Penn State Live - Two forest issues webinars set for this summer

Two forest issues webinars set for this summer

Friday, July 10, 2009

Two online seminars on forest issues will be offered this summer by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

The "webinars," presented by the School of Forest Resources' Pennsylvania Forests Web Seminar Center, are scheduled to run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on July 22 and Aug. 26.

The Wednesday, July 22, webinar will feature Sanford "Sandy" Smith, youth and natural resources extension specialist, presenting, "Summer Tree Identification Made Easy."

"The identification of trees by their leaves is perhaps the easiest way to distinguish one species from another," Smith said. "This session will present the basic types of leaves, their characteristics and how to use a 'tree key' for identification. Old and young alike will benefit from learning this valuable skill."

Before taking part in this webinar, according to Smith, participants should download and print the 4-H Summer Key for Pennsylvania Trees that will be used during the session from the Forests Web Seminar Center's Web site at http://rnrext.cas.psu.edu/PAForestWeb/upcomingseminars.html.

On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Eric Burkhart, instructor and program director of plant science at Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, will present "Plant Yer Own Patch!, An Introduction to American Ginseng Forest Farming."

"If you are interested in native plants, enjoy spending time in the woods and are looking for a way to diversify farm income or help cover annual forestland ownership costs, establishing or 'farming' American ginseng on Pennsylvania forestlands might be for you," said Burkhart. "It is a fascinating and potentially profitable activity that can contribute to both plant and forestland conservation."

In this workshop, participants will be introduced to one of the state's most valuable crops, American ginseng. The botany, biology, ecology, markets, growing options, propagation techniques and management issues (pests, theft and regulations) all will be covered, according to Burkhart.

Starting in September, the regular "second tuesday" Pennsylvania Forests Web Seminar Series begins again with a Sept. 8 webinar titled, "Forest Regeneration and Management," presented by Susan Stout, project leader with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service's Northern Research Station.

On Oct. 13, Bryan Swistock, Penn State water resources extension specialist, will present "Protecting Water Resources on Your Property."

Webinars in the "Second Tuesday" series will be offered at both noon and 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. Plans are being finalized for additional seminars well into 2011.

As with all presentations in the Pennsylvania Forest Web Seminar Series, each session will be recorded and loaded onto the center's Web site along with a copy of the presentation and any handout materials. However, none of the interactive elements will be available when watching the recordings.

Participation in the webinars does not require any special software. To view live and previously recorded seminars, all you need is a high-speed Internet connection. To register and take part in the live seminars or to view the upcoming seminars schedule, visit http://rnrext.cas.psu.edu/PAForestWeb/.