We have been deluged by responses to Barry Wynsma's thoughtful essay on Forest Service leadership - or the lack thereof. Provided here is some feedback on the essay.
I. Featured News
All of these items and more appear in the "Featured News" section on the SAF home pageAccording to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), there were 14 active large fires (including fires in complexes) affecting more than 72,000 acres this week.
For additional wildland fire statistics, visit the NIFC website. To read news articles about some of the blazes, see the following links.
Fire Crews Battle Blazes across State
Tulsa World (April 7)
Firefighters Making Progress in Battling Wildfire
Stamford Advocate (April 7)
High Wind Forecasts Worry New Mexico Fire Managers
USA Today (April 7)
Forestry Crews Battle Eight Wildfires in Arkansas
Albany Times Union, April 6
2. Ash Borers, Pine Beetles, and Moths (Oh My…)
Last week, The E-Forester contained a news item about a new invasive pest-the Brown Fir Longhorned beetle-found at the Port of Baltimore. This week, there's been a bevy of bug-related news about the emerald ash borer, the mountain pine beetle, and the browntail moth, and we've collected some of it here for your reading pleasure.
Ash Borer Battle Will Be Costly
Chicago Tribune, April 5
Emerald Ash Borer Tops Iowans' Forest, Woodlands Concerns
Eastern Iowa Government.com, April 5
Tree-Jumping Pine Beetle Spreads Misery
Edmonton Journal, April 5
Maine Warns of Browntail Moth Infestation
Maine Public Broadcasting, April 5
3. Stumping for Future Forests: Vermont Coverts Urges Landowners to Plan Way, Way Ahead
Burlington Free Press (April 3) - John McNerney, a landowner in Monkton, Ohio, tramps through his 82 forested acres, wielding a chainsaw and contemplating the hereafter. The question on his mind: to what extent should a landowner preserve a forested landscape for which he or she is a transitory steward?
4. Forest Classification Perplexes Owners of Tree-Sparse Property
Corvallis Gazette Times (April 4) - When Spencer Peterson, a small landowner, looks around his 7.6-acre property near Philomath, Oregon, he sees a house, a shop and a hayfield, with a narrow fringe of trees at the back, down by the creek. But when the Benton County Forest Classification Committee looked at it, it classified the whole parcel "forestland."
According to the Corvallis Gazette Times, the committee's efforts are part of a county-by-county reclassification process launched in 2007 to make sure everyone who may need the services of the Oregon Department of Forestry's wildland firefighting crews helps pay for them.
5. On the Forefront of Wildfires
Progress-Index.com (April 7) - In Virginia, a state that is 67 percent forest, wildfires occur on average about 1,200 times per year and burn 12,000 acres. Still, officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry know that the public knows little about the department's role in containing wildfires, which is why they invited media to a presentation of their work at Pocahontas State Park yesterday, including demonstrations by helicopter and plane.
Federal Lands Management
6. Forest Pilot Projects Get Balanced Support
Ashland Daily Tidings (April 5) - Some might debate the impact of a federal court judge's ruling regarding the US Bureau of Land Management's Western Oregon Plan Revision (WOPR), but few question the need to continue forest restoration pilot projects in southwestern Oregon.
Recently, US District Court Judge John D. Bates in Washington, DC, ruled that Salazar lacked the authority to take the 2009 action withdrawing the WOPR without first calling for public comments.
7. Appeal Denied in Klamath National Forest Salvage Project
Siskiyou Daily News (April 5) - The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has upheld a ruling denying a request to halt salvage lumber activities in the Klamath National Forest, according to a ruling filed March 25 in the case Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center v. Grantham.
Finding that the groups had "failed to show a likelihood of success, or raise a serious question, on the merits of any of their claims," the district court denied the motion for a stay and injunction pending appeal of the Forest Service's plan.
Durango Herald (April 4) - It may seem counterintuitive, but a prescribed burn-the deliberate introduction of fire into forests-uses fire to prevent worse fires. By torching downed trees, underbrush, and other waste under controlled conditions, catastrophic wildfires can be averted, foresters say.
