October 16, 2024
This webinar will teach participants how to identify wood of some common hardwood species using a hand lens.
September 13, 2024
During this webinar, explore freely available satellite imagery and other digital data.
June 14, 2024
This webinar will provide information about the insects of Pennsylvania’s forests and what can be done to better understand and conserve them.
May 20, 2024
This webinar will cover the basics of safe mushroom foraging.
April 12, 2024
This introductory webinar will provide information on the basics of working buffers, share resources for installation, and discuss current markets using riparian products.
March 21, 2024
This webinar will look into the roles of women in the lumber industry in the late 19th and 20th centuries. We will look at roles as a whole as well as explore stories about individuals in the Lumber Heritage Region.
February 16, 2024
This webinar presents how the new technology of 360° videography provides another useful tool for teaching about and understanding forests and their various natural cycles, such as diurnal, seasonal, and successional change.
January 12, 2024
This webinar that will cover an introductory to ticks/ecology, tick prevention, public health concerns, and what is offered at the PA Tick lab.
December 15, 2023
This webinar will explain the relationship between wood and water and how wood reacts to changing moisture content, and how these problems can be avoided.
November 17, 2023
This webinar will discuss the benefits of downed woody materials to streams, as well as current methods of restoring this critical ecosystem component.
November 1, 2023
This webinar will cover methods of propagation, tending, and seasonal considerations for many species.
September 15, 2023
This webinar will discuss what deer keds are, their life history, and recent research aimed at answering some of these basic, but important, questions.
June 15, 2023
The natural world is a difficult place to survive. Animals face competition for resources, harsh climates, and predators. But, in order to survive, some species have adapted in interesting or unusual ways.
May 12, 2023
Deer are a culturally and economically important game species in Pennsylvania. However, the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer threatens the sustainable management of deer.
April 14, 2023
This webinar will highlight several examples of plumage reddening in several species of North American birds.
March 17, 2023
This presentation will share what we’ve learned about forest landowners today and how they care for their woods and show some comparison to how landowners cared for their woods over a decade ago.
February 17, 2023
This webinar will help you learn how to harness health benefits with everyday exposure to our woody partners.
January 12, 2023
This webinar will discuss climate-smart seed sourcing and preparing your forest for future conditions.
January 4, 2023
Using an understanding of forests past to inform both our aspirations for and strategies towards tending and growing our forests of the future is critical cultural undertaking during times of unprecedented societal and ecological change.
November 15, 2022
This webinar will discuss various control options for invasive plants during the dormant season.
October 14, 2022
This webinar will address the importance of edge habitat, how to establish and maintain it.
September 15, 2022
This webinar will provide information for homeowners on how to make the area around the home or other buildings safer from wildfires.
June 17, 2022
This webinar will focus on practical ways that landowners can approach wildlife habitat creation and enhancement.
May 17, 2022
This webinar will discuss factors to consider when making silvicultural decisions in degraded stands as well as some common scenarios and their corresponding recommended management approaches.
April 21, 2022
This webinar will cover options for long term (perpetuity) protection of forests and what those processes and opportunities may entail.
March 18, 2022
This webinar reviews the history of deer populations within the Commonwealth, describes some of the changed ecological dynamics, and offers some management strategies at stand and landscape scales.
February 14, 2022
This webinar will present findings on stream ecology and forest buffer restoration, informed by fifty years of research by the Stroud Water Research Center.
January 17, 2022
This webinar will provide a brief overview of insect and disease pests affecting conifer species in Pennsylvania with some recommendations for management.
December 16, 2021
This webinar will provide an overview of a new decision-making tool for family forest owners who are considering enrollment in a carbon market program.
November 12, 2021
This webinar will cover a seven-step process to assist landowners in understanding how timber sales are conducted.
October 27, 2021
This webinar explores the water related topics that people are talking about most: watersheds, groundwater, wetlands, stormwater, water quality, and forested buffers.
September 22, 2021
This webinar will discuss some of the various features available in trail cameras sold today.
June 10, 2021
In this webinar, we will discuss the steps to take to get to forest legacy planning, and walk you through the planning process, professionals to assist, and best practices to ensure it goes smoothly.
May 14, 2021
This presentation will provide information on key practices used to successfully establish hardwood forest regeneration.
