Workshop on Insects and Fungi in Storm Areas - Slovakia

We have the honour to invite you to take part to the 9th workshop of IUFRO WG 7.03.10 on Methodology of Forest Insect and Disease Survey in Central Europe.

Location and date

Štrbské Pleso (High Tatras region), Slovakia Hotel Patria: http://www.hotelpatria.sk/

September 15 to 19, 2008

Main Topics of the Workshop

1. Methods on surveillance and control of insect and fungal pest agents on windthrow wood and adjacent calamity areas.

2. Natural dynamics of insects and fungi in storm areas.

3. Protection measures undertaken in nature conservation areas.

4. Information on the occurrence of pests and diseases.

Click the download icon below to receive the full meeting and lodging announcement and registration information.

Treasure Forest to host forest owner workshop in Troy,Alabama.

Workshop for forest owners and people interested in the forests of Alabama. Information can be found at: http://www.troymessenger.com/articles/2008/03/21/news/news05.txt . Article also gives some good information on cogongrass.

CRP Longleaf Pine Initiative - Native Warm Season Grasses

The popular Conservation Reserve Program provides incentives for qualifying landowners to establish longleaf pine on previously cropped ground in a south-wide effort to restore the longleaf pine ecosystem over its native range that once encompassed 92 million acres. Today, less than 3 percent remains and the CRP Longleaf Pine Initiative seeks to establish longleaf pine on 250,000 acres across none southern states. In addition to planting longleaf pine, the Conservation Practice CP36 promotes the establishment of native warm season grasses (NWSG).

Several key provisions of the CRP Longleaf Pine Initiative involve control of non-native grasses (bermudagrass, bahiagrass, tall fescue ect.) before planting and establishment of NWSG following pine planting.

For more information visit the Georgia Forest Productivity Website

Monk Parakeets!

Interesting video about exotic monk parakeets.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23487753#23487753

New live plant regulations in Georgia

New regulations from the Georgia Department of Agriculture now prohibit the sale or distribution of any plant listed on the Federal Noxious Weed list or determined by the commissioner to be a public nuisance. The federal noxious weed regulations have been in place since 1995; However the new regulations include all varieties and cultivars of these species. Most noteworthy of these species is red baron, a cultivar of Imperata cylindrica (cogongrass). This plant is a major problem in the southern United States and there is an effort in Georgia to try and stifle an invasion before it reaches levels similar to that seen in Florida and Alabama. The efforts of the Georgia Department of Agriculture are a step in the right direction. Work to spread the word about these new regulations is needed. A consulting forester last week intercepted his neighbor who was going to plant Red Baron that she had ordered and received from Burgess Seed & Plant Co. in Bloomington, IL. Help spread the word!

You can view the federal noxious weed list at:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/weeds/downloads/weedlist2006.pdf

Natural Areas Conference 2008

Save The Date!

The 2008 Natural Areas Conference will be held at The Doubletree Hotel in Nashville on October 14-17, 2008. More details can be accessed at http://www.naturalarea.org/ . If you have any questions please contact Reggie Reeves in the Division of Natural Areas a 615-532-0431.

CWMA conference registration

Register now! "People-Powered Projects: The National Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) Conference" will be held April 15-17, 2008, in Reno, NV. Online registration is now available at http://www.weedcenter.org/CWMAconf/cwma_conf.htm. With representatives from all 50 states, the conference will focus on CWMA funding and logistics, working with volunteers, EDRR, awareness and outreach, state and national initiatives, and will conclude with an all-day field trip to sites in the Reno area. Cooperative Weed Management Areas mobilize communities to prevent and manage invasive plants and to support healthy ecosystems. Join CWMAworkers, land managers, and concerned citizens in a national conference to learn from each other, improve approaches to CWMA organization and management, and increase support for CWMAs across the United States. The event is organized by the Center for Invasive Plant Management and co-hosted by the Midwest Invasive Plant Network, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, Cal-IPC, Alaska CNIPM, Mid-Atlantic EPPC, Southeast EPPC, and the Nevada Dept. of Agriculture. For more information, visit http://www.weedcenter.org/CWMAconf/cwma_conf.htm.