SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — The 2012 Family Foresters Workshop will be held at the Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center in Spokane Valley on Jan. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Family Foresters Workshop is designed to strengthen the skills of consulting foresters, state-employed service foresters, and other natural resource professionals who work with family forest owners. It serves as a forum to provide updates on emerging technology and knowledge applicable to family forestry.
Family-owned forests are vital to the economy and quality of life in the inland Pacific Northwest. These lands are critical for wildlife habitat, timber supply, water quality, and many other values. Unique skills are required of foresters and other natural resource professionals who help family forest owners manage their property.
Topics planned for this year include assessing the costs of logging and trucking for family-forest owners; prescribed burner certification with an eye on reducing liability; climate change information for inland Pacific Northwest family forest landowners, including climate models and related tools being developed for landowners and managers; the future of markets for wood products from inland Pacific Northwest family forests; using Google Earth and other freely available mapping software; balancing wildfire risk reduction with wildlife habitat needs; and the annual family forest economics and policy update.
The program can accommodate up to 100 people. Registration forms are available at local University of Idaho and Washington State University Extension offices, and should be returned by January 13. The $85 pre-registration fee ($95 after Jan. 13) includes lunch and refreshments. For questions on the program, contact: Chris Schnepf at 208-446-1680 or Andy Perleberg at 509-667-6658.
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