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Courses/Shortcourses

 

Basic Forestry Short Course

This annual six-session course plus field trip is an introduction to forest management for new or potential woodland owners. It covers what you need to know and who you might want to contact to begin managing your forest.

General Topics to be covered include:

  •  Introduction; How your forest ecosystem works; Sustaining your forest - protection from pests and fire; Management plans.
  • Sources of assistance. This session will be held in Scio.
  •  Measuring trees and other resources in your forest; Reforestation - establishing and maintaining forest trees.
  •  Field trip to local forest properties - plant trees, measure growth, view logging, access roads, discuss fish and wildlife habitat, other topics as desired.
  • The science and art of silviculture - thinning, pruning, fertilizing; A place for fish and wildlife on your woodlands.
  •  Taxes and other business necessities; Ties to the Land - creating a plan and a future for your forest.
  •  Harvesting and marketing products from your forest; Forest laws and incentive programs - Oregon Department of Forestry Stewardship Forester.

Primary instructor for the course is Rick Fletcher, OSU Extension Forester for Linn and Benton Counties.

The 2009 Course has been completed.  Please check back for the location and time of the 2010 course.

 

Resource Management Planning

Woodland owners write a management plan for their property using a template and the guidance of an experienced mentor.

Rick Fletcher and Brad Withrow-Robinson, OSU Forestry Extension Faculty, are hosting the 2008 Management Planning Workshop in Scio, Oregon.

 

The workshop will consist of two evening and one Saturday sessions. The initial session will be held on Tuesday, October 2, 2008 from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm. At this session landowners will be linked with a professinal forester, other resource professional or a Master Woodland Manager who will visit the landowner's property, then serve as a mentor to guide them with the completion of their management plan. Participants will be provided maps, aerial photos and other planning aids for developing or updating their forest management plan.

Two follow-up sessions are planned for Tuesday, October 28 from 6:00 - 8:30 pm and Saturday, December 6 from 10 am - 2 pm. These sessions are intended to review progress, answer questions that may have developed, and share plans with other workshop participants.

Registration is required by September 22. Complete the registration form and mail it to the Benton County Extension office. Cost for the training is $50 per participating property. (Multiply family owners for the same property are encouraged to attend.)

 

Master Woodland Manager (MWM)

Master Woodland Manager training is 85 hours of intensive study. In return MWMs donate an equal number of volunteer hours teaching others. Pre-requisites are the Basic Forestry Short Course and Resource Management Planning course.

Check the training schedule at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mwm/Workshops.php.


Woodland Owner Fire School

Fire School helps woodland owners gain knowledge and skills that can be used to protect their forests from wildfires. Participants also learn how to use fire as a tool in their management planning.

An evening session covers the characteristics and behavior of fire. A practical all-day, hands-on session provides the opportunity to use tools and equipment to extinguish a fire.

A modest fee is charged to cover instruction materials.

There will be no Fire School offered in 2009.