The Wexford Conservation District’s Forestry Assistance Program will again be hosting several forestry workshops during 2018. Please join us!
Winter Tree Identification and Snowshoe Walk
March 3, 2018 9:00 am-11:00, Kenwood Heritage Park, Cadillac. Trees can be difficult to identify in the summer, but winter identification when trees have no leaves can be tricky. Come and spend a few hours snowshoeing through beautiful Kenwood Park on the north side of Lake Cadillac and learn how to identify the trees of our area in the winter. Bring your snowshoes if you have them. The workshop is free of charge, but donations are accepted. Pre-register by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by January 31. If you would like to rent snowshoes from a local vendor contact the district for details.
March 3, 2018 9:00 am-11:00, Kenwood Heritage Park, Cadillac. Trees can be difficult to identify in the summer, but winter identification when trees have no leaves can be tricky. Come and spend a few hours snowshoeing through beautiful Kenwood Park on the north side of Lake Cadillac and learn how to identify the trees of our area in the winter. Bring your snowshoes if you have them. The workshop is free of charge, but donations are accepted. Pre-register by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by January 31. If you would like to rent snowshoes from a local vendor contact the district for details.
Writing a Good Timber Sale Contract
April 14, 2018 9:00 am-noon, USDA Service Center, Boon Rd. Cadillac, MI A good timber sale contract is the best defense against bad logging. If you are considering selling timber without the benefits of a consulting forester, this workshop will help you negotiate a fair, yet thorough, contract that will help make sure your forest is harvested the way you want it to be, and all your rights as a landowner are protected.
The fee for this workshop is $10. Pre-register is required by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by April 10.
Controlling Autumn Olive Workshop and Demonstration
July 7, 2018 9:00 am – 1:00 pm Cadillac area. Autumn olive is an invasive species that out-competes and displaces native plants. It can produce up to 200,000 seeds each year, and can spread over a variety of habitats and grows in even the most unfavorable soils. It reproduces quickly and with little effort at all. Birds are quite attracted to the seeds, and will scatter them throughout pastures, along roadsides and near fences. Even attempting to remove autumn olive by cutting or burning from your property can cause unwanted spreading as the shrub germinates easily. Autumn olive is one of the most troublesome shrubs in Michigan. In this workshop you will learn to identify and control autumn olive using chemical and non-chemical methods. This workshop will be led by Vicki Sawicki, Invasive Species Specialist with North Country CISMA.
The workshop is free of charge, but donations are accepted. Pre-register is required by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by July 2.
July 7, 2018 9:00 am – 1:00 pm Cadillac area. Autumn olive is an invasive species that out-competes and displaces native plants. It can produce up to 200,000 seeds each year, and can spread over a variety of habitats and grows in even the most unfavorable soils. It reproduces quickly and with little effort at all. Birds are quite attracted to the seeds, and will scatter them throughout pastures, along roadsides and near fences. Even attempting to remove autumn olive by cutting or burning from your property can cause unwanted spreading as the shrub germinates easily. Autumn olive is one of the most troublesome shrubs in Michigan. In this workshop you will learn to identify and control autumn olive using chemical and non-chemical methods. This workshop will be led by Vicki Sawicki, Invasive Species Specialist with North Country CISMA.
The workshop is free of charge, but donations are accepted. Pre-register is required by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by July 2.
Abandoned Christmas Tree Farm Conversion
August 18, 2018, 9 am – 1 pm, Colfax or Antioch Twp., Wexford Co. Michigan. Are you the owner of an abandoned Christmas tree farm and want to convert it to a more natural and manageable forest, but are frustrated with how to get it done. You are not alone. This workshop will discuss the challenges and opportunities of Christmas tree farm conversion. This workshop should give you a practical plan to making your conversion happen. The fee for this workshop is $15. Pre-register is required by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by August 14.
August 18, 2018, 9 am – 1 pm, Colfax or Antioch Twp., Wexford Co. Michigan. Are you the owner of an abandoned Christmas tree farm and want to convert it to a more natural and manageable forest, but are frustrated with how to get it done. You are not alone. This workshop will discuss the challenges and opportunities of Christmas tree farm conversion. This workshop should give you a practical plan to making your conversion happen. The fee for this workshop is $15. Pre-register is required by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by August 14.
Forestry Field Day – Northern Hardwood Forest Management
September 29, 2018 9 am-2 pm, Bloomfield Township, Missaukee Co. (6 miles north of Lake City) Northern hardwood forests are beautiful but complex. A diversity of species grow together in a changing and dynamic way. With the loss of ash and beech trees from this complex forest community, nature will struggle to compensate. Never has there been a time where careful management is absolutely necessary. This event will entirely be an outdoor workshop that will teach hands-on skills to understanding and managing a northern hardwood forest. The field day is offered for $20 and a box lunch will be provided. Pre-register is required by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by September 25.
September 29, 2018 9 am-2 pm, Bloomfield Township, Missaukee Co. (6 miles north of Lake City) Northern hardwood forests are beautiful but complex. A diversity of species grow together in a changing and dynamic way. With the loss of ash and beech trees from this complex forest community, nature will struggle to compensate. Never has there been a time where careful management is absolutely necessary. This event will entirely be an outdoor workshop that will teach hands-on skills to understanding and managing a northern hardwood forest. The field day is offered for $20 and a box lunch will be provided. Pre-register is required by calling the Wexford Conservation District office at 231-775-7681 ext 3 or emailing larry.czelusta@macd.org by September 25.
The Michigan Forestry Assistance Program is constantly adding new events to the State calendar, and many events are located in nearby counties. Check the State’s FAP web page and scroll down and click on “FAP Calendar of Events” to see the most up-to-date listing of FAP events that are being sponsored locally.