By:
Chuck Woods (352) 392-1773 x 281Source(s):
Chris Demers cdemers@ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 846-2375
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 2006 “Advanced Master Tree Farmer – Level II” satellite shortcourse, organized by a committee of extension foresters at various forestry schools in the southern United States, will be offered from Feb. 7 through March 21.
Chris Demers, forest stewardship coordinator at the University of Florida’s School of Forest Resources and Conservation, said the advanced short course is designed for landowners, extension agents and others who have participated in the “Master Tree Farmer” basic course or who have a working knowledge of basic forest management concepts.
He said assistance with course design and development has also been provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and state forestry agencies and associations in the South.
Agenda topics will include:
- Managing the forest site
- Forest management options for your land
- Tools for controlling unwanted vegetation
- Forest health
- Water quality and best management practices for your forestland
- Present and future forest market opportunities
- Advanced wildlife management and other forestry topics (forest certification, support tools for forest owners,etc.)
The live satellite broadcast of “Advanced Master Tree Farmer – Level II” will be Tuesday evenings, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time (6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Central time), Feb. 7 through March 21 at participating downlink sites. Several Florida sites will be participating on a tape-delay schedule two or three weeks after the live broadcast. Twenty-four sites in Florida will participate. A listing of these sites and tentative schedules is available on the Web at http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/Extension/ffws/ffwshome.htm
Registration in Florida will be handled by the Florida Forestry Association. Fees will be announced in the registration brochure, which will be mailed before Nov. 24. Fees will include access to the satellite program, notebook and speaker note materials, and other local costs associated with hosting the program.
County extension agents with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Florida Division of Forestry foresters and others interested in working at the local level to host a site, or those who have any related questions should contact Chris Demers at (352) 846-2375 for more details. The regional Master Tree Farmer Web site will contain valuable information as it becomes available. This Web site is located at http://www.mastertreefarmer.net.
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