Teaching the next generation

Conservation districts across the country work with local school districts to help spread the word about forestry, conservation

Minnesota’s Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) helps the Cromwell-Wright High School manage its 81-acre school forest. Projects have included tree removal, controlled burning, and maple sap collection and processing. Years ago, the district helped a science teacher develop a Forest Stewardship Plan, and district staff have visited classrooms to talk to students about forest management and soil health.

Because of the students’ work, and partner involvement, the school forest is a resource for the entire community to appreciate.

Conservation districts work with area youth and school districts in a number of ways. Here are a few examples from this fall:

  • Susan Biggs Warner of the Vermilion County Conservation District led a group of Illinois second-graders on a hike through the Forest Glen County Preserve, where they identified animal habitats and tracks, smelled sassafras leaves and other plants and looked for pine cones, acorns and mushrooms. One student told a local reporter: “I liked walking in the trees and seeing the leaves change colors. We also looked for things around the trees like vines and moss.” Read more>>>

From the Fall 2016 edition of The Resource...

King Conservation District helps spread urban forestry

With help from communities and area volunteers, King Conservation District is leading an effort to spread urban forestry throughout King County in Western Washington.

In 2015, King Conservation District launched the Urban Forest Health Management Program to provide urban forestry services to the incorporated cities of King County. Using a request for proposal (RFP) process, King Conservation District developed formal partnerships with several cities, including the City of Snoqualmie, the first to host a stewardship event through the program.

The Green Snoqualmie Partnership aims to place more than 1,000 acres of publicly-owned forested open space into an active urban forestry stewardship program. Partners include the City of Snoqualmie, King Conservation District and non-profit organization Forterra. Read more>>>

To read the Fall 2016 edition of The Resource, click here.


2016 USFS Timber Tax Tips Now Available

The U.S. Forest Service’s annual Timber Tax Tips is now available for download. It provides up-to-date federal tax information affecting timber transactions to help landowners, logging professionals and tax accountants for the 2016 tax year. Click here to view the Timber Tax Tips.


Watch: Forestry MOU Webinar

The Joint Forestry Team (JFT) recently hosted a webinar on how state-level forestry memorandums of understanding (MOUs) can be used to achieve on-the-ground results across all lands. NACD Forestry Specialist Mike Beacom and NACD Forestry RPG Chairman Steve Hedstrom were among the presenters.

This is the first in a series of webinars hosted by JFT, whose purpose is to make recommendations that result in coordinated, interagency delivery of forestry and conservation assistance. Its members include the U.S. Forest Service, NRCS, the National Association of State Foresters, and NACD. Click here to watch the webinar.


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