Calendar
2008 |
Mastering the basics of chainsaw safety is essential for woodland owners who want to be more active on their land. The “Game of Logging” is a four-level series designed to increase safety and efficiency of chainsaw use. Take the Level I course as an introduction to sawing and felling, or take the whole series to move toward mastering your chainsaw skills. Hands-on training in each session will give participants the opportunity to fell one or more trees with supervision.
Level I focuses on introducing the participant to open face felling and the development of techniques to safely use it. Topics covered include personal protective equipment, chainsaw safety features, chainsaw reactive forces, bore cutting, pre-planning the fell, and understanding hinge wood strength.
Level II focuses on maximizing chainsaw performance through basic maintenance, carburetor setting, and filing techniques. Limbing and bucking techniques are introduced, spring pole cutting is covered and more felling is practiced.
Level III focuses on techniques for handling difficult trees. Topics covered include limbing, height measurement, segment calculations, wedging techniques and hinge placement. The felling is done against the tree's natural lean and participants also limb and buck using techniques demonstrated in level II.
Level IV focuses on ways to maximize a harvest plan for safety and productivity. Felling is practiced at working speed using all the techniques from previous levels. This level is geared to the user group.
Dates:
Saturday, October 11, 2008: Level I register
Sunday, October 12 , 2008: Level II register
Saturday, December 6 , 2008: Level III register
Friday, February 27, 2009: Level IV register
Saturday, February 28, 2009: Level I register
Sunday, March 1, 2009: Level II register
Instructor: Ken Lallemont, Timber Resources
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Conducting a Successful Timber Harvest
Woodland owners will work with professional foresters to learn how to plan and execute a successful timber harvest on their property. The classroom session will focus on planning needs, tree selection, the role of silviculture, and marketing and contracting for best results. We will cover the role of different logging equipment and logging operators in accomplishing a succesful timber harvest. The field portion of the class will take participants to several field sites to view harvests before and after. Continued forest management options such as Timber Stand Improvement and reforestation will also be discussed. Register.
Co-sponsor: Master Woodland Stewards Program
Instructors: Fred Clark, Clark Forestry, and Brad Hutnik, Wisconsin DNR
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Aldo Leopold Legacy Center, Baraboo
Trees to Trillium: Ground Layer and Woody Plant Identification
May 2, 2009, 9am-12pm. Developing a hands-on ability to identify plants is both fun and rewarding. Gigi LaBudde, of the Community Forestry Resource Center, and Mike Anderson, founder of BioLogic Consulting, and can help landowners better answer questions like: “What will my woods be like in 10 or 20 years?,” “Are there any species on my land that are a problem?,” and “Which species should I encourage, protect, discourage, or introduce?” This class is geared for novices and will focus on user-friendly methods of plant identification. Participants will learn tricks for identifying local flora, and some natural history and folklore, as well. Come enjoy the fleeting beauty of woodland spring ephemerals at a State Natural Area. Register.
Instructors: Michael Anderson, BioLogic Environmental Consulting; Gigi La Budde, Community Forestry Resource Center.
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Abraham’s Woods
January 19, 2008:Winter Sleuths: Dormant Season Tree and Plant Identification
Developing a “hands-on” ability to identify winter trees and shrubs will be the focus of this field class, with winter an ideal time to read the forest landscape. Learning the tricks for using bark, leaf scars, buds, branch form, and fruits as clues, participants will sharpen their plant identification skills and be better able to answer questions about where your woods is headed, management options, and what species to encourage or discourage. Wear your winter gear - the class will take place even with some snow, and we’ll warm up at the end with snacks and a discussion around a fire!
Instructors: Brad Hutnik, Wisconsin DNR; Gigi La Budde, Community Forestry Resource Center
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Sauk County, TBA
Introduction to Prescribed Fire as a Grassland Management Tool
We are pleased to offer two sessions of this popular class this year, one in Baraboo and one in Black Earth. The two-day course will cover the ecology of fire, fire behavior principles, and the elements of fire management planning, all particularly focused on prairie and savanna ecosystems. Participants will operate basic fire management tools, view the layout and preparation of a fire unit, and, weather permitting, conduct several real burns. This course will not prepare students to serve as a burn boss or conduct burns on their own. The course will enhance understanding of fire for landowners and resource managers, and will be as the basic crew member training by the Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council. Lunch provided both days.
Co-sponsors: Taliesin Preservation , Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council, and Lumberjack Resource Conservation & Development Council, Inc.
Instructors: Steve Swenson, Jeannine Richards, and Alanna Koshollek, Aldo Leopold Foundation; field assistants
Time: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Baraboo OR Spring Green
Your Land, Your Vision
Feel overwhelmed by the number of options for managing your land? Don’t even know where to start? Let us help you sort it out. We’ll ease you into the process of defining effective stewardship goals specific to you, and the resources available to make them a reality. We start by understanding the context of your land, the specific history of your own property, and what that means in terms of the surrounding landscape. We will discuss why people own land, work on refining your own land ethic into pragmatic goals for your property and discuss how adaptive management can work for you. Then we will explore the alphabet soup of programs available to landowners, including informational resources and sources of financial. You will leave with an understanding of how to start the process of writing a management plan for your property.
Instructors: Buddy Huffaker, Jeannine Richards, and Steve Swenson, Aldo Leopold Foundation; Serge Koenig, Sauk County Land Conservation
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Aldo Leopold Legacy Center
Click here to see the courses we have offered in the past.