Blog
USDA seeks project proposals for Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative
Posted on Friday, April 30, 2010The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking proposals for projects to improve agricultural and nonindustrial private forest landsthrough the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI). About $5 million will be made available in fiscal year 2010. CCPI helps agricultural producers and forest landowners address conservation priorities at the local, state, multi-state, or regional levels; meet federal, state, and local regulatory requirements related to production; cooperate in installing and maintaining conservation practices; and develop and demonstrate innovative conservation practices and delivery methods, including practices associated with specialty crop and organic production as well as precision agriculture.
Celebrate National Arbor Day
Posted on Friday, April 30, 2010
Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care. National Arbor Day was founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872 and is celebrated on the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates according to their best tree-planting times. Click here for a map to find out when your state observes Arbor Day.
Brent Keith is new WFLC/CWSF governmental affairs director
Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2010Effective May 24, Brent Keith joins the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition/Council of Western State Foresters as Governmental Affairs Director. Keith is a Portland, OR, attorney specializing in water law, and is a former NASF forest policy intern.
'True Cost of Wildfire' report updated
Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2010The Western Forestry Leadership Coalition recently updated their 2009 report, The True Cost of Wildfire in the Western U.S. The true costs of wildfire are far reaching and include market and non-market losses to social, economic, and ecological systems. These costs are shown to be anywhere from 2 to 30 times the more commonly reported suppression costs. An updated series of recommendations takes into account recent wildfire policies and will help focus the way costs might be better considered in future budgeting and planning processes at all levels of government.
New oak tree disease could 'change British landscape'
Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2010A new disease killing oak trees in the UK could alter the British landscape even more than Dutch elm disease, which wiped out millions of elms last century. Acute oak decline is hitting both species of native oak and has been found on 55 sites in the east of England, southern England and the Midlands, and experts warn other suspect cases have yet to be confirmed.
Recent storms damage thousands of trees in Mississippi
Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2010A strong storm system last weekend damaged thousands of trees in Mississippi. Forestry officials are still surveying the damage and calculating the potential loss to the state's timber industry.
Colorado State University testing biofuel from beetle-kill
Posted on Wednesday, April 28, 2010Colorado State University researchers are working to test biofuel produced by Cobalt Technologies from pine-bark-beetle-killed lodgepole pines. The fuel, butanol, could prove to be a better alternative fuel than ethanol, which is largely made from corn.
International offset projects - can they save forests?
Posted on Tuesday, April 27, 2010Questions persist over whether applying carbon finance to forestry projects can be good for the environment as well as for the communities where the trees are planted. CNN looks at the Armenian Tree Project as a case study in carbon and conservation.
House subcommittee considers bill for parks, forests and open space near DC
Posted on Tuesday, April 27, 2010The House National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee considered legislation this week authorizing $250 million for the purchase of parks, forests and open space around Washington, D.C. H.R. 2986 would authorize a grant program for states and local governments to acquire land in the national capital region to be used for parks, green space, agriculture, forests, habitat, watershed protection, historic preservation or public recreation.
South Dakota seeks urban forester
Posted on Thursday, April 22, 2010The State of South Dakota, Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry is seeking applicants for a professional forester position located in Pierre, South Dakota. A full description and application information is available here.
Recycled paper shortage could lead to scratchier TP
Posted on Thursday, April 22, 2010The increase in electronic communication has led to a reduction in the amount of recycled newspapers, magazines and print paper. This shortage of high-quality recycled paper has an impact on the production of toilet paper, and paper companies are on a quest to find new supplies, according to an article in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN).
NWS changes criteria for 'red flag' fire danger warning system in southern California
Posted on Tuesday, April 20, 2010From the blog Wildfire Today, a link to a Los Angeles Times story and video about the National Weather Service in southern California changing the criteria that triggers a red flag warning for fire danger.
Alabama budget shortfall may threaten wildfire protection and other services
Posted on Tuesday, April 20, 2010According to a recent press release, the Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) is facing a budget shortfall of more than $5 million for fiscal year 2011. In light of this projection, State Forester Linda Casey said the agency is reviewing its entire structure. The AFC will be forced to reduce staffing by nearly one-third, affecting all services provided by the agency, including wildfire protection.
Wisconsin DNR Division of Forestry seeks urban forester
Posted on Monday, April 19, 2010The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Division of Forestry is currently seeking a Forestry Specialist - Urban Forester to work in 4 counties in the southeastern area of the state. This position's primary responsibility is to administer the region's urban forestry assistance program with the goal of encouraging sound management practices. Application deadline is May 7, 2010.
