By: Chuck Schwartau, Regional Extension Educator – Ag Production- Dairy (based in Goodhue County)
Woodland Advisor Training In Mankato
If you have an interest in trees and forests, and would like to increase your knowledge about them you will probably find something interesting at the Woodland Advisor series to be held starting October 13 at the South Central Technical College in North Mankato. The series of 11 courses covers most aspects of forestry relevant to Southern Minnesota, including wildlife management, assessing forest quality, insects and diseases of trees, timber harvesting, and much more. Everyone interested is encouraged to attend any or all of the sessions they have interest in. The series is sponsored by the University of Minnesota Extension Service, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Forestry Association, and Rice County Forestry Committee.
Those that elect to attend the entire series, and also like teaching or working with adults and youth may become a certified Woodland Advisor. Woodland Advisors are trained volunteers who help increase: landowner understanding of forests, forestry, and management options, improve the productivity and profitability of natural resource-based businesses and increase the general public and youth knowledge about forests and agroforestry. They do this by augmenting the activities of the University of Minnesota Extension Service, Minnesota DNR, and local Woodlands Councils.
With the exception of one Saturday field trip, sessions will be held on Monday nights each week from October 13 through December 8. They will be located at the South Central Technical College in North Mankato, and will start at 6:30 PM. The individual sessions are: October 13 Measuring and reading your forest, October 20 Forest Soils and protecting the forest, Saturday, October 25, 7:30 AM, Growing and tending your forest, October 27 Insects, disease, and how trees grow, October 30 Forest soils and protecting the forest, November 3 Managing diverse property, November 10 Minnesota’s forests: history, ecology, and opportunity, November 17 The nuts and bolts of timber sales, November 24 Non-timber forest products and marketing of forest products, Agroforestry: Shelterbelts, living snow fences and windbreaks, December 1 Forest wildlife and biodiversity: game and non-game, December 8 Financial aspects of woodland ownership.
There are two ways to participate. You can prepay to attend 15 sessions over a two year period for $150 (a 30% discount). Or, you can elect to attend specific sessions at a cost of $15 per session. Those who wish to attend the entire series are encouraged to pre-register. You can do so on-line at: www.cnr.umn.edu/cfc/wa, or you can obtain a brochure from your county Extension Office, or your local DNR forestry office. Those that do not pre-register can still attend and pay at the door.
If you register for the whole core Woodland Advisor series, you’re eligible to attend sessions anywhere in Minnesota as part of the program.
For additional information about sessions you can contact Brad Carlson at (507) 332-6109 (Faribault) or Gary Wyatt at (507) 375-1275 (St. James).
Chuck Schwartau is an educator with the University of Minnesota Extension Service in Ag Production – Dairy serving SE District that includes Blue Earth County. He can be reached at 1- 651-385-3100 or 1-800-385-3101.
The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.