LEAP Events & Workshops

May 22, 2012	Invasives Prevention and Management for Foresters, Loggers and Land Managers May 22, 2012: Old Gray Barn, Rupert, VT May 29, 2012: Hinesburg Town Hall, Hinesburg, VT A Training on Incorporating Best Management Practices into Land Management Activities. Participants will learn how to: implement forestry practices that reduce the spread of invasive plants; incorporate invasive plant assessments into Current Use and other land management plans; identify, assess and prioritize invasive plants on a property; control invasives using mechanical and chemical treatment methods; prioritize treatment activities based on land management goals, resources and difficulty of control; streamline the process for NRCS WHIP and EQIP practices; make informed on-the-job decisions to avoid spreading invasives at your site; find additional resources and tools to help you get the job done and to share information with clients and landowners. Each participant will receive a copy of the brand-new “Vermont’s Forestry Best Management Practices for Invasive Terrestrial Plants,” and a waterproof pocket guide to invasive plant identification. Professional development credits offered. Registration required. For a registration form and more information go to www.nature.org/vermont/weeds or call 802-229-4425. Project partners include: The Nature Conservancy; Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation; Redstart; Vermont Land Trust; Upper Valley Land Trust; and Polatin Ecological Services.

December 03, 2011	Exploring Our Landscape: Winter Walk with a Forester December 3, 9:30 Come for a winter stroll, a conversation about forests in winter, and a discussion about land management ideas. This walk is on private land, at 310 North Street in Middletown Springs. Leader: Eric Hansen, Rutland County Forester. This will be a moderate hike along woods roads and trails. Bring snowshoes if the weather is white! Questions or walk ideas, please email monica.erhart@gmail.com or call (802)446-7030. Organized by the Staying Connected Initiative and Vermont Coverts.

November 05, 2011	Exploring Our Landscape: Tinmouth Geology Exploring Our Landscape: Tinmouth Geology November 5, 9:30am This walk will be a short exploration of local geology. Meet at 9:30am at the Community Center in Tinmouth (on Route 140), and we will head to a viewpoint on Tinmouth Mountain. Leader: Helen Mango of Castleton State College. This walk may be shorter than most, with some off-trail bits up a steep slope. Questions or walk ideas, please email monica.erhart@gmail.com or call (802)446-7030. Organized by the Staying Connected Initiative and Vermont Coverts.

October 29, 2011	Game of Logging Chainsaw Safety Training - Levels 3 & 4 Saturday-Sunday, October 29-30, 8am-4:30pm, $150 per level (limited scholarships available) Building on the skills from Levels 1 & 2, these workshops will include dealing with difficult trees, job planning, harvesting operations, and because of the spring flooding this year, Level 4 will also include information on storm damage cleanup for landowners. More information about specific course content is at www.woodlandtraining.com. Contact Jayson Benoit at 802-723-6651 ext 115 to register.

October 27, 2011	Game of Logging Storm Damage Cleanup * NEW STORM DAMAGE TRAINING PROGRAM * If you have storm-blown trees in your forest that you'd like to remove, this course is for you. Storm Damage cleanup involves far more than looking at a standing tree and predicting what needs to be done to get the tree down safely and accurately. The forces at work in trees that have been tipped over by wind can be very hard to read and hence make a plan for. This type of saw work can be very dangerous. Storm Damage training provides saw users a number of “tools for the tool box” to be pulled out when they best fit. Game of Logging Levels 1&2 required as a prerequisite for this class. More information, including an outline of the Storm Damage Course content, registration information, and other course offerings can be found on VFF's "Events" Page. For questions, contact info@familyforests.org

October 22, 2011	Game of Logging Chainsaw Safety Training - Levels 1 & 2 Saturday-Sunday, October 22-23, 8am-4:30pm, $150 per level (limited scholarships available) This internationally-acclaimed course is a must for anyone who uses a chainsaw. Levels 1 & 2 cover precision felling techniques, safety equipment/use, and tips for maximizing saw performance and longevity. Includes hands on practice with a trained instructor. More information about specific course content is at www.woodlandtraining.com. Contact Jayson Benoit at 802-723-6651 ext 115 to register.

October 15, 2011	Forest Management for the Birds Saturday, Oct 15th 9 to 12. Solon Rhodes, 522 Bouplon Hollow Rd. North Bennington (actually in Shaftsbury) A workshop on forest management with the emphasis on forest birds sponsored by the Bennington County Sustainable Forest Consortium and Vermont Coverts. Katie Manaras of Vermont Audubon and Chris Stone, Benn. County Forester will be leading the trek. There will be a walk in the field and with the wet weather, rubber boots would be advisable. We will tour patch cuts of various ages, vernal pools, mast tree management, and view scenic fall vistas. Contact Solon at shrhode@yahoo.com for more detailed directions to the location.

