Blog
Pearl Jam helping to conserve trees and forests in Washington State
Posted on Tuesday, March 30, 2010In an effort to offset its carbon footprint from years of touring, the rock band Pearl Jam is partnering with the Cascade Land Conservancy, a national leader in urban forest restoration, to plant approximately 33 acres of native trees and plants in communities around the Puget Sound. Pearl Jam’s donation of $210,000 will fund the urban forestry project and mitigate more than 7,000 metric tons of carbon.
Empire State Forest Products Association seeks executive director
Posted on Tuesday, March 30, 2010The Empire State Forest Products Association (ESFPA), New York State's forest industry trade association, is seeking an executive director.
CEQ, USDA, Interior will host White House Conference on America's Great Outdoors
Posted on Monday, March 29, 2010Obama administration officials will host a White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors on Friday, April 16. Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, and Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, are leading the conference, which will "address the challenges, opportunities and innovations surrounding modern-day land conservation" and the importance of reconnecting Americans to the outdoors. Participants will include working ranchers and farmers, sportsmen and women, state and local government leaders, tribal leaders, public lands experts, conservationists, youth leaders, business representatives and others who view the outdoors as integral to their communities.
Fuels for Schools in the news
Posted on Friday, March 26, 2010Missouri: The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service’s State & Private Forestry program, recently awarded almost $6 million in grants to seven public school districts for “Fuels for Schools” projects. The grants are being funded through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Idaho: A Fuels for Schools grant helped Council, Idaho, leverage more than $2.5 million to add a new state-of-the-art biomass boiler system.
NASF provides testimony on FY2011 appropriations levels for key Forest Service programs
Posted on Friday, March 26, 2010NASF President and Maryland State Forester Steven Koehn provided written testimony on behalf on NASF on State Foresters' priorities for Interior appropriations, which center on the USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry (S&PF) programs. NASF recommendations in the testimony gave particular emphasis to Forest Inventory and Analysis, State Fire Assistance, Cooperative Forest Health, Forest Stewardship and Urban and Community Forestry. The total NASF recommendation for S&PF is $355 million, representing a 15% increase over the FY2010 enacted levels.
Hawaii's infested wiliwili trees being rescued by African wasp
Posted on Friday, March 26, 2010Hawai'i is declaring victory in the fight against an invasive species that killed thousands of Hawai'i's trees — thanks to some scientific detective work that took one entomologist all the way to Tanzania to enlist a natural enemy of the gall wasp.
Ohio DNR and local utility join in carbon offset project
Posted on Friday, March 26, 2010The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry and American Municipal Power, Inc. will join forces to reforest approximately 25 acres within the Shawnee State Forest in southern Ohio in an ongoing joint effort to develop carbon offset opportunities. The growth and survival of 17,500 seedlings planted in designated plots within Shawnee State Forest will be tracked and verified in order for American Municipal Power to obtain carbon offsets for the project.
UN: forests still disappearing
Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010Ambitious planting programs in Asia and the United States have helped slow the global rate of deforestation but deforestation is still occuring at an alarmingly high rate, a U.N. survey released Thursday shows.
Washington DNR seeks NW Region Manager
Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2010The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) seeks a NW Region Manager responsible for administering the field implementation of all DNR activities within San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom counties. Download the full announcement here.
Montana DNR job opportunities
Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2010The Montana Department of Natural Resources is currently recruiting for several positions: Resource Program Manager (Libby, MT), Fire Program Safety Officer (Missoula), and Fire Program Manager (Billings). Deadlines vary; visit http://dnrc.mt.gov/jobs/default.asp for details.
'Black liquor' provision passes in health care bill
Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2010The health care reconciliation bill passed by the House last weekend included a provision that prevents paper companies from claiming a biofuel tax credit for their production of a wood-pulping byproduct, known as "black liquor," which the companies burn as fuel.
Forest Service acquires 112K acres of Montana forestland in Legacy project
Posted on Friday, March 19, 2010The U.S. Forest Service took over ownership of 112,000 acres of former Plum Creek Timber Co. land this week in the second phase of the Montana Legacy Project, which saw the Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land buy much of Plum Creek's western Montana holdings in trust for the state and federal government. The entire project encompasses about 310,000 acres.
Estate planning book helps forest owners understand tax laws
Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010The USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station has published, Estate Planning for Forest Landowners: What will become of your timberland?, with practical information about tax and estate planning and techniques involving forest properties (PDF). Tax, legal, forestry, insurance and other professionals will also benefit from the guidance offered in the book's 200-pages. Landowners and others may request paper copies by e-mail by sending their name and complete mailing address, along with the title, author and publication number (GTR-SRS-112) to: pubrequest@fs.fed.us.