Forest Products Industry
9. PA Lumber Companies "Crushed" by Housing Slump
Albany Times Union (April 5) - US lumber companies processed 6.8 billion board feet of hardwood in 2009, according to the US Forest Service. That was a foot of wood for every person on the planet that year.
Much of that came from Pennsylvania-no state grows more hardwood stock.
But the business is off. That 6.8 billion board feet was just half of what the industry produced in 1999. And though there is still work-2,200 companies cut, haul, dry, and shape hardwood stock in Pennsylvania-it's harder to find.
10. Q&A with Tom Tuchmann of Forest Capital
Daily Astorian (April 5) - The Daily Astorian recently conducted an interview with Tom Tuchmann, president of US Forest Capital, a Portland-based firm that helps clients assemble complex transactions involving forestlands. A professional forester, Tuchmann has been a high-level forest policymaker in Washington, DC.
Note: This item was from a special section in the Chinook Observer titled "Fate of Our Forests."
11. Expect More Forestry Mergers: PwC Study Says
Montreal Gazette (April 4) - Stand by for more mergers and acquisitions in the global forest products industry this year, says a new study by PwC (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers).
Last year in North America alone, 66 deals worth $3.2 billion were completed, up 47 percent from recession-hit 2009. They included 15 Canadian deals worth $1.8 billion (US), mainly from AbitibiBowater's $940 million asset sale and Eacom Timber's acquisition of Domtar Corporation's lumber business.
II. Publications, Resources, and Items of Interest
1. Mediterranean Forests Focus of UN ActionUnited Press International (April 7) - According to the United Nations, a partnership with Mediterranean states will raise forest awareness initiatives to preserve the resource.
The partnership is intended to encourage integration in forest management policies, with a particular emphasis on wildfire prevention. The Mediterranean loses as much as 1 million hectares of forests, with a value of $1.43 billion, each year to fires.
National Workshop on Climate & Forests
Planning Tools and Perspectives on Adaptation and Mitigation Options
Northern Arizona University o May 16-18, 2011 o Flagstaff, Arizona
Join leading scientists, foresters, and educators to learn and discuss what needs to be done today to manage tomorrow's forests. Participate in regionally themed breakouts to discuss the implementation of adaptation and mitigation options and share your accomplishments at the poster session.
Colorado-Wyoming SAF Meeting
The Colorado-Wyoming SAF will meet May 12-14 at the Strater Hotel in Durango. Organized under the theme "Managing Forests for Resiliency in a Climate of Change," the meeting will include a state society business meeting (May 12), technical sessions (May 13), and a field trip (May 14). CFE credits will be available.
For more information, contact Steve Ambrose.
3. Research You May Be Missing
Interested in what your colleagues have been reading? Below are the top most downloaded articles from each of SAF's scientific journal publications for the month of January.
Environmental and Social Risks: Defensive National Environmental Policy Act in the US Forest Service
(Journal of Forestry, Vol. 109, No. 1)
Sediment Trapping by Streamside Management Zones of Various Widths after Forest Harvest and Site Preparation
(Forest Science, Vol. 56, No. 6)
Forest Biomass Harvesting in the Northeast: A Special-Needs Operation?
(Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, Vol. 27, No. 2)
Sixty Years of Management on a Small Longleaf Pine Forest
(Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, Vol. 35, No. 1)
Does Raking Basal Duff Affect Tree Growth Rates or Mortality?
(Western Journal of Applied Forestry, Vol. 25, No. 4)
To see the complete top 10 most downloaded article lists, visit the publications page on the SAF website, then click on the journal you wish to view, then click the Most Downloaded Articles link.
Your membership in SAF entitles you to free access to all journal content, but you need to register with IngentaConnect to get it.
Questions? Contact Matthew Walls.
III. Science and Technology
1. Study: Drought-Exposed Leaves Adversely Affect Soil NutrientsPurdue University (April 5) - According to a Purdue University study, chemical changes in tree leaves subjected to the warmer, drier conditions resulting from climate change may reduce the availability of soil nutrients, according to a Purdue University study.