October 14, 2011	Green Mountain Division, Society of American Foresters 2011 October Field Meeting Management on the Manchester District of the Green Mountain National Forest Friday, October 14th 2011 Join Foresters, Soil and Wildlife Specialists in a visit the South Road and Apple Orchard Stewardship timber sales on the Manchester District of the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests. We will look at and discuss various activities including oak, pine, aspen management, soil monitoring and conversions of plantations to wildlife openings. See and hear how planning and collaboration with local town government and the National Wild Turkey federation has led to successful stewardship of public lands in Vermont. For more information visit http://www.gwriters.com/saf/uc.html

October 08, 2011	Game of Logging Chainsaw Safety Training - Levels 1 & 2 Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, VT Saturday, October 8 Level I and Saturday October 15 Level II, 8am-4:30pm, $150 per level (limited scholarships available) This internationally-acclaimed course is a must for anyone who uses a chainsaw. Levels 1 & 2 cover precision felling techniques, safety equipment/use, and tips for maximizing saw performance and longevity. Includes hands on practice with a trained instructor. Professional instructors from Northeast Woodland Trianing. More information about specific course content is at www.woodlandtraining.com. Appropriate for forest professionals, landowners, homeowners, students, and anyone else with an interest. Level I and II are recommended as a minimum training for anyone operating a chainsaw. Pre-registration required. Contact Audubon Vermont (434-3068).

October 06, 2011	Game of Logging Levels 1-4 Sponsored by Vermont Family Forests, Bristol, VT The Game of Logging training program combines Scandinavian logging techniques with the latest systems for working safely around trees. We cannot overstate the value of these courses. We have participants who’ve used chainsaws for 30 years prior to taking GOL Level I say that the course changed the way they work in the woods. Cost per training session level: $160. Fall 2011 (download registration form for Fall 2011) Level I: 10/06/2011 at 8:00 am Level II: 10/13/2011 at 8:00 am Level III: 10/20/2011 at 8:00 am *STORM DAMAGE TRAINING: 10/27/2011 at 8:00 am * NEW STORM DAMAGE TRAINING PROGRAM *** If you have storm-blown trees in your forest that you'd like to remove, this course is for you. Storm Damage cleanup involves far more than looking at a standing tree and predicting what needs to be done to get the tree down safely and accurately. The forces at work in trees that have been tipped over by wind can be very hard to read and hence make a plan for. This type of saw work can be very dangerous. Storm Damage training provides saw users a number of “tools for the tool box” to be pulled out when they best fit. More information, including an outline of the Storm Damage Course content, registration information, and other course offerings can be found on VFF's "Events" Page. For questions, contact info@familyforests.org

October 02, 2011	Invasive Plant Identification and Management Workshop Sunday, October 2, 1-3:30 Meet at the Cornwall Town Hall, 2629 Rte 30, Cornwall, Vermont This workshop starts indoors with a presentation of how to identify invasive plants common in county fields and forests and a discussion of their impact on native vegetation and wildlife. Participants then move outdoors to identify these plants in the field, discuss “management” of invasives, and see demonstrations of ways to control them. Workshop participants are invited to bring samples or photos of plants they would like help in identifying. Questions about property management are also welcome. This event is co-sponsored by the Cornwall Conservation Commission and VT Coverts: Woodlands For Wildlife. For more information, contact Gisela Palmer at 462-3373.

October 01, 2011	Exploring Our Landscape: A Connected Landscape Saturday, October 1, 9:30am Meet at 9:30am at the Smokey House Center in Danby (426 Danby Mountain Road), and join a walk to an amazing viewpoint. We’ll see fall foliage as we talk about how local forests connect for wildlife and other natural resources. Leaders: Annette Smith of Vermonters for a Clean Environment and Monica Erhart of the Staying Connected Initiative. This walk will consist of an easy stroll along a gravel road. Questions or walk ideas, please email monica.erhart@gmail.com or call (802)446-7030. Organized by the Staying Connected Initiative and Vermont Coverts.

October 01, 2011	Dead Creek Wildlife Day Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area Addison, VT Mark your calendar for a day filled with loads of information and fun for adults and children alike. Activities include bird banding demonstrations, live critters, hunting dog handling, decoy carving and much more. For more information visit the Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website. Dead Creek Wildlife Day has something for everyone! For the schedule of activities visit http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/images/deadcreek/poster_11_for_web.pdf (see page 2)