Virtual Preparing for Generation NEXT
- September 16, 17, 23, & 24
- 3 - 4:30 p.m.
- Zoom
- $40/family
This 4-part series will help you plan to pass your property and your legacy on to the next generation while keeping it intact, in forest, and in family. Hear from experts in estate planning, finance, and family communications. Ample time for questions from you and answers from our experts will be provided. In addtion, you will receive a copy of our BRAND NEW full-color 56-page book - Legacy Planning: A Guide for Virginia Landowners.
An asynchronous version of this program should be available in the near future.
- Agenda
- Registration is closed.
Contact Jennifer Gagnon, jgagnon@vt.edu, 540-231-6391 for more information.
Fifteen Minutes in the Forest: Aging Whitetail Deer by the Tooth
- Sept. 25
- 12 - 12:15 p.m.
- Zoom
- Free
Join Jason Fisher, Virginia Cooperative Extension, to learn how to age a deer by its teeth.
Contact Jason Fisher, 434-476-2147, jasonf@vt.edu for more information.
Archived on The Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program's YouTube Channel
Blue Ridge PRISM Invasive Plant Workshop
- September 29
- ZOOM
- 1 - 4:00 p.m.
- $10
Non-native invasive plants are quickly overwhelming many properties by tearing down the forest canopy and overtaking our native plants at the tree, shrub and/or groundcover levels. Understanding what invasive plants exist on the landscape and what it will take to control them can often feel overwhelming.
This workshop will enable you to learn how to confidently identify and manage invasive plants.
Topics covered in this session include:
- Identifying invasive plants
- Which invasives you can best kill now
- Which invasives you should treat later
- Best seasonal practices for each invasive
- Using manual & mechanical control methods
- Methods for controlling invasives with herbicides
- Choosing the right herbicide and equipment, and using it properly
- Planning a work schedule with best timings for multiple plants
For more information, visit www.blueridgeprism.org
Halifax County - Fall Forestry & Wildlife Field Tour
- October 2
- Halifax County
- 8 - 4:30 p.m.
- $25/person; $40/couple - includes a boxed lunch
Meet at 8 a.m. at The Cove 5059 Cove Road, Clover, VA 24534
Tour begins promptly at 9:00 a.m.
Participants will travel to stops on hay wagons.
Stop 1: Welcome to the Cove Property. Ward Burton will share his vision and conservation philosophy.
Stop 2: The Importance of Protecting Wetlands. Learn about wetland restoration and creating habitat for flora and fauna that thrive in these areas.
Stop 3: Shortleaf Who? Shortleaf pine was once a much more common species in Virginia. Hear about efforts to restore this diminished species to the landscape. You will also learn how to identify both shortleaf and loblolly pines.
Lunch: Local (boxed) fare provided by the Burton Family.
Stop 4: Reaching the NEXT Generation. Members of the Ward Burton Foundation will share their efforts to promote a conservation ethic among younger generations.
Stop 5: Tools to Create and Manage Wildlife Habitat. Discing, burning, and planting are all ways to create and maintain high-quality habitat for many different species of wildlife. See how the Burton family uses these tools on their land.
Stop 6: Hardwoods are Important Too! Virginia has a new initiative to help woodland owners improve the health and productivity of their hardwood forests. Learn how this initiative can help you.
Return by 4:30 p.m.
For more information contact: Jason Fisher, jasonf@vt.edu, 434-476-2147
Please register by 4:00 p.m., Friday, September 25th
Important COVID-19 Information. Please read carefully before registering.
Fifteen Minutes in the Forest: Forest Pests: Fall Edition
- Oct. 2
- 12 - 12:15 p.m.
- Zoom
- Free
Neil Clark, Virginia Cooperative Extension, will talk about some common forest pests that make their appearance in the fall.
Contact Neil Clark, 757-653-2572, neclark@vt.edu for more information.
Archived on The Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program's YouTube Channel
Blue Ridge PRISM Invasive Plant Workshop
- October 7
- ZOOM
- 1 - 4:00 p.m.
- $10
Non-native invasive plants are quickly overwhelming many properties by tearing down the forest canopy and overtaking our native plants at the tree, shrub and/or groundcover levels. Understanding what invasive plants exist on the landscape and what it will take to control them can often feel overwhelming.
This workshop will enable you to learn how to confidently identify and manage invasive plants.
Topics covered in this session include:
- Identifying invasive plants
- Which invasives you can best kill now
- Which invasives you should treat later
- Best seasonal practices for each invasive
- Using manual & mechanical control methods
- Methods for controlling invasives with herbicides
- Choosing the right herbicide and equipment, and using it properly
- Planning a work schedule with best timings for multiple plants
For more information, visit www.blueridgeprism.org
Register on-line
Fifteen Minutes in the Forest: Tree Pruning Basics
- October 9
- 12 - 12:15 p.m.
- Zoom
- Free
Karen Snape, Virginia Cooperative Extension, will show you how and when to properly prune your trees.
Contact Karen Snape, 540-231-6494, ksnape@vt.edu for more information.
Archived on The Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program's YouTube Channel
Carroll & Grayson Counties - Fall Forestry & WIldlife Field Tour
- October 9
- Matthews State Forest, Galax
- 8:30 - 4 p.m.
- $25/person; $40/couple - includes a boxed lunch
Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Matthews State Forest 106 Forestry Lane, Galax, VA 24333; 276-236-2322
Tour begins promptly at 9:00 a.m.
Stop 1: Managing your Trees. Learn about management options for growing productive and high-quality white pine and mixed hardwoods.
Stop 2: Managing your Wildlife. Many woodland owners choose to manage for both game and non-game species of wildlife on their land. Find out how food plots and warm season grasses can help you achieve your goals.