2. Mangroves among the Most Carbon-Rich Forests in the Tropics
US Forest Service (April 4) - A research team from the US Forest Service's Pacific Southwest and Northern research stations, University of Helsinki, and the Center for International Forestry Research examined the carbon content of 25 mangrove forests across the Indo-Pacific region and found that per hectare mangrove forests store up to four times more carbon than most other tropical forests around the world.
3. Forest Service Software Puts Price Tag on Trees
Denver Post/Philadelphia Inquirer (April 1) - US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell recently traveled to Philadelphia to unveil a new version of the service's i-Tree software. The computer application helps both planners and regular citizens assess the monetary value of the street trees, plus quantify the environmental services the trees provide.
IV. SAF News
1. Membership Benefit: Consulting Forester's Liability and Prescribed Burn Liability Insurance Coverage
Do you need comprehensive, reliable, and affordable insurance coverage specifically designed to protect consulting foresters? If so, visit the SAF website to find out more on how SAF can help you get it.
2. Allegheny SAF Seeks Business Manager
The Allegheny SAF (ANSAF) seeks a business manager to support the Allegheny SAF Chair and Executive Committee by providing operational support and continuity in operations. This part-time position carries a 2-year term and its major duties consist of:
- Serving as newsletter editor and develop four newsletters per year.
- Attending ANSAF winter and summer meetings.
- Coordinating with the treasurer for financial management including permanent funds, preparing budgets, and filing tax forms.
- Providing a permanent point of contact and serving as a records repository.
- Serving as liaison and operational support for and between ANSAF, divisions, chapters, and the SAF National Office, and providing continuity during officer transitions.
For more information, or to apply, send a letter of application stating your interest in and qualifications for the position along with a resume and the contact information for three references to Kurt W. Gottschalk. All applications must be received by May 15, 2011.
3. Get the Most from Your New Membership Benefit-Free Online Access to All SAF Journals!
Beginning in January, your SAF membership now includes free online access to the Northern, Southern, and Western Journals of Applied Forestry, as well as Forest Science, SAF's premiere journal of forestry research and theory.
To take advantage of this new membership benefit, sign up for a new issue alert, which automatically sends you an e-mail when new issues are available. You can also set up a RSS feed for the latest or recent issues. Simply visit our online content, select the journal for which you wish to receive an alert or feed, then click the corresponding link beneath the issue thumbnail.
Remember: if you've never accessed SAF's online journal collection, you'll need to register first to take advantage of your new benefit. Follow these simple, one-time registration instructions and then be on your way to exploring the latest science and research, as well as new techniques and practices for effective, productive forest management.
For assistance with the registration process, contact Matt Walls.
4. 2011 Ben Meadows Scholarships
The Society of American Foresters is pleased to announce two new scholarships offered by Ben Meadows and administered by SAF.
All scholarship candidates must be enrolled, full time, as a junior or senior in a natural resource program working toward a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree, which includes, but is not limited to, agroforestry, urban forestry, environmental studies, natural resource management, natural resource recreation, wildlife management, wood science and fisheries management.
The scholarships, one for academic achievement and one based on leadership, are each worth $2,500.
Applications are due by June 30, 2011. Eligible students are encouraged to apply. Instructions, complete requirements, and the application form can be found on the Ben Meadows website.
5. SAF Seeks Editor for Southern Journal of Applied Forestry
The Society of American Foresters is seeking an editor for the Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, SAF's quarterly journal of applied forestry serving foresters and allied professionals with research, practices, and techniques targeted to the southern United States. The editor serves a 3-year term (beginning September 1, 2011) and receives a stipend of $650 per month.
Send resume, selected publication vitae, and a letter describing qualifications and interest in the position to Matthew Walls, Director of Publications, Society of American Foresters, 5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814-2198, fax: (301) 897-3690.
The application deadline is April 30, 2011. For questions regarding responsibilities and qualifications, contact Matt Walls.
The Society of American Foresters is an equal opportunity employer.
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