All Lands, All Hands: FY2009 State and Private Forestry Annual Report now available
Posted on Monday, April 19, 2010
Achieving an "all lands" vision of the nation's forests requires "all hands," and the FY2009 S&PF Annual Report provides a look at the wide variety of projects, programs, and people that help accomplish the three national forestry priorities -- Conserve Working Forest Landscapes, Protect Forests From Threats and Enhance Public Benefits from Trees and Forests. The report also offers state perspectives on how their agencies approached the development of the soon-to-be-released Statewide Forest Resource Assessments and Strategies.
Murray joins NAFO as VP for policy and general counsel
Posted on Monday, April 19, 2010Chip Murray will be joining the staff of the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) as the Vice President for Policy and General Counsel, effective May 10, 2010. Murray currently serves as Deputy General Counsel and Executive Director of forestry issues for the American Forest & Paper Association.
National interagency wildfire prevention academy this fall
Posted on Monday, April 19, 2010The Wildland Fire Training & Conference Center in Sacramento, CA, is hosting a National Interagency Prevention Academy November 29 - December 10, 2010. This course provides consistent, in-depth, hands-on training, technical fire prevention program direction, and skills for prevention/mitigation field staff and managers. Participants gain a comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of wildland fire prevention, as well as many printed guides and tools to start or build a prevention program. For more information or to apply, contact wftc@fs.fed.us; 916-640-1191.
White House Conference on America's Great Outdoors
Posted on Friday, April 16, 2010NASF President and Maryland State Forester Steven Koehn and Maine State Forester Alec Giffen are participating in the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors today. Live-streaming speeches and panels are available online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/white-house-conference-america-s-great-outdoors.
Inmates get wildfire training in advance of California's fire season
Posted on Friday, April 16, 2010Secretary of State Clinton announces new initiatives under Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas
Posted on Thursday, April 15, 2010Energy ministers from across the hemisphere gathered this week at the Energy and Climate Ministerial of the Americas, part of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), which is comprised of voluntary initiatives focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, cleaner fossil fuels, infrastructure, and energy poverty. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the expansion of ECPA climate cooperation to include future initiatives that address sustainable landscapes (forestry and land use) and adaptation.
Editorial: New Hampshire forests can preserve jobs and prepare for climate change
Posted on Thursday, April 15, 2010New Hampshire landscapes could play a key role in the shift to a low-carbon, climate-friendly economy if new incentives are provided to encourage sustainable land-management practices that capture and store the greenhouse-gas pollution, according to an editorial from the Concord Monitor. The paper urges state leaders to make sure their colleagues also recognize that the key to jobs in rural communities are the working landscapes to which they are connected.
Warming will spread 'highly allergenic' trees and weeds
Posted on Wednesday, April 14, 2010According to a report by the National Wildlife Federation and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, climate change could cause "highly allergenic" trees like oak and hickory to move into areas now occupied by pine, spruce and fir trees, which many allergy sufferers are better able to tolerate.
USDA Forest Legacy grants to protect private forest land in 33 states
Posted on Wednesday, April 14, 2010USDA has announced the 2010 Forest Legacy Program (FLP) awards, which total $72 million, will help the program reach a total of over 2 million permanently protected acres across the country. Legacy works directly with states to protect privately-owned forests from conversion to housing development or other uses that would threaten the conservation, management and restoration of the nation's forests.
NASF submits comments on BCAP proposed rule
Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2010NASF has submitted comments on proposed regulations to implement the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. BCAP is intended to assist agricultural and forest land owners and operators with the establishment and production of eligible crops including woody biomass in selected project areas for conversion to bioenergy, and the collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of eligible material for use in a biomass conversion facility.
Trees loom large in life and history
Posted on Monday, April 12, 2010New York Times writer Olivia Judson ponders the role of trees in our lives and asks, what, precisely is a tree?
NRCS signs MOU with Texas Forest Service
Posted on Friday, April 9, 2010The Texas Forest Service and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Texas have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU will strengthen cooperation between TFS and NRCS Texas by coordinating interagency delivery of forestry-related conservation assistance to private landowners in order to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of Texas’ private working lands – forestland, cropland, pasture, and rangeland.
State Foresters partner in developing recommendations for firewood movement
Posted on Friday, April 9, 2010The National Firewood Task Force, which includes several NASF members, has just concluded a six-month process to develop recommendations on possible regulatory, voluntary and outreach strategies for state and federal agencies to consider as they work to mitigate the movement of invasive forest pests on firewood.