April 19, 2021
This webinar will explain why lumber needs to be dried, problems that can arise from using lumber that isn't dry, how weather affects the lumber, as well as ideas on how to dry your own lumber.
March 16, 2021
This webinar will provide a basic review of chainsaw safety, maintenance, operation and purchasing.
February 11, 2021
This webinar will help landowners and managers understand how succession advances naturally in our forests and can work with the system to speed up the formation of some of the same structural elements of older forests.
January 20, 2021
This webinar will address issues that many stream owners face, including eroding banks and property loss.
December 11, 2020
This webinar will address methods to assess deer impact as well as small and large-scale methods to reduce the impact of deer on forest vegetation.
November 10, 2020
This webinar will cover common characteristics of forests that have been high-graded in the past and strategies to improve the quality of high-graded woodlots.
October 13, 2020
This webinar discusses the importance of tax, financial, and other economic factors in making wise forest management decisions.
September 8, 2020
This webinar will discuss the unique “power” of birds as barometers of forest health and in driving landscape-scale forest management through their complex breeding cycles and high mobility.
June 9, 2020
This webinar will discuss the causes of species depletion and the role of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on species recovery.
May 12, 2020
This presentation provides an overview of timber sustainability as it relates to harvesting.
April 14, 2020
There are many factors you should consider when deciding if your timber is ready to harvest.
March 12, 2020
This webinar will discuss how timber harvesting can improve stand health, what assistance programs are out there, and who is harvesting timber in PA.
February 12, 2020
This webinar will discuss how prescribed fire can be used as a management tool and the laws regarding it in PA.
January 15, 2020
This webinar will cover topics such as forests and forestry for the public, teachers, and forest landowners.
December 13, 2019
This webinar will provide basic information needed to get started in producing maple syrup.
November 14, 2019
This webinar will describe efforts to establish Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) protocols across State Forest lands for high priority invasive plant species.
October 10, 2019
This webinar will discuss common ticks and tick-borne diseases that occur in Pennsylvania and the Northeast.
September 11, 2019
This presentation will discuss concepts of “forest hydrology” which is defined as the movement of water within forested watersheds.
June 18, 2019
This webinar highlights several existing small businesses which sell forest-grown and harvested goods.
May 15, 2019
Insights and knowledge following nearly 3 decades of crop tree management research and practical application
April 10, 2019
Fire has played a significant role in shaping many North American ecosystems and prescribed burning is being more widely used to meet various land management objectives
March 15, 2019
Using Expanding Gaps and Low-Intensity/High-Frequency Thinnings to Create Vibrant, Resilient Forests
February 25, 2019
Many Hawks and Owls live secret lives in the forests of Pennsylvania.
January 9, 2019
This webinar covered trends in public knowledge and attitudes towards timber harvesting on private lands in the United States.
November 8, 2018
Wood is the fastest growing residential heat fuel in the United States and accounts for 75% of the residential renewable energy produced.
October 10, 2018
Updates on emerald ash borer and other established pests, as well as the spotted lanternfly
September 12, 2018
Ever wanted to host a woods walk, but just aren’t sure what it would entail?
June 13, 2018
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was initially discovered in mule deer in Colorado 50 years ago but was detected in Pennsylvania in 2012 in wild and captive white-tailed deer.
May 9, 2018
Removing invasive plants, promoting regeneration, and other practices top the needed activities for improving woodland health and function.
April 11, 2018
Unlike fish that inhabit larger waterways, many threats to stream fish can be traced back to improper management of land adjacent to the stream corridor.
March 14, 2018
Degraded woodlots often contain small diameter, poor quality, and often unhealthy trees.
February 14, 2018
This interactive webinar explored some of the common perceptions (both true and false) held by Pennsylvania's private forest landowners. Recordings of both sessions are posted.
January 10, 2018
Mortality from many invasive insects including emerald ash borer and hemlock woolly adelgid are impacting the long-term development and management of forests across the northeast.
December 13, 2017
What Private Landowners and those who work with them need to know
November 15, 2017
Extended deer seasons and increased antlerless licenses are often to blame as the sole reason for hunters seeing fewer deer. However, in many cases poor habitat is a limiting factor.
