Free Maine Forest workshop for foresters and landowners

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Maine Forest Service will hold a free workshop for foresters and landowners — “Northern Hardwoods Management & Wildlife Habitat Opportunities” — on Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church.

The Northern Hardwoods Management and Wildlife Habitat Opportunities workshop will highlight the dendrology, market potential, forest insect and diseases issues, wildlife habitat values, basic silviculture and management of northern hardwoods trees and forests in Maine. Speakers will include Bill Leak and Mariko Yamasaki of the USDA Forest Service, forester Ron Locke and Gordon Moore and Ken Lausten of the Maine Forest Service. Speakers will cover a range of topics from the silviculture and management, to wildlife habitat opportunities, to the marketing of northern hardwoods trees in Maine. Additionally, speakers will also discuss the history of the property being studied during the field session and the status of the northern hardwood resource. The workshop is sponsored by the Maine Forest Service and Maine Sustainable Forestry Initiative. It has been designed for foresters as well as family woodland owners.

The workshop will start with a morning session, followed by an afternoon field session in the surrounding area. The morning presentations will cover the topics outlined above, and the afternoon session will be “in the field” viewing and discussing northern hardwood stands.

Thanks to generous support from Maine Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), there is no charge for this workshop. This workshop is co-sponsored by the Maine Forest Service, the Maine Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Registration will start at 8 a.m. Coffee and donuts will be provided, but lunch will not be provided. For more information or to register, please contact the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District at 564-2321 ext. 3 or info@piscataquisswcd.org.