Forestry Field Day in Conecuh County, Alabama
The Conecuh County Forestry Planning Committee will host a free Managing Woodlands & Wildlife in Challenging Times event from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 18, 2013. Area landowners and foresters are encouraged to attend.
Attendees will tour 2010 National Outstanding Tree Farm Saloom Properties and have the opportunity to hear educational speakers from the professional forestry community.
To register or to receive more information, contact the Conecuh County Extension Office by phone at 251-578-2762, or email Emily H. Brogden at brogdeh@aces.edu.
Public Comments Invited in Wisconsin
Interim plans directing the management of forest resources on state-owned properties are available for review and comment through April 17, 2013. The interim plans are intended to govern forest management until formal master plans are completed. No date has been provided for the completion of the master plans.
Craig Thompson, land program manager with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, stated: “These interim plans are very important for forest certification, which in turn is very important for business. People want to know we are managing their lands well, and consumers are increasingly preferring products from sustainably managed forests. A guaranteed stream of certified wood means sawmills and other forest products companies will have the competitive edge they need to do well in domestic and global markets.”
Individuals who wish to comment can fill out an online survey or download the survey form and return it via mail. Further instructions as well as information on each interim property plan are available via the Wisconsin DNR website. To visit the website, click here or search for keyword IFMP at dnr.wi.gov. All comments are due by 4:30 p.m. on April 17.
Public Comments Invited in Oregon
Oregon’s Department of Forestry is accepting public comments on a draft rule pertaining to state forest conservation areas through April 19, 2013. The proposed rule is intended to aid the identification of areas of state-owned forests managed with an emphasis on conservation. No changes are planned for projected timber harvest levels, and the rule does not propose additional conservation areas.
The Forest Land Management Classification System currently categorizes state-owned forestland as General Stewardship, Focused Stewardship or Special Stewardship. The proposed rule amendment separates the Special Stewardship classification into Special Use and High-Value Conservation Areas for a total of four categories. The new categories would be used to better designate lands managed with a conservation emphasis or those where timber harvests are impractical.
The revision would apply to all lands owned by the Board of Forestry as well as the Elliott State Forest, most of which is under the jurisdiction of the State Land Board. Additional information about the rulemaking process and the proposed rule revision is available for review on the Oregon Department of Forestry website.
Individuals who wish to submit comments can do so via email at ODFStateForestsComments@odf.state.or.us or via fax at 503-945-7376. Comments can also be submitted via mail to the Oregon Department of Forestry, Attn: John Barnes, 2600 State Street, Building D, Salem, Oregon 97310. All comments are due by 5 p.m. on April 19.
Public Comments Invited in Montana
The National Forest System has proposed the Condon Mountain Fire Salvage Project with the intent to salvage trees on approximately 583 acres in the Flathead National Forest. The project would harvest trees burned during the 2012 Condon Mountain Fire as well as beetle-infested trees in the area. Harvesting the affected trees in a timely fashion is essential for use by the local timber industry.
In a letter describing the project, Swan Lake District Ranger Richard Kehr writes, “This project has the objective of recovering merchantable wood fiber affected by the Condon Mountain Fire in a timely manner to provide forest products to the local timber industry, contributing to short-term forest timber supply and long-term sustainability of timber on NFS lands.” A lightning strike started the Condon Mountain Fire in July 2012. An estimated 5,500 acres were affected before the fire was contained in October.
For more information about the proposed project, click here to visit the USDA Forest Service website. Those who wish to comment may send their feedback via email at comments-northern-flathead-swanlake@fs.fed.us or fax comments to 406-387-3889. Individuals may also deliver their comments to the Swan Lake Ranger Station Office in Bigfork or the Flathead National Forest Supervisors Office in Kalispell. The deadline to submit comments is April 26, 2013.
3 min read
April Forestry Events and Public Comment Periods
LeAndra Spicer : April 12, 2013
Forestry Field Day in Conecuh County, Alabama
The Conecuh County Forestry Planning Committee will host a free Managing Woodlands & Wildlife in Challenging Times event from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 18, 2013. Area landowners and foresters are encouraged to attend.
Attendees will tour 2010 National Outstanding Tree Farm Saloom Properties and have the opportunity to hear educational speakers from the professional forestry community.
To register or to receive more information, contact the Conecuh County Extension Office by phone at 251-578-2762, or email Emily H. Brogden at brogdeh@aces.edu.
Public Comments Invited in Wisconsin
Interim plans directing the management of forest resources on state-owned properties are available for review and comment through April 17, 2013. The interim plans are intended to govern forest management until formal master plans are completed. No date has been provided for the completion of the master plans.
Craig Thompson, land program manager with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, stated: “These interim plans are very important for forest certification, which in turn is very important for business. People want to know we are managing their lands well, and consumers are increasingly preferring products from sustainably managed forests. A guaranteed stream of certified wood means sawmills and other forest products companies will have the competitive edge they need to do well in domestic and global markets.”
Individuals who wish to comment can fill out an online survey or download the survey form and return it via mail. Further instructions as well as information on each interim property plan are available via the Wisconsin DNR website. To visit the website, click here or search for keyword IFMP at dnr.wi.gov. All comments are due by 4:30 p.m. on April 17.
Public Comments Invited in Oregon
Oregon’s Department of Forestry is accepting public comments on a draft rule pertaining to state forest conservation areas through April 19, 2013. The proposed rule is intended to aid the identification of areas of state-owned forests managed with an emphasis on conservation. No changes are planned for projected timber harvest levels, and the rule does not propose additional conservation areas.
The Forest Land Management Classification System currently categorizes state-owned forestland as General Stewardship, Focused Stewardship or Special Stewardship. The proposed rule amendment separates the Special Stewardship classification into Special Use and High-Value Conservation Areas for a total of four categories. The new categories would be used to better designate lands managed with a conservation emphasis or those where timber harvests are impractical.
The revision would apply to all lands owned by the Board of Forestry as well as the Elliott State Forest, most of which is under the jurisdiction of the State Land Board. Additional information about the rulemaking process and the proposed rule revision is available for review on the Oregon Department of Forestry website.
Individuals who wish to submit comments can do so via email at ODFStateForestsComments@odf.state.or.us or via fax at 503-945-7376. Comments can also be submitted via mail to the Oregon Department of Forestry, Attn: John Barnes, 2600 State Street, Building D, Salem, Oregon 97310. All comments are due by 5 p.m. on April 19.
Public Comments Invited in Montana
The National Forest System has proposed the Condon Mountain Fire Salvage Project with the intent to salvage trees on approximately 583 acres in the Flathead National Forest. The project would harvest trees burned during the 2012 Condon Mountain Fire as well as beetle-infested trees in the area. Harvesting the affected trees in a timely fashion is essential for use by the local timber industry.
In a letter describing the project, Swan Lake District Ranger Richard Kehr writes, “This project has the objective of recovering merchantable wood fiber affected by the Condon Mountain Fire in a timely manner to provide forest products to the local timber industry, contributing to short-term forest timber supply and long-term sustainability of timber on NFS lands.” A lightning strike started the Condon Mountain Fire in July 2012. An estimated 5,500 acres were affected before the fire was contained in October.
For more information about the proposed project, click here to visit the USDA Forest Service website. Those who wish to comment may send their feedback via email at comments-northern-flathead-swanlake@fs.fed.us or fax comments to 406-387-3889. Individuals may also deliver their comments to the Swan Lake Ranger Station Office in Bigfork or the Flathead National Forest Supervisors Office in Kalispell. The deadline to submit comments is April 26, 2013.
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