Districts a key windbreak partner across Great Plains

Conservation leaders from eight states gathered in Manhattan, Kansas, earlier this month for the Great Plains Windbreak Initiative, a three-day meeting designed to advance the “research, understanding, and use of windbreaks in the Great Plains.”

Windbreaks – one of five recognized agroforestry practices – are created by planting trees, shrubs, or grass in rows to protect crops, livestock, wildlife, or people from hazardous winds.

When properly designed, located, and managed, windbreaks can produce environmental and economic benefits. Read more>>>

Forestry at NACD's 2017 Annual Meeting

There was plenty of forestry to go around at the 2017 NACD Annual Meeting in Denver. Partners representing the U.S. Forest Service, National Association of State Foresters, National Wild Turkey Federation, Western Forestry Leadership Coalition, Wildland Fire Leadership Council, and Society of American Foresters participated in this year’s annual meeting.

“It was good to see so many of our forestry partners in Denver,” said NACD Forestry Resource Policy Group (RPG) Chairman Steve Hedstrom. “So much of what we do depends on the cooperation of our partners.” Read more>>>

NACD attends NWTF Annual Convention

NACD’s Government Affairs Associate Chris Heck attended the 41st Annual National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Convention. Heck took part in a plenary session with the U.S. Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, state wildlife agencies, American Forest Foundation, Hunting Heritage, and Wildlife Management Institute. The conference agenda covered a wide array of topics, including State Forest Action Plans, leveraging partnerships, threatened and endangered species, and prescribed fire.

Attendees also discussed the NWTF’s 10-year initiative “Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.” One of the goals of the initiative is to conserve or enhance four million acres of critical upland habitat. In order to achieve this goal, NWTF established six regions, collectively called America’s Big Six of Wildlife Conservation. They are the America’s Western Wildlands, America’s Great Open Spaces, America’s Crossroads, America’s Colonial Forests, America’s Southern Piney Woods, and America’s Mid-South. Each region will work to improve forest management, overall forest health, and water quality among other objectives.

Forestry Briefs

Ohio

Conservation district offers scholarship for forestry camp

The Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District is helping area high school students attend the 2017 Ohio Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Camp, sponsored by the Ohio Forestry Association. Students learn about a number of topics at the week-long camp, including wildlife and forestry management. Scholarship applicants must submit an application form and short essay to the district office to be considered. Click here to read more.

Oregon

Districts among partners updating CWPP

Columbia County received a $9,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Forestry to update a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). Agencies involved in the process include the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Natural Resources, the Columbia County Conservation District, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Leaders hope to have a draft ready by March 31 for the community to review. Anne Higgins of Columbia County Emergency Management told the Union-Bulletin, “We are going to have wildfires. We want to make sure we do everything we can to protect our community, but this plan is only going to work if we all work together on it.” Click here for more.

Alabama

Local district teaches students about impact of urban forestry

The Jefferson County Conservation District hosted an urban forestry and conservation fair for Birmingham fifth- and seventh-grade students. The district also provided students with a tree to plant to help celebrate Alabama Arbor Week. Read more on this story here.