Oregon State Forester elected SFI board chair
Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010Oregon State Forester Marvin Brown has been elected Chair of the independent board of directors for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) Inc., which is solely responsible for the non-profit SFI forest certification program. SFI Inc.'s 18-member board represents environmental, social and economic sectors equally so it can meet the many needs of forests and communities. Current board members include representatives of environmental, professional and academic groups, independent loggers, family forest landowners, public officials, labor and the forest products sector.
Study calls for more prescribed burns to reduce forest fire emissions
Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010A new study published in Environmental Science and Technology found that widespread prescribed burns might have slashed fire-related carbon dioxide emissions in 11 Western states by an average of 18 to 25 percent between the years 2001 and 2008, and by as much as 60 percent in some forest systems.
USDA announces details and objectives of Office of Environmental Markets
Posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2010USDA press release: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced new details about the functions and objectives of USDA's Office of Environmental Markets (OEM). OEM, now part of USDA's Natural Resources and Environment mission area, will work to carry out USDA's climate and rural revitalization goals by supporting the development of emerging markets for carbon, water quality, wetlands and biodiversity.
The 2008 Farm Bill's Conservation Title directs the Secretary to facilitate the development of environmental markets and ensure the participation of America's farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. As set forth by Congress in the Farm Bill, OEM will work across government and in consultation with experts and stakeholders to build a market-based system for quantifying, registering, and verifying environmental benefits produced by land management activities.
Need for wood highlights invasive insect problems
Posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2010Months of heavy rains throughout the South have made it difficult for large logging equipment to get into the forests for harvesting. Desperate for wood for its central South Carolina mill, International Paper Co. has begun harvesting from Virginia, New York and Massachusetts -- states infested with gypsy moths, which defoliate a million acres of trees each year in the U.S. USDA has promised to work with International Paper on moth inspections of trees imported to the South for processing to avoid bringing the insect to South Carolina.
Washington State passes forest biomass supply agreements bill
Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010An effort to build a green forest biomass industry in Washington’s forests took a step forward as the Legislature passed the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Forest Biomass Supply Agreements Bill. This executive-request legislation from Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark takes the next step towards creating a forest biomass industry from state trust lands.
How trees are restoring hope to Armenia
Posted on Monday, March 15, 2010Hundreds of millions of trees were lost during the last century's great deforestation of Armenia, a Massachusetts-size nation on the borders of Iran and Turkey. An initiative called the Armenia Tree Project has been raising and planting trees throughout the country, supported by the international conservation charity WWF and BMU/KfW, the German Development Bank.
Forestry project launched under new offset protocol
Posted on Friday, March 12, 2010Project developer Finite Carbon has announced details of a new Improved Forest Management (IFM) project in Tennessee that could generate several hundred thousand of carbon offsets over the next 100 years. The project is only the second IFM project outside of California and the first in the eastern part of the country to be listed under the new Climate Action Reserve protocol.
Governors ask Congress to stop EPA rules
Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2010Governors of 18 U.S. states and two territories urged Congress this week to stop "harmful" Environmental Protection Agency regulation of greenhouse-gas emissions, saying the agency isn't equipped to deal with "the very real potential for economic harm."
South Carolina weighs legal protection for planned fires
Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2010Nearly a year after the state's worst wildfire, South Carolina forest managers and landowners have asked legislators to give them more protection from lawsuits when they intentionally set fires to reduce debris that could fuel wildfires and inadvertently damage property. There are 13 million acres of timberland in the state and about 1 million acres a year should have prescribed burns to cut down on the chances of wildfires or their intensity when they occur. For now, only about 440,000 acres yearly are burned, partly because of lawsuit fears. Georgia and Florida currently have laws that offer more protection from lawsuits.
USDA seeks nominations for Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee
Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2010The Department of Agriculture is seeking nominations from the public for a new Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee. Authorized by Title IV of Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, the purpose of the CFLR program is to encourage the collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes. NASF plans to recommend the appointment of a State Forester to the committee to further an "all lands" approach to U.S. forests. For more information on committee selection criteria and the application process, view the Federal Register Notice (PDF).
Former Bush Interior secretary discusses reflects on her shift in ideology
Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2010Lynn Scarlett, who served eight years in the Bush administration as assistant secretary of the Interior and later led the department after the resignation of Secretary Gale Norton, talked to the Los Angeles Times recently to discuss her transformation from conservative conservationist to enthusiastic environmentalist.
Pacific Northwest forests rank tops in carbon storage
Posted on Tuesday, March 9, 2010Ten national forests in the Pacific Northwest and southeast Alaska are ranked as the top carbon-storage forests in the United States, according to an analysis released last week from the Wilderness Society.