October 16, 2017
This webinar describes the basics of making maple syrup using experience from a beginner’s first attempt.
September 13, 2017
Streamside forest buffers stabilize streambanks, reduce erosion, restore natural flow patterns to waterways, provide wildlife habitat (including pollinators), as well as provide opportunities for income.
June 14, 2017
Lack of adequate tree regeneration is one of the top concerns in many woodlands in Pennsylvania and throughout the Northeast.
May 10, 2017
The need to develop youth that understand and care about forests and the natural world has never been greater.
April 12, 2017
More and more people are starting to experiment with making wine at home.
March 16, 2017
Forests with different age classes of trees, called “uneven-aged” forests provide a number of different ecosystem values than single-aged forests.
February 21, 2017
Learn how to manage single-aged forest forests through all stages of development, from early and intermediate treatments to improve stand conditions to final harvests to creating new forests through regeneration.
January 11, 2017
Developing access to your woodland increases opportunities for its use.
December 13, 2016
The golden-winged warbler has undergone significant population declines in Pennsylvania due to the loss of early successional forest habitat.
November 9, 2016
Many woodland owners recognize that planning for their land’s future after their ownership is an important expression of their stewardship ethic.
October 13, 2016
This presentation addresses how prioritization is an implementation of IPM, as it requires clarity of objective, setting thresholds, identifying available resources, assigning the proper prescription, and monitoring results.
September 14, 2016
Find out about doe strategies during the breeding season and how population density affects the dispersal of yearling females.
June 15, 2016
In Pennsylvania, about a third of the woodland owners are women who make decisions for about 19% of the state’s private forest land.
May 11, 2016
Forestry labeled herbicides are a low risk and effective means of controlling undesirable forest vegetation in hardwood forestry.
April 13, 2016
This webinar explains what it takes to have a successful timber sale.
March 10, 2016
This webinar provides an overview of how to incorporate forest farming with other forest stewardship goals.
February 10, 2016
Native plants are often already on our local landscapes, but management can be critical to their maintenance as well as the general habitats in which they occur.
January 12, 2016
It is a safe bet that every parcel of privately owned forest land in Pennsylvania has multiple invasive species. With these invasive species posing more problems than can possibly all be solved at once, how can landowners decide when and how to act?
December 11, 2015
Hopefully your woodlands bring levels of satisfaction and enjoyment to life; however, you likely have questions, issues, challenges, and uncertainties associated with your land.
November 10, 2015
Do you want to encourage and inspire youth to love the woods?
October 13, 2015
Each year up to 80 deer are fitted with satellite GPS collars that collect thousands of locations a year. Dr. Duane Diefenbach shares some insights into deer movement behavior as it relates to the fall hunting seasons and the rut.
September 8, 2015
Learn about vernal pool structure, wildlife species that use the pools, conserving vernal pools and where to find help in caring for them.
June 9, 2015
The Treatment Unit Sustainability Assessment Form (TUSAF) provides a tool to assess whether a planned or completed timber harvest will yield a sustainable outcome.
May 12, 2015
Bird abundance and distribution as impacted by shale gas development, and strategies for reducing negative impacts through habitat restoration.
April 14, 2015
Fundamentals of forest soils and how they impact tree growth and forest health.
March 10, 2015
Understanding the physical dynamics of sites and restoring desired vegetation on disturbed forest sites by having a plan of action and knowing where to get help.
February 10, 2015
White-tailed deer biology, habitat requirements for food, cover, water and space, and management practices to improve food and cover availability and balance deer populations with available habitat.
January 13, 2015
The rich language of forestry – forestry terms and unique words.
December 9, 2014
Planning a woodland legacy involves considering many factors from making a plan to knowing how and where to find the help you will need.
November 11, 2014
Income, estate and the property taxes all apply to forestland: tax incentives, tax tips to save money, and tax planning as a component of forest management.
October 14, 2014
The relationship between lumber grades, log grades and tree grades with respect to estimating the quality and quantity of lumber one may expect to recover from the board, log, or tree, respectively.
September 9, 2014
Asian longhorned beetle has been found in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. Become more aware of this threat and get more eyes on the forest to watch for its presence.
June 10, 2014
Each year, woodland owners start new enterprises to make the most of their land. This webinar leads potential business owners through an evaluation process to launch a successful natural resource-based business.
