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Error Correction
In our August issue we made a mistake. Welcome Owen Martin should have read: "He has a married daughter and a son in college." Sorry about that, Owen!
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 State & Private Forestry NewsSeptember 23, 2013
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Packers' "First Downs for Trees" Begins Fourth Season
Earlier this year, a tree was planted in celebration of last year's program. Left to right: Mark Murphy (Packers President and CEO), Chuck Cloninger (President, Wisconsin Public Service), Cathy Stepp (Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources), Cam Davis (Senior Advisor to the Administrator of the EPA), Tony Ferguson (Director, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry). (Photo: Olivia Witthun, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
GREEN BAY, Wis.--The Green Bay Packers First Downs for Trees program will enter its fourth season this year and is now presented in partnership with two environmentally-conscious companies, SCA and Green Bay Packaging Inc., both which have local manufacturing operations.
First Downs for Trees is a cooperative effort with the Packers, the U.S. Forest Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Public Service. One of the Packers' Green Team initiatives, the program donates trees to participating Brown County communities based on the number of first downs achieved by the Packers in the previous season.
Last year, the program received a $48,000, two-year grant from the U.S. Forest Service as a part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. It's the second grant the program has received from the U.S. Forest Service. With the additional grant money, the program is able to plant more trees for each first down earned during the regular season. This will be the third year that the U.S. Forest Service has been involved with the program. Read more.
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Forest Service Offers Fall Colors Web Site and Hotline
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Yellow and green leaves highlight a trail on the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. (Photo: U.S. Forest Service District Interpreter Steve Robertsen, Tofte Ranger District, Superior National Forest)
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WASHINGTON--The U.S. Forest Service is urging people to get outdoors, spend time in rural communities and urban forests, and enjoy one of nature's most spectacular seasons with its Fall Colors 2013 campaign.
"America's public lands, particularly our national forests, are among the most spectacular venues to view the changes in fall colors," said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "The Forest Service offers numerous resources to help you plan your experience. Nature is closer than you may think."
The Forest Service has launched an online map to help visitors see if trees are peaking in their state. The map will be shaded in green (not peaking) to bright red (peaking) to brown (past peak). Another map will help visitors find a national forest nearest them to enjoy the colors of fall.
For a more analogue approach to trip planning, the Forest Service is once again offering its Fall Colors Hotline--1-800-354-4595. The hotline provides audio updates on the best places, dates and routes to take for peak viewing of fall colors on national forests. Read more.
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USDA Funds Development of Wood to Energy Projects
WASHINGTON--Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced a partnership agreement to expand wood energy use, which will help improve the safety and health of our nation's forests. The new partnership includes USDA, the Alliance for Green Heat, the Biomass Power Association, the Biomass Thermal Energy Council, and the Pellet Fuels Institute.
He also announced more than $1.1 million in grants are being awarded to five organizations to form state-wide teams that will stimulate development of wood energy projects.
"Today's announcements will help us find innovative ways to use leftover wood to create renewable energy and support good jobs in rural America," Vilsack said. "Wood to Energy efforts are a part of our 'all of the above' energy strategy. Appropriately scaled wood energy facilities also support our efforts to remove hazardous fuels and reduce the risks of catastrophic wildfires."
Read more.
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September is National Preparedness Month
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(Photo: www.FEMA.gov)
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WASHINGTON--Preparedness Month reminds all of us to make sure that we're ready for emergencies at home, at work, and in our communities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided resources to help you learn what you should do, what you should have on hand, how to plan for a disaster, and how to get involved. Get ready.
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Tour a Fire Camp With Smokey Bear
Smokey Bear was filmed while touring the Lolo Creek Complex Fire Camp in western Montana. The video shows what it takes to support a firefighter on the ground. Watch video.
