(Photo: Glenn Rosenholm)

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Hartlove Assists With Disaster Training in Oman

Instructors and students posed outside the police training center in Muscat, Oman. Bob Hartlove is in the first row, farthest right in Western civilian garb. (Photo: Courtesy Bob Hartlove)

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.--Fire and Emergency Operations Specialist Bob Hartlove traveled to the Middle East in November with a group of USDA Forest Service employees, to assist the Sultanate of Oman in strengthening their disaster management.  Oman historically has assisted other nations in responding to disasters, including earthquakes, the tsunami in Indonesia, and--most recently--a rescue and recovery mission in Gaza.

Representatives from Oman's Civil Defense, Ministry of Health, and Royal Police participated in 5 days of classroom instruction and practical exercises.  Training included U.S. National Incident Management System Command Staff roles and responsibilities. The students are destined to become the experts and instructors for Oman's evolving disaster management system.       

Exchanges between instructors and students were translated over headsets. Certain words and concepts, such as the term "forest", did not translate well, or at all; but the desire to learn was strong and moved the class along.   

Bob Hartlove expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be part of an effort that will ultimately contribute to humanitarian efforts in another part of the world. 

He added, "I now have friends around the world." 

The training was part of an ongoing program developed by Forest Service International Programs, and supported by the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

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ANNAPOLIS, Md.--Chesapeake Bay Program Coordinator Sally Claggett gave a guest lecture to a delegation of foresters from the People's Republic of China at the University of Maryland on December 8. She described how forestry practices are helping to improve water quality in the Chesapeake watershed. The lecture was a part of the Maryland International Incubator Program, which provides educational training and business strategies for foreign professionals. 

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DURHAM, N.H.--A study tested the effectiveness of silvicultural treatments on the number of trees attacked by the invasive woodwasp Sirex noctilio. Treatments reduced S. noctilio-attacked trees by approximately 75 percent over the course of the study. Read the article by Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry staff Kevin Dodds, Robert Cooke, and Ryan Hanavan in the journal Forests.  

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(Photo: Courtesy Neal Bungard)

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.--Neal Bungard, formerly Forest Legacy Program specialist, took on the role of natural resource program leader at the end of November. In this new role, he will have a greater focus on growing the USDA Community Forest Program for the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry. He will retain a strong leadership role in the Forest Legacy Program and remain at the Durham, NH, field office.  His contact information remains the same: e-mail  nbungard@fs.fed.us and phone 603-868-7719. Miranda Hutten formerly occupied the resource program leader position.   

MINNEAPOLIS--Forests throughout Minnesota and around the world have been certified to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standards. Both programs are anticipated to announce changes to their standards. Tune in for the latest updates on Tuesday, January 20, 2015, 12 - 1 pm Central time. Watch from a personal computer or at a local broadcast site. Get details and register at the University of Minnesota Extension Web site.

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(Photo: www.fpl.fs.fed.us)

MADISON, Wisc.-The USDA Forest Service's Forest Products Lab has the answer-it depends. The Lab Note on this topic is one of the Lab's most popular ever published.  Get the answer on the Forest Products Lab's Web site.