May 13, 2014
An introduction to visual, or macroscopic, wood identification and includes characteristics such as color, figure, cross-section, and hardness features.
April 8, 2014
Understanding the role of tree and forest decline events in a changing world of weather extremes and introduction of exotic pests and disease agents, particularly beech bark disease, butternut canker and myriad others.
March 11, 2014
Many of our ecologically important native plants are perceived as weeds when in actuality they are beneficial to wildlife and useful for creating wildlife habitat in your backyard.
February 11, 2014
When and how wildfires start, how fires are put out, and the influence of weather and season of the year on wildfires, and the use of prescribed fire and controlled burning as a tool.
January 14, 2014
The ecology of Pennsylvania’s only flying mammals and how the recent outbreak of white-nose syndrome has affected their populations.
December 10, 2013
A Consumer-Grade GPS receiver paired with free software is a powerful solution that empowers a landowner to map, delineate, archive, analyze and navigate their forest.
November 12, 2013
The Arboretum at Penn State is a new outreach, teaching, and research facility dedicated to preserving the beauty and ecological functions of vegetated landscapes in an urbanizing society.
October 8, 2013
Safe operation of chainsaws in the woods, why chainsaws are dangerous, and how operators can protect themselves.
September 10, 2013
The importance of legacy planning, an overview of the tools available to aid in getting the conversation started, and what resources are available to make hopes concrete.
June 11, 2013
Hazards and risks of using farm tractors in woods: roll over and falling object protective structures, safely pulling limbs, tractor stability, related machinery hazards, and woodlot emergencies.
May 14, 2013
Impacts of invasive plants and the characteristics which make them so successful, control approaches, including herbicides, and a discussion of their use.
April 9, 2013
How to identify common non-native invasive plants that may be impacting your woods and what you may be able to do about these invasives.
March 13, 2013
Selecting the "right" resource management professional: articulate how land is used, values, and what is of short- and long-term importance.
February 12, 2013
What makes a high quality tree or log? What are the characteristics in trees and logs that make high quality products?
January 8, 2013
Charcoal making played an important role in the history of Penn’s Woods. Moreover, charcoal making has a promising future for those with an interest in utilizing or poor quality wood.
December 11, 2012
"Penn's Woods" have provided folks with jobs and products for more than three centuries. What is the history of wood in Pennsylvania and where is the industry likely to go in the future?
November 13, 2012
An in-depth look at how Pennsylvania’s deer management program works: the establishment of goals and measures used to assess progress.
October 9, 2012
Reading the Forested Landscape brings together an understanding of ecology with the sometimes subtle, observed hints from the land, to help you create a story of change.
September 11, 2012
An introduction to woodlot management and will show how numerous practices for both forestry and wildlife can be implemented on your property.
June 12, 2012
The biological and management issues associated with hemlock woolly adelgid invasion in hemlock forests.
May 8, 2012
The basic silvics of oaks, inventory procedures, oak maintenance techniques, and methods of regenerating oaks via direct seeding and planting.
April 10, 2012
The advantages and needs of Early Successional Habitat (ESH)–the old field scrub /shrub and that created through timber management and the role ESH plays in the landscape.
March 13, 2012
Unfortunately, many woodlots have been poorly treated at one time or another in the past. How does a landowner start a poorly-treated woods down the path to recover?
February 14, 2012
What is emerald ash borer and what are forest management strategies to decrease its negative impact on forest stands?
January 10, 2012
Wild turkey biology and habitat management: a turkey's life cycle from egg-stage to adulthood, how habitat requirements vary with the seasons, and management strategies to create habitat.
December 13, 2011
Covers small-scale strategies for working in your woodlot, including selecting, felling, and moving the wood safely and efficiently.
November 8, 2011
The forest management plan provides an overview of a woodland property in the context of a landowner’s goals and is written by a natural resources professional.
October 11, 2011
Bat diversity and the many surprising and interesting features of bats, with a focus on North American bats and their relationship to forested habitats.
September 13, 2011
The steps to take to make the most of your tree planting project, including getting the right trees in the right place and increasing the odds for their growth and survival.
June 14, 2011
Ideas and approaches for caring for a small or even a large piece of property to have less maintenance, better views, and diverse plants and wildlife.