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Looking Back as Woodsy Owl Turns 42
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Woodsy and his message are popular with young children. (Photo: Patty Dougherty)
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WASHINGTON--On September 15th, The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service celebrated Woodsy Owl's 42nd birthday. Woodsy has been America's symbol for conservation since 1971 when he encouraged citizens to, "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute." Watch a historic video message.
His message is just as important today. Woodsy continues to share how individuals can make a difference with his four Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot, and has expanded his message to include land stewardship with his new slogan, "Lend a Hand, Care for the Land."
Watch Woodsy and Bill Nye the Science Guy.
To mark Woodsy's 40th birthday in 2011, Forest History Today ran an article that traced Woodsy back to his creation. Read article.
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2013 Capitol Christmas Tree Has Been Selected
COLVILLE, Wash.--The tree that will grace the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol this December is an 88-foot-tall Engelmann spruce growing on the Colville National Forest in Washington State. Forest Service employees and the public initially chose 40 trees, which a forestry technician narrowed down to 10 trees, from which the Capitol grounds superintendent made the final choice. The driver of the truck and tree trailer has been consulted to make sure they could navigate the forest roads to access the tree. Follow the tree.
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Fee-Free Public Lands Day, September 28
WASHINGTON--The U.S. Forest Service is offering a fee-free day on Sept. 28 in conjunction with the 20th annual National Public Lands Day, the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands.
"Today's announcement is part of the USDA for all Seasons campaign, which seeks to educate the public on all the ways the department's agencies programs help communities and their economies every day," said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "America's national forests and grasslands belong to all of us. These beautiful places have so much to offer, and we hope you'll get outside and volunteer on National Public Lands Day to enjoy these places for yourself, while improving them for future visitors." Read more.
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Employees Volunteer With United Way for Fifth Year
DURHAM, N.H.-- NA S&PF employees at the DurhamField Office volunteered for the annual cleanup and maintenance day at the Urban Forestry Center in Portsmouth, NH, as part of the September 11 United Way Day of Caring. Dennis Kathios, Tom Luther, Terry Miller, Debbie Muccio, and Sherri Wormstead were several of the 25 volunteers at the Urban Forestry Center. Their efforts helped State partners at the center to improve the health and aesthetics of the arboretum, to prepare the grounds for a fall "Festival of Trees" event, and to prepare for heating the center's building this winter with their wood boiler. This year marked Durham employees' fifth year of participation. Over 700 volunteered at 50 nonprofit organizations throughout the Greater Seacoast Region of New Hampshire, for the United Way event.
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Deb Muccio and Sherri Wormstead took a break from pruning the garden. (Photo: Nina Dionne, Urban Forestry Center summer intern)
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Tom Luther and Terry Miller were among the 25 volunteers who worked in 95-degree weather on the end-of-summer Unite Way Day of Caring. (Photo: Deb Muccio)
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Dennis Kathios enjoyed trimming the hedges. (Photo: Deb Muccio)
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New Publications Highlight 2012 Accomplishments
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.--To learn more about the work of the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry and partners during the last fiscal year, see The Year in Forestry and Forest Legacy Program Yearbook.
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Newsmaking: A Primer for Success With the Media
Durham, N.H.--The Office of Communications, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, recently conducted this 1-hour Webinar. Topics covered include what makes news news, building relationships and working with reporters, and integrating social media. Watch and listen to the recording.
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Upcoming Events--Wood Education and Resource Center
PRINCETON, W.Va.-The following workshops will be held at the center in Princeton, WV:
Profitably Drying Small Quantities of Lumber Workshop-September 25-26, 2013
Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop-October 2, 2013
Small Sawmill Workshop-October 24, 2013
Energy Reductions Using Lean Thinking Workshop-November 20, 2013
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Behind the Forest Service Shield--
Al Iskra, 'Shrooms and Speedos - TMI
Plant Pathologist Al Iskra's approach is much the same as a detective's.
He says, "To be a good pathologist you have to look for all the issues before focusing on the disease. You have to look for other factors that led to the pathological incident." Read more.
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