Hi-res cameras in California help detect wildfires
Posted on Tuesday, March 9, 2010The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is using a system of high-resolution video cameras and microwave relays to look for wildfires. The system is limited to El Dorado County so far and it will not replace anybody who might ordinarily staff existing fire lookout towers, according to CalFire. The state has 77 fire lookout towers statewide, but few are staffed regularly. The widespread use of cell phones by campers, hikers and others in the forest has essentially replaced the lonely lookouts atop a mountain.
Tree Campus USA participation more than doubled in 2009
Posted on Monday, March 8, 2010The Arbor Day Foundation honored 74 colleges and universities with Tree Campus USA recognition in 2009, more than doubling the total from the inaugural class. Tree Campus USA is a national program that honors colleges and universities that use best tree-care and sustainability practices and engage students in tree-planting and conservation initiatives.
California legislature weighs fire tax again
Posted on Friday, March 5, 2010Financing the costs of fighting California’s wildfires and other disasters through a new property levy is back before the legislature – the third time in as many years that lawmakers have considered, and rejected, the controversial proposal.
CEQ requests comments on three draft NEPA guidance documents
Posted on Friday, March 5, 2010The President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has released three draft National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) guidance documents on when and how federal agencies must consider greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change in their analysis of proposed actions; specify when there is a need to monitor environmental mitigation commitments; and clarify use of categorical exclusions. Comments on the draft climate change and mitigation policies are due May 24, 2010. Comments on the draft categorical exclusion policy are due April 9.
SeeSouthernForests.org site launches with interactive maps and historical data
Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2010The World Resources Institute debuted this week an interactive website (http://www.seesouthernforests.org) to raise awareness about the threats to the region's 214 million acres of forest and provide a tool for private landowners, forest managers, conservation groups and others to improve management decisions. The site draws on a range of resources, including GoogleEarth, Microsoft's Bing Maps, NASA satellite images, and ESRI mapping technology and forest data.
USDA seeks project proposals to improve water quality in Mississippi River Basin
Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2010The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking project proposals that will improve water quality and the overall health of the Mississippi River in 41 eligible watersheds in 12 states. The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative, through which up to $75 million will be available for partnership projects, was published in the Federal Register this week. Proposals are due by May 1. The RFP explains the procedures for potential partners to sign agreements with USDA for projects that meet with the initiative's objectives.
Montana DNRC seeks fire program manager
Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2010Montana DNRC is currently recruiting to fill a full-time Fire Program Manager Position in Billings, Montana.
USDA announces guaranteed loan to Range Fuels for biorefinery
Posted on Wednesday, March 3, 2010The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in a press release this week that Range Fuels, Inc., a Colorado based firm with a planned biorefinery located near Soperton, GA, is the recipient of a loan guaranteed by USDA Rural Development to make cellulosic biofuel from wood chips. The deal, recently finalized, was first announced last year and represents the first ever loan guarantee by USDA to a commercial-scale cellulosic biofuel plant. This project is expected to provide biorefinery jobs, construction jobs and support the timber industry.
Southern Group of State Foresters launches new website
Posted on Wednesday, March 3, 2010The Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF) has debuted a new website (www.southernforests.org) in an effort to better communicate about forestry and the multi-billion dollar forest industry in the 13 southern states and two federal territories that comprise the group. The site features a new, more intuitive design with more up-to-date information about state forestry in the southern region.
Monica Lear appointed state forester for District of Columbia
Posted on Tuesday, March 2, 2010The District Department of Transportation has announced that Dr. Monica Lear, Deputy Associate Director of the Urban Forestry Administration (UFA), will be assuming the duties of State Forester for the District of Columbia. John Thomas, Associate Director and Chief Forester of the District of Columbia, formerly served as the state forester.
Nine states partner with Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees on public lands
Posted on Monday, March 1, 2010The Arbor Day Foundation is working with the forestry and conservation departments in nine states to plant more than 2.3 million trees on state lands this year. This is the second consecutive year the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation has planted trees in state-run forests. Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Washington will plant trees through the Arbor Day Foundation partnership.
Group sues over whitebark pine endangered petition
Posted on Monday, March 1, 2010The Natural Resources Defense Council has sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for its inaction on the group's December 2008 petition to protect the whitebark pine with an endangered species listing.
Forest Service to host public events on development of new planning rule
Posted on Monday, March 1, 2010The USDA Forest Service will sponsor a series of events to provide opportunities for public discussion on the development of a new Forest Service Land and Resource Management Planning Rule (planning rule). The agency will host a national science forum, three national roundtables and nine regional roundtables. Following the meetings, notes will be posted on the planning rule Web site, http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule, to allow for further feedback. Summaries of the presentations and discussions in the science forum and roundtables, along with the individual comments received during the 60-day formal comment period on the Notice of Intent, will be used to develop the proposed rule and a draft environmental impact statement. Click here for the full schedule of public meetings.
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