Women and Their Woods 2020 Retreat Goes Virtual

July 10, 2020

Forest landowners and aspiring landowners from across the mid-Atlantic region are invited to attend the Women and Their Woods 2020 Virtual Educational Retreat to learn more about managing their forestland and connecting with other forest landowners.

The Benefits of Blackberries

June 29, 2020

If you have never enjoyed a day afield collecting berries, this is the year you should try it. Nothing like socially distancing in a berry patch.

Ecological Synchrony: Keeping All the Pieces in Place

May 28, 2020

“If the land mechanism as a whole is good then every part is good, whether we understand it or not…To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.” Aldo Leopold, Round River.

COVlD-19 Stimulus Benefits for Sole-Proprietors and Independent Contractors Webinars

April 8, 2020

The Penn State Extension Renewable Natural Resources team would like to announce two upcoming webinars about the Paycheck Protection Program which is a federal stimulus benefit available for small businesses affected by the novel Coronavirus.

Extension educators offer tips on managing spring spotted-lanternfly egg hatch

April 6, 2020

An early spring brings warmth, daffodils and outside play. It also signals — to the chagrin of many property owners across Pennsylvania and beyond — the next generation of spotted lanternflies.

C-D-L: An Acronym for Successfully Regenerating Hardwood Forests

April 6, 2020

Many factors affect our ability to successfully regenerate and sustain forests. Competing vegetation, high deer impact, and light reaching the forest floor, referred to as C-D-L.

Family Forest Carbon Program Pilot in PA Launched Spring 2020

April 6, 2020

The PA Tree Farm Committee announces a new opportunity for Pennsylvania forest landowners. The American Forest Foundation (AFF), in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, has launched a pilot carbon sequestration incentive program in selected areas of Pennsylvania in spring 2020.

Pennsylvania Forestry Association Update

April 6, 2020

As you read this, you know that the COVID-19 epidemic has thrown a “monkey wrench” into Earth Day plans as well as the everyday activities of 330 million Americans.

New Resource Helps Young People Explore Green Careers in Forestry

April 6, 2020

Project Learning Tree (PLT), an award-winning environmental education initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), has developed new supplementary educational materials to help young people discover careers in sustainable forestry and conservation.

Brushpiles: Amphibians and Herbicides

April 6, 2020

Brushpiles is the opinion page of Forest Leaves. It’s a place for you to write in and share your reactions and thoughts. The following piece was excerpted from an article in the PA Forest Stewards newsletter by Mike and Laura Jackson, PA Forest Stewards, in response to questions received about glyphosate after the article by Jonathan Kays appeared in the Winter 2020 issue.

Control Forest Pests by Becoming a Certified Pesticide Applicator

April 6, 2020

So, you want to become a certified pesticide applicator to control forest pests like invasive insects and plants but don’t know where to start.

Socially Distant, but Naturally Near

March 25, 2020

Seeking Woodland Solace in the Face of Uncertainty

Promoting Forest Resilience in a Changing Climate

February 24, 2020

Is this winter’s weather a harbinger of a future driven by climate change? If so, how will Pennsylvania’s forests respond?

Correctional Conservation Collaborative: Forestry Workforce Development

January 14, 2020

“How do we grow more good jobs while conserving and improving our forests?” PA Governor Tom Wolfe asked the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) in fall of 2015.

To the Trees: How Forest Fills Need in Pennsylvania

January 14, 2020

America’s history through the lens of landscape is easy to read in Pennsylvania. Just wander the 110 acres owned by Monte Kapec near Jamison City and you’ll see how the nation’s priorities shifted in the last century.

Pennsylvania Tree Farm: Using Winter to Evaluate and Update Forest Management Plans

January 14, 2020

In theory, winter is the downtime for forest landowners and can be a good time to update and evaluate your forest management plan. If your plan is older than five years, it is time to update it to meet the American Tree Farm Standards.

Pennsylvania Forestry Association: Updates for the New Year

January 14, 2020

As the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA), the oldest state forest conservation organization in the US, continues, I am honored and humbled to take on the role of President of the organization.

SFI Conservation Impact Project Update

January 14, 2020

In 2016, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) launched a large-scale effort to quantify the conservation benefits of SFI’s work, and the connection between sustainable supply chains and important conservation outcomes.

2019 Walk in Penn's Woods Recap

January 14, 2020

Sunday, October 6 was a great day to be in the woods!

For Water Quality: Creating Woods Instead of Lawns

January 7, 2020

Annually we spread millions of tons of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizer around our homes to have the envy of the neighborhood – a perfectly green lawn. At the same time, water quality suffers as excess nutrients from lawns and agricultural fields are one of the largest sources of non-point pollutants impacting water quality.

Winter Woods Safety (and throughout the year)

December 17, 2019

Care should be taken in winter, and throughout the year, to remain safe in the woods.

What’s Going on With Roundup®?

November 22, 2019

The news media is full of offers to join class action lawsuits against glyphosate, the active ingredient in many herbicide formulations, including Roundup®.

Pennsylvanians hold the fate of the state's woodlands in their hands

November 22, 2019

Pennsylvanians hold the health of the state's woodlands in their hands, literally. Of the 60 percent of Pennsylvania woods that remain forested, 70% of them are privately owned.

Webinar series will help landowners care for their woods

November 21, 2019

The "Woods in Your Backyard" webinar series teaches land stewardship through nine live, one-hour, online evening lectures that can be viewed on your home computer.

Forest Littering: Some Litter Is Necessary

November 12, 2019

Forests full of fallen leaves are a gift trees give to themselves. No one rakes or mulches them; nonetheless, they do slowly disappear.

Woodland Owners Harvest Their Trees for the Darndest Reasons

October 11, 2019

Learning from the Mistakes of Fellow Landowners.

Pennsylvania Forestry Association: Reflecting on the Past Four Years

October 11, 2019

Outgoing Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA) President Richard Lewis reflects on his four years in leadership of the organization.

Pennsylvania Tree Farm: Opportunities to Learn

October 11, 2019

Updates from the Pennsylvania Tree Farm Committee

DCNR Bureau of Forestry Lands Certified to SFI

October 11, 2019

Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania DCNR Bureau of For¬estry certified all of Pennsylvania’s state forestlands to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Forest Management Standard (NSF-SFI-FM-CO435749). These certified forests cover more than 2.2 million acres in 48 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, comprising 13% of the total forested area of the state.

Adaptation Planning and Practices Online Course Offered

October 11, 2019

After a great two-day workshop in Pennsylvania on Adaptation Planning and Practices for Pennsylvania Forests in late September, we are pleased to be able to help get the word out about an upcoming online course to convey the same information from the comfort of your own home.

James C. Finley Center for Private Forests

Address

416 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802

James C. Finley Center for Private Forests

Address

416 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802