May 10, 2011
Tools forest landowners can use to help ensure forestland remains a working forest, even after it leaves your ownership.
April 12, 2011
Learn about some of the more common, showy, and/or interesting wildflowers of the springtime PA woodlands that may be encountered during the “ephemeral” season.
March 8, 2011
Economically important insects and diseases being encountered in Pennsylvania’s woodlands and the various treatments available to mitigate their effects.
February 8, 2011
Amphibians and reptiles are important components of a healthy woodlot. Learn how to enhance your property for these wildlife.
January 11, 2011
Forestry herbicides are a safe and effective method for managing undesirable forest vegetation: forestry herbicide application methods, products, and treatments guidelines
December 14, 2010
The annual life cycle and ecology of ruffed grouse and American woodcock, how to manage for their habitat needs, and the effects of hunting on their populations.
November 9, 2010
Forest access roads require proper planning to ensure a long, useful life with minimal negative impact. Learn how to design, construct, mitigate, and retire forest roads.
October 12, 2010
Quick digital acquisition of private property attributes is becoming more accessible. A landowner can investigate their property and its attributes from baseline data searches.
September 14, 2010
From the prior dominance of American chestnut to current efforts to restore the species, we will follow Castanea dentata over its history in North America.
June 8, 2010
How forest landowners can reach out and teach youth, their own and others, about caring for the forests they will use and possibly own in the future.
May 11, 2010
Every spring forests come alive with the sounds and sights of migrant birds returning to breed: covers the basics of ID, information on life history, and identification.
April 13, 2010
This presentation covers the history, diagnosis, treatment, epidemiology, vector ecology, management tactics, and a brief review of some of the latest research findings on Lyme disease.
March 9, 2010
Techniques that landowners and managers can utilize to attain a white-tailed deer herd that is in balance with the forest habitat.
February 9, 2010
Competing plants, deer browse, and insufficient light interfere with tree seedling establishment and growth. Learn about key practices used to successfully establish hardwood forest regeneration.
January 12, 2010
The process of making maple syrup on a small scale, from selecting trees to managing your sugar bush, and what to think about if you want to get bigger and turn it into a business.
December 8, 2009
This talk focuses on a number of issues and opportunities surrounding the planning and management of community natural resources.
November 10, 2009
Shifting focus to what remains after a harvest and the next forest, and undertaking activities to enhance both, allows landowners to focus their goals on a sustainable forest resource.
October 13, 2009
This session explores water resources on rural properties and provides tips on how to properly assess and manage them to meet the landowners' needs.
September 8, 2009
Firewood cutting allows landowners to focus on providing growing space for the trees you leave and consider future management options.
August 26, 2009
Establishing or "farming" American ginseng on Pennsylvania forestlands is a fascinating and potentially profitable activity that can contribute to both plant and forestland conservation.
July 22, 2009
This session presents the basic types of leaves, their characteristics, and how to use a "tree key" for identification.
June 9, 2009
This program introduces you to some of the common exotic invasive plants that occur on Pennsylvania forestlands.
May 12, 2009
Succession planning addresses both transfer costs and naming a capable successor and offers an inter-generational perspective to do so effectively.
April 14, 2009
This session explores the most troublesome exotic insects causing damage in Penn's Woods and control options available.
March 10, 2009
Forest landowners often enjoy creating wildlife habitat on their properties. Learn how to do so while preventing wildlife/human conflicts and protecting lands for the future.
February 10, 2009
This seminar covers the recommended steps owners should take in order to have a successful timber sale.
January 13, 2009
This presentation highlights the planning, the options, and the emphasis on the next forest that must be worked through before equipment is allowed on the property.
December 9, 2008
Once deep well-drilling leases are signed, what happens next on the land?
November 11, 2008
Provides basic information on timber taxes for forest landowners, their financial advisors, and accountants.
October 14, 2008
Issues facing Pennsylvania's private forest landowners based on a statewide survey.
James C. Finley Center for Private Forests
Address
416 Forest Resources BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802
- Email PrivateForests@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-0401
- Fax 814-865-6275
James C. Finley Center for Private Forests
Address
416 Forest Resources BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802
- Email PrivateForests@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-0401
- Fax 814-865-6275