Lunch: Boxed lunch from local restaurant
Stop 3: Managing your Unwanted Invasives. You probably have them, whether you know it or not. Learn how to identify common invasvies in SW Virginia and what you can do about them.
Stop 4: Managing for the Holidays. Christmas trees and the greenery industry have large consumer markets. Can your land be used to grow these products?
Return by 5:00 p.m.
For more information contact: Bill Worrell, bworrell@vt.edu, 276-889-8056
Please register by 4:00 p.m., Friday, October 2
Important COVID-19 Information. Please read carefully before registering.
Fifteen Minutes in the Forest: Spruce-fir Forests
- Oct. 16
- 12 - 12:15 p.m.
- Zoom
- Free
Bill Worrell, Virginia Cooperative Extension, will take you on a tour of the high-elevation spruce-fir forests in southwest Virginia.
Contact Bill Worrell, 276-889-8056, bworrell@vt.edu for more information.
Archived on The Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program's YouTube Channel
Clarke County - Fall Forestry & WIldlife Field Tour
- October 16
- Clarke County - Blandy Experimental Farm
- 8:30 - 4 p.m.
- $25/person; $40/couple - includes a boxed lunch
Meet at 8:30 a.m. at: Blandy Experimental Farm 400 Blandy Farm Lane Boyce, VA 22620
Virginia’s official State Arboretum, also known as Blandy Experimental Farm, is much more than a collection of trees. This 172 acre property, owned and managed by the University of Virginia, “sprouted” in the 1930 and contains trees and shrubs from around the world, over 670 different species!
From the famous Ginko Grove to the hopeful American Chestnut orchard this property boasts more than trees. Numerous ponds and Warm Season Grass fields managed with fire provide treasured habitat for Quail and other early succession using wildlife. Mature Hardwood forests facing pressure from invasive species are a real world scenario providing applied research opportunities. We’ll also reach high and wide to officially measure tree size, dig deep to explore soil and roots and maybe watch a log get transformed into lumber. Join us for this a behind the scenes tour of this living museum and outdoor laboratory.
Return by 4:00 p.m.
For more information contact: Adam Downing, adowning@vt.edu, 540-948-6881
Please register by 4:00 p.m., Friday, October 11
Important COVID-19 Information. Please read carefully before registering.
Blue Ridge PRISM Invasive Plant Workshop
- October 22
- ZOOM
- 1 - 4:00 p.m.
- $10
Non-native invasive plants are quickly overwhelming many properties by tearing down the forest canopy and overtaking our native plants at the tree, shrub and/or groundcover levels. Understanding what invasive plants exist on the landscape and what it will take to control them can often feel overwhelming.
This workshop will enable you to learn how to confidently identify and manage invasive plants.
Topics covered in this session include:
- Identifying invasive plants
- Which invasives you can best kill now
- Which invasives you should treat later
- Best seasonal practices for each invasive
- Using manual & mechanical control methods
- Methods for controlling invasives with herbicides
- Choosing the right herbicide and equipment, and using it properly
- Planning a work schedule with best timings for multiple plants
For more information, visit www.blueridgeprism.org
King William County - Fall Forestry & WIldlife Field Tour
- October 23
- King William County - Sandy Point State Forest
- 8:30 - 4 p.m.
- $25/person; $40/couple - includes a boxed lunch
Meet at 8:30 at Sandy Point State Forest Sandy Point Road, West Point, VA 23181
Tour starts promptly at 9:00 a.m.
We’ll have plenty of physical distancing space (while we strive to remain social) among the 2,053-acre Sandy Point State Forest. This acreage was acquired in 2002 from The Nature Conservancy, who had previously acquired it from industrial ownership. So among the varied stands, numerous management practices are being used to accomplish an array of objectives. Depending on the attendance, we will likely break into smaller groups and rotate around stops to ensure distancing.
Stop A: This, That, and the Other. Things that are done to shape the forest into something better involve harvests, crop-tree release, prescribed burning, spraying, and planting. There are dozens of approaches to performing these tasks. Get the lowdown from seasoned practitioners who have seen and done it all.
Stop B: Why Maintain a Bridge when you can Establish a Ford? Fords are not extremely common water crossings in eastern Virginia, however new technologies do make them easier to install and maintain than bridges and culverts. And it you tire of battling beavers, or have experienced some of the coastal plain storm events, you know how vulnerable bridges and culverts are. Fords present a longer-term, lower maintenance alternative.
Lunch: Down by the River. We picked out a spot long cherished by the locals and previous owners as a beautiful place to enjoy some individually packaged lunches of local fare.
Stop C: All Creatures Great and Small. Everything that we do, or don’t do, has some impact on what critters may occupy an area during different seasons and for different reasons. A wildlife biologist, who has worked on this property for decades through various ownerships, will explain how different stand structures, light regimes, and water availability impact which plants and animals will thrive and how this biodiversity plays into an intricate ecosystem.
Stop D: Why are you Pining Away? Pine is a very significant (though not the majority) cover type in eastern Virginia. Soils and economics are significant drivers. We’ll catch a little glimpse of how this came to be over the years and get an update on where this might be headed in the future. The need for packaging continues to exhibit strong demand, and packaging - believe it or not - grows on trees. Packaging needs pines. A more detailed rundown of everything from improved genetics of growing stock to site preparation and planting densities to factors influencing thinning and mid-rotation management, to when to harvest will be covered.
Return by 4:00 p.m.
For more information, contact Neil Clark, neclark@vt.edu, 757-657-2572.
Important COVID-19 Information. Please read carefully before registering.