At this workshop we will discuss traditional heating fuels and their production, consumption and costs. Learn to use an Excel spreadsheet that makes it easy to compare different types of fuels based on their cost per million Btu of available heat. Burning wood or wood pellets can be less expensive at a cost per million Btu than natural gas, electricity, heating oil or propane. Learn why you should always use well-seasoned firewood and good quality wood pellets. If you want to learn how to compare different heating fuels or are thinking of purchasing a wood or pellet stove, this class is designed for you. Registration form is here.
A soil survey is an inventory of the different soil types and their location in the county. The Web Soil Survey is a useful web-based tool that was created, and is maintained, by the Natural Resource and Conservation Service. You can use several methods for choosing a location including: an address, or Section, Range and Township, or Latitude and Longitude. Information is available about what soils are present, their characteristics, agriculture or forest productivity, suitability for heavy equipment, and much more. If you think this type of information would be valuable for you and you are not familiar with the Web Soil Survey, this workshop might be just what you are looking for. Bring a description of your property to the class and develop a Web Soil Survey Report for that property. Registration form is here.
Did you know that 10 of the largest fires in Oregon history occurred west of the Cascade Mountains? During this workshop we will discuss the history of wildfire along the Oregon Coast and Coast Range, wildfire behavior, and methods to mitigate your risks by setting up defensible zones that include vegetation control, landscaping with fire-resistant plants, construction materials and more. If you live in the wildland-urban-interface, that beautiful setting for your home can be exteremly dangerous in case of wildfire. Registration form is here.
Wood is a multilayered, lognocellulosic, visoelastic, thermoplastic, cellular material of biological origin that is both hygroscopic and anisotropic. If this sounds interesting and you want to learn more, or if you work with wood in the forest industry or work with wood as a hobbyist woodworker this class is designed for you. Join us for a fun and informative class that will help you understand wood behavior during cutting, shaping and drying. Registration form here.
This class is an introduction to forest management for current or potential woodland owners or for those just interested in learning about forest management. It covers what you need to know and who you might want to contact to begin, or imporve on, managing your forest.
Topics covered will include:
Agenda and registration are here.
This workshop is designed to help you learn about milling and drying wood. It will benefit anyone who currently mills and/or dries wood or for those thinking about milling or drying wood. We'll discuss the different types of portable sawmills, and learn about small-scale drying methods, emphasizing air, solar and dehumidification. Registration is here.