Woodland Stewards Webinar Series Continues in March + Recordings for Later Viewing

The Woodland Stewards Regional Webinar Series returns February 28, March 7, and March 14 for Live webinars at 1 PM Eastern. These webinars will be recorded and made available for later viewing as well. This year, the regional series is focusing on “Open Woodlands: Practices to Create & Maintain Woodlands in Open Forest Environments”. The first offering on February 28 will be focusing on Creating Open Woodlands to Promote Regeneration and Development of White Oak. The second offering on March 7 will focus on Wildlife Considerations when Restoring Oak/pine Woodlands. The final offering on March 14 will focus on Establishing and Managing Open Pine-Hardwood stands. There is no charge for the webinars but registration is required for each one. Register here.

What: ARRI partner meeting/field tour ARRI website: www.osmre.gov/programs/arri
When: Feb 10, 2023 {930-1100am (ET)} then a short drive to the fieldtour site to observe current & future mineland restoration projects.
Where: Whitley County Extension Office (4275 North US Hwy 25W//Williamsburg/KY 40769)
Who: for more info contact: Cliff Drouet, Forester Office of Surface Mining,Lexington/KY​
Work phone: 303-549-7249    Work email: cdrouet@osmre.gov
ARRI website: www.osmre.gov/programs/arri

Kentucky Maple Day
Saturday, February 4, 2023
We are excited to announce that 19 farms across Kentucky will be celebrating Kentucky Maple Day on February 4, 2023. These maple producers are in the process of collecting and boiling maple sap so we can all enjoy some pure Kentucky maple syrup and other assorted treats. Gather your friends and family and don’t miss this once a year opportunity to tour as many Kentucky maple syrup farms as possible. To find locations and learn more about their offerings please visit: https://ky-maplesyrup.ca.uky.edu/ky-maple-day.

This fun agritourism event is a great chance to learn how maple syrup is made, tour the countryside, and get your hands on some rare Kentucky maple syrup!

The Kentucky Prescribed Fire Council will be conducting two Controlled Burn Workshops for private landowners, contractors, and volunteer fire departments in February. These workshops will cover the following information: Controlled Burn Terminology, Implementation, Fire Behavior Factors, and Controlled Burn Planning. The first workshop will take place on February 11, 2023 from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, local time at the Green County Extension Office. The second workshop (identical to the first) will take place at the Mercer County Extension Office on February 18. There is a $75 registration for each workshop which includes lunch and materials. Some scholarships are available. To register for the February 11 date please contact Cody.Jarrett@usda.gov or 270.283.2826. To register for the February 18 date please contact Kiersten.bowling@usda.gov or 502.331.5829.

Registration is now open for the 2023 KY Forest Health Conference, Feb 8, 9 am – 4 pm ET: https://forestry.ca.uky.edu/fhc-conference

This year’s conference will be in-person at the Longship Club in Kroger Stadium, Lexington, KY.  It will feature a range of talks on current issues, threats on the horizon, and management options including talks on spotted lanternfly, hemlock woolly adelgid biological control, and more.  (Detailed schedule coming soon)

Registration is $35 (includes lunch) and spots are limited so reserve yours today. Individuals can register and pay online here but if you are planning to register a group, this can be done over the phone by calling Reneé Williams at 859-257-7597.

CEUs anticipated: SAF, KY Pesticide Applicators, ISA, KY Landscape Architects.

The online version of the Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner course provides registrants access to eight pre-recorded presentations covering forest biology, ecology and management on private woodlands. After viewing two or three videos, registrants will be invited to live online meetings with the course coordinator, Lenny Farlee, on March 9, March 30 and April 20, 2023, at 6:30 pm to ask questions, seek clarifications and receive updates and additional information on topics covered. All course presentations and supporting materials will be delivered online or as electronic documents.
Because of the popularity of this workshop, credit card payment is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. 
Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 28th.
Refund and Cancellation Policy: All cancellations are subject to a 12% registration fee + $5 processing fee. NO REFUNDS will be processed after February 8, 2023. If a participant of a virtual event experiences technical difficulties that prevent participation (other than event-wide difficulties), NO REFUNDS will be issued after the link to join that event has been provided. 
For virtual events, the link to join will not be provided until payment is received.
Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action university. If you require special accommodations to attend this event or have any questions about this event, please email Lenny Farlee at lfarlee@purdue.edu
For registration questions, contact The Education Store.

Reminder: Introduction to Forest Farming: Almost Everything you Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask
Date: January 26-28, 2023 at Kentucky State University - Frankfort, KY
Presenters: Robin Suggs, Appalachian Sustainable Development, and Andrea Miller, Rural Action
Where: Kentucky State University - Frankfort, KY
Imagine growing a profitable crop underneath a forest canopy! This workshop offers an introductory overview of forest farming in the Appalachian region. Join Andrea and Robin to learn about commonly-produced Appalachian forest botanicals, how to choose and prepare the best site for success, an overview of growing market trends and possibilities for these crops, and a glimpse into the Appalachian Harvest Herb Hub in Duffield, VA. Expect interactive discussion regarding markets, sourcing of planting stock, and cultural requirements. Hands-on demonstration is likely, based on weather; please dress accordingly. The Agroforestry sessions are part of the OAK Conference 2023: Rooted in Resilience: Growing Healthy Soils and Opportunities for Kentucky Organics! 
Registration is open, and scholarships are available for the January 27 and 28 registration costs. Please visit the OAK Annual Conference website (https://www.oak-ky.org/annual-conference) for all the details, including the agenda, speakers, and registration information.

Reminder: Sunday afternoon (1:00-4:30 ET) on January 22nd either in person or virtual. In-person conference will be held at Kentucky State University, and you can also select attending virtually via zoom. Learn more and register at https://kyconservation.org/legislative-summit-2023

Sessions and Trainings on Environmental Issues before the State General Assembly and discussions focusing on continuing and emerging environmental issues during Kentucky’s 2023 legislative session; as well as  resources  to be an effective advocate for a wide range of environmental issues impacting Kentucky. KCC will be asking keynote, Morgan McGarvey, U.S. Representative-Elect, how to effectively connect recent federal funding resources toward implementation for critical conservation and environmental needs in Kentucky.