​​Kentucky Woodland Owners Association

USDA Prospective Customer Survey Includes Forest Managers

11/25/2022

Are you a farmer, rancher or forest manager? Please share your vital feedback with USDA by taking a nationwide survey at:
https://www.farmers.gov/contact/survey?utm_campaign=customersurvey&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.
The survey is completely anonymous, will take about 10 minutes to complete, is available in multiple languages, and will be open until March 31, 2023. The survey focuses on gathering feedback about the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Risk Management Agency.
All farmers, ranchers and forest managers are encouraged to take the survey. USDA would especially like to hear from prospective customers: those who don’t know about USDA or have yet to work with USDA, and those who were unable to participate in the past. The survey will help USDA enhance support, improve programs and services, increase access, and advance equity for new and existing customers.

Reflecting on A Half A Century of Progress

11/24/2022

Half a Century Since the Clean Water Act Amendments: The Success Story of Forestry Best Management Practices in the Southeast is a blog post by: Southern Group of State Foresters- https://southernforests.org/

https://southernforests.org/news-events/southern-perspective/half-a-century-since-the-clean-water-act-amendments-the-success-story-of-forestry-best-management-practices-in-the-southeast/

USDA Requests Public Input on Implementation of Inflation Reduction Act Funding

11/23/2022

USDA is asking for public input through a Federal Register request for information on implementation of more than $19 billion provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will use the investments provided through IRA-funded conservation programs to support farmers and ranchers in adopting and expanding climate-smart activities and systems. NRCS asks for comments on how to target program benefits, quantify impact, and improve program delivery and outreach, especially for underserved producers. Comments are due December 22. Learn more and submit comments. Read More Also see information previously posted 8/13/22 here.

2022 inflation reduction act and Sustainable Forestry

11/23/2022

This legislation is expected to have many favorable impacts for sustainable forestry practices. We have compiled statements from three major organizations here:
1. National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) also has a statement: https://nafoalliance.org/inflation-reduction-act-of-2022-statement-from-nafo/
2. The American Forest Foundation (AFF) notes the following “…specific provisions for family forest owners:

$400 million in competitive grants and cost share to support underserved forest landowners or those who own less than 2,500 acres in forest resilience activities and climate mitigation markets.
$50 million for competitive grants to owners of private forest land for implementation of forestry practices to increase carbon sequestration and storage.
$8.45 billion for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to improve soil carbon or reduce nitrogen losses or greenhouse gas emissions, or capture or sequester greenhouse gas emissions
$100 million for the Wood Innovation Grant Program to support solutions that utilize forestry residue for innovative end uses.
$1.8 billion for the National Forest System to support wildfire risk-reducing activities within the wildland-urban interface including eligible biomass removal."

3. National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA) notes aspects that “…have special relevance to forestry…

Forest Conservation: $700 Million for the USFS Forest Legacy Program
Climate-smart Forestry: $450 Million to USFS for forest carbon incentives to private landowners
Conservation Programs: $20 Billion to “Climate-Smart Agriculture” via NRCS programs that in many cases include tree and forest-related practices (e.g., RCPP)
Wildfire Resilience and Ecosystem Restoration: $2.1 Billion for activities on national forests; $250 Million for BLM and NPS; $121 Million for USFWS and State F&W
Science, Data and Innovation: $100 Million for USFS Wood Innovation and $50 Million for USFS inventory of old growth and mature forests on national forest system lands
Urban Forests: $1.5 Billion for grants to cities and non-profits through USFS Urban and Community Forestry, with an additional $4 Billion to DOT and EPA climate justice programs that can and likely will provide substantial additional funding for urban forestry activities.”

White Oak Initiative Introduces the Landowners for Oaks Series

10/27/2022

The White Oak Initiative - Landowners for Oaks Series is now available! This series, made up of 11 publications, is geared toward landowners engaged in upland oak management with a focus on white oak. Three of the publications provide information on the importance of oaks, their biology, and an overview of common management practices to enhance oak regeneration and growth. Eight publications provide landowners with basic information on common upland oak species, how to identify them and important management and utilization information. All factsheets in the series are available for download at http://forestry.ca.uky.edu/woi.

