Sources of Knowledge: Events for Forest Landowners

By Jeff Osborne, Forest Stewardship Program Associate

Winter is about one-third over. Though the time between now and Spring may be a lull in your direct interaction and enjoyment of forests, it is a great time to expand your knowledge and meet people with similar interests and challenges. Below are some ways you can do this.

            Late winter is a popular time for indoor regional meetings geared toward private forest management. There are several around the state this year. 

In the western part of the state there is the Woodland Owners Conference in Clarion. This conference, sponsored by the Clarion County Forest Stewardship Committee, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Penn State Extension, runs from 8:45 to 12:00 on February 10 and features five speakers. Presentations include: Cook Forest: New Growth in An Ancient Forest, How to Grow More Birds in Your Woods, How Tree and Log Quality Affect Product Quality, Herbicides and Strategies for Managing Invasive Plants, and Understanding Chronic Wasting Disease. Registration is open until February 2.

In the central part of the state there are two events in March that interest many forest management enthusiasts. The first is the Pennsylvania Forestry Association’s (PFA) annual conservation banquet. This event will be held at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in State College. Activities start at 3:00 PM with dinner at 6:30 PM. There are several raffles for various items, as well as both silent and live auctions, which feature small and medium to large wood products many made by PA artisans. After dinner there is a drawdown raffle for several prizes including the grand prize of $10,000. You can contact the PFA to inquire about availability of tickets. Proceeds from the event are invested in forestry education in Pennsylvania.

The second event, geared toward forest and pest management professionals but with great information for engaged forest landowners, is the Forest Health, Insect, and Disease Briefing on Tuesday, March 12,from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. There is also a virtual update on March 14, from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM.  Both events feature experts from PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry and Penn State Extension. The status of many forest pests and diseases will be discussed as well as treatment methods for some of the pests and diseases. Credits for pesticide recertification will be available.        

Two woodland owners associations are planning their annual conferences in March. Dauphin County Woodland Owners Association will hold their 12^th annual conference on March 16. This daylong event is designed to bring forest landowners together to increase their knowledge of forest stewardship topics including timbering and silviculture, native shrub and tree identification, watershed management for trout, reintroduction of the American marten, surveying your woodland, and wildlife habitat management in central PA. You can visit their website for more information. The Woodland Owners of the Southern Alleghenies is also planning a conference on Saturday, March 9, in Bedford County, featuring the new director of the Bureau of Forestry, Seth Cassell, as the keynote speaker. Tentative topics include growing ramps, foraging for wild mushrooms, and growing pawpaws. There will also be vendors, raffles, and a silent auction.

In addition to these opportunities, woodland owners associations and other groups across the state are setting up additional programming for 2024. Take the opportunity to increase your knowledge and connect with others in the forestry community this year!

The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of publications, call 814-863-0401, send an email to PrivateForests@psu.edu, or write to Forest Stewardship Program, The Pennsylvania State University, 416 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania DCNR Bureau of Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Penn State Extension, and the James C. Finley Center for Private Forests at Penn State, in Partnership through Penn State’s Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.