Woodland owners to hear speakers at fair

Image Credit: Maine Woodland Owners

Woodland owners and enthusiasts visiting the Common Ground Country Fair, in Unity, on Friday, September 22, will have an opportunity to learn what’s new with Maine forestry. In the low-impact forestry area, Maine Woodland Owners will present a speaker series covering “everything wood,” and designed for new and seasoned woodland owners alike.

A walk in the woods will be part of the program for two forest health presentations, “Invasive Plants on Your Woodlot” and “Forest Insects and Diseases that Threaten Your Woodlands.” One discussion will look at ways that cutting some timber and managing land for wildlife can be compatible. Whole tree versus main stem tree harvesting methods will be compared and contrasted. Two presentations will take a look into the future: new forest products that are transforming the forest products industry, and efforts to restore the American chestnut, a tree that once covered three-quarters of the North American seaboard. Finally, an interactive program about ways landowners can avoid the most common mistakes will wrap up the day.

The low-impact forestry area is located just outside the fairgrounds, near the Pine Gate. For the full program and schedule, go to www.mainewoodlandowners.org.

9 a.m. – Invasive Plants on Your Woodlot, Nancy Olmstead, Invasive Plant Biologist, Maine Natural Areas Program.

10 a.m. – Managing Your Woodlot for Wildlife, Chuck Hulsey, MDIFW Regional Wildlife Biologist.

11 a.m. – Reintroduction of the American Chestnut, Brian Roth, Board member of the Maine Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation and Associate Director of the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit at the University of Maine.

Noon – The Pluses and Minuses of Whole Tree Harvesting, Tom Doak, Executive Director, Maine Woodland Owners, and Mitch Lansky, author and a founder of the Maine Low-Impact Forestry Project.

1 p.m. – New Uses for Wood, Benjamin Herzog, Wood Technologist in the Advanced Structures and Composites Center, the University of Maine. 2 p.m. – Forest Insects and Diseases that Threaten Your Woodlands, Allison Kanoti, Forest Entomologist, Maine Forest Service, DACF.

3 p.m. – The Ten Biggest Mistakes Woodland Owners Make, Tom Doak, Executive Director, Maine Woodland Owners.

A membership-supported non-profit organization, Maine Woodland Owners advocates for family woodland owners, provides information for better forest management and promotes the stewardship of Maine’s woodland resources.