practices with their fellow woodland owners and members of the public. This year marked the 25th class to complete Basic Training; 684 volunteers have been trained since 1992 and over 465 are still active. Who are these volunteers? They're men and women who love their land, are interested in forest stewardship, and want to share with others. They're from all walks of life, from investment managers to tree-huggers, from teachers and farmers to county commissioners.

The next training will be held at Krislund Camp in Centre County over a four-day period (Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon) in the fall of 2018. If you are interested in finding out more about the program, basic training, and becoming a volunteer, call 814-863-0401 or 800-235-9473 or email. We'll answer your questions and can put you in touch with volunteers in your area as you consider being part of the Class of 2018!