Tree Seedlings from the Kentucky Division of Forestry – On Sale Now

10/27/2022

The Kentucky Division of Forestry operates two seedling nurseries for the purpose of planting on public and privately-owned land. These nurseries offer different species of hardwoods and conifers for sale for planting on open crop or pastureland, developing a Christmas tree plantation, enhancing wildlife habitat, improving urban areas and reclaiming surface mining sites. The Division of Forestry is accepting orders for tree seedlings online through its new Forestry Seedling Sales store. Orders less than 10,000 total trees using a credit card should use the division's online store to place their order. Seedlings ordered from the store will be shipped by UPS. Those wishing to order seedlings and pay by check or want to pick up their seedlings at one of our two nurseries are asked to use the Tree Order Form and order through their local branch office. Division branch offices can answer questions or questions can be emailed to KYSeedlingSales@ky.gov

Fall Forest Fire Hazard Oct 1 - Dec 15

9/28/2022

Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season: Oct. 1 though Dec. 15
9/28/2022
During forest fire hazard season, it is illegal to burn between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland. Learn about Fire Hazard Season:

https://eec.ky.gov/Natural-Resources/Forestry/wildland-fire-management/Pages/default.aspx Learn Before You Burn: https://eec.ky.gov/Environmental-Protection/Air/Pages/Open-Burning.aspx

In Memory- Perry Sebaugh

8/25/2022

In Remembrance – Perry Sebaugh
KWOA & KWOF are saddened to learn that Perry Sebaugh, a long-time KWOA board member with a tree farm in Edmonson County has passed away. Perry was a dedicated board member, and the family hosted an impressive field day on their Certified Tree Farm in 2012 before Perry retired from the KWOA Board.

In her letter to KWOA, Perry’s wife Ann thanked KWOA for teaching them so much about forestry and for assistance in developing their tree farm in Kentucky, as well as the fellowship of other forest owners. Their son Jeff lives on the property and Ann says he is doing a great job there. KWOA wishes the family well and hopes Jeff will continue his father’s relationship with KWOA.

White Oak Research Sites / Projects

8/13/2022

The NWOA National Woodlands Magazine (Third Quarter Issue) mistakenly directed readers to KWOA’s info-email to enroll in this White Oak program. As a result, we are fielding an usually high volume of inquiries from across the US and have spent considerable time trying to determine where to direct the inquiries. If you are interested in helping with the White Oak progeny test sites or sites for acorn production areas the correct contact is laura.dewald@uky.edu .

Forest Carbon Methodology in Question

7/9/2022

Forest Carbon News - Verra Says No to NCX: Securing Northeast Forest Carbon Program will continue to monitor what Verra’s decisions mean for the forest carbon offset markets. The link to the Verra decision is https://verra.org/verra-defers-updates-to-the-vcs-program/. Excerpts from Securing Northeast Forest Carbon Program 6/30/22 Newsletter:
- “Verra – the organization under which the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), which sets the rules and requirements for calculating, ensuring the quality of, and certifying Verified Carbon Units (VCU’s) that are sold on its carbon registry – recently made a decision not to add NCX’s proposed tonne-year forest carbon accounting method to its VCS Program at this time… full acceptance of the methodology would be required for credits to be sold on Verra’s carbon registry”
- “It is unclear at this time what this means for NCX’s forest carbon offset program. NCX posted a response to the Verra decision - https://ncx.com/learning-hub/a-response-to-verras-decision-on-tonne-year-accounting/
- Securing Northeast Forest Carbon Program will continue to monitor what Verra’s decisions mean for the forest carbon offset markets. The link to the Verra decision is https://verra.org/verra-defers-updates-to-the-vcs-program/.

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