Hardwood Forestry Fund announces Spring 2010 Sustainable Forestry Partnerships
Posted on Friday, April 9, 2010The Hardwood Forestry Fund is cooperating with public natural resource agencies to offer sponsorship of ten new hardwood forests in four U.S. states. Project managers in Indiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia are gearing up to plant and manage more than 600,000 new trees this spring and fall. The Hardwood Forestry Fund is providing grants ranging from $2,500 to $12,000 to partnering organizations for tree planting and forest management. All projects are managed by foresters for multiple-use, including timber production. For more information, or to apply for a 2011 grant, please contact the HFF at 877-433-TREE or visit the HFF's website http://www.hardwoodforestryfund.org.
USDA announces $25M in Conservation Innovation Grants
Posted on Thursday, April 8, 2010The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the availability of approximately $25 million in FY 2010 through its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). CIG projects are designed to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. CIG, a component of NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Information about the CIG Announcement of Program Funding can be found at www.grants.gov where applicants can apply electronically, and at the CIG Web page at www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/cig/index.html.
Congressional briefing on FLAME fund April 23
Posted on Wednesday, April 7, 2010NASF will be among members of the Partner Caucus on Fire Suppression Solutions on Friday, April 23, as they brief congressional staffers on the FLAME Act and the Contingency Reserve Fund as proposed in the President's FY11 budget. The Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME Act) was signed into law October 30, 2009. The purpose for the establishment of the FLAME Fund was the recognition that the cost of wildfire suppression was having a significant impact on the ability to fund critical non-fire suppression programs on federal, state and private forests and grasslands. For more information or if you wish to RSVP and attend the House (10 am) or Senate (1 pm) briefing, contact firesuppressionfunding@gmail.com by April 16.
Kansas Forest Service seeks SE District Forester
Posted on Tuesday, April 6, 2010The Kansas Forest Service, Department of Horticulture, Forestry and Recreation Resources, Kansas State University, is currently recruiting to fill a full-time, SE District Forester position in Iola, Kansas.
'Forests [are] part of the critical infrastructure of our country'
Posted on Tuesday, April 6, 2010Larry Selzer of the Conservation Fund and NASF President Steve Koehn -- among others -- are quoted in a recent Washington Post feature story on conservation efforts focused on restoring forest ecosystems across the U.S. and whether the government and private interests can save the forest from "becoming suburbs and strip malls."
Douglas-fir disease worsening in Oregon and Washington
Posted on Tuesday, April 6, 2010A fungal disease attacking Douglas-fir trees along the Pacific Northwest coast is intensifying and may be linked to a warmer climate and extensive planting of Douglas-fir on logged tracts, new Oregon State University research suggests.
White House Easter Egg Roll incorporates forest certification standards
Posted on Friday, April 2, 2010Souvenir eggs from the annual White House Easter Egg Roll feature packaging from Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified paperboard, and the eggs themselves are made from hardwood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Interim report from Science Forum on Forest Service planning rule now available
Posted on Friday, April 2, 2010The Science Forum was convened March 29-30 by the USDA Forest Service in Washington, DC, featuring panel presentations on the latest scientific topics relevant to the development of the planning rule. The key themes from the science forum will help frame the collaborative discussions at the regional and national roundtables that will follow. Click here to read the interim report from the Science Forum.
Host of invasive species to thrive with warming climate
Posted on Friday, April 2, 2010Cheatgrass, salt cedar, and pine bark beetles are among a slew of invasive species predicted to dominate in a warming, carbon dioxide-rich world, according to a report (PDF) from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). "Some of the harshest and most unpleasant species will benefit from climate change," said Doug Inkley, a senior scientist at NWF. Deer ticks, mosquitoes, and poison ivy also made the list.
California community vies for state grant to rejuvenate its urban forest
Posted on Friday, April 2, 2010The city of Modesto, California, is vying for a $1 million state grant that would pay for the city to plant new trees for the first time in years. State cutbacks have made it harder than ever for Modesto to maintain its urban forest, which has more than 110,000 trees.
Timber from 2009 ice storm adds to fire hazard in Arkansas
Posted on Friday, April 2, 2010Timber that fell during the January 2009 ice storm is now causing access problems for Arkansas state forestry officials who fight wildfires. Arkansas Forestry Commission crews have had trouble making their way around debris to reach the flames of several recent fires.
Appalachian landowners benefit from carbon offsets
Posted on Thursday, April 1, 2010An effort launched last year to connect family forest owners in Appalachia with the carbon market has expanded with a new website, http://www.appalachiancarbonpartnership.org. The program offers landowners resources on good forest management, easy access to loans to cover the costs of professional forestry services related to the Managed Forest Offset Program, and increased income potential from carbon offsets and other certified sustainable forest products.
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