Community Forestry Resource Center

Weekly News and Event Summary

November 17, 2005

This message includes news, headlines, and information gathered during the week.

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CONTENTS:

HEADLINES:

Plum Creek completes Michigan timberland acquisition

Study maps species at risk (MN)

The Pineros: Forest workers caught in web of exploitation

Online resources can help salvage timber

State fears sale of forest could hurt research (OH)

Paper maker Georgia-Pacific to be sold to Koch
Galapagos fire threatens unique forest (Ecuador)

Villagers’ empowerment a must for forest project success (India)

OTHER HEADLINES ON http://www.forestrycenter.org/News/News.cfm

* Forest Service projects near Yellowstone supported on appeal (MT)

* Global warming dramatically changed ancient forests

* Graying logging industry could spell trouble for timber towns (ID)

* Goldman Sachs snags first-annual FSC design award (NJ)

* Texas town built its reputation on petrified wood

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EVENTS:

Forest Certification: Challenges and Opportunities for Secondary Manufacturers

November 18, 2005, Hudson, WI

Timber Supply, Land Use and Sustainable Forestry Options in the PNW

November 30-December 1, 2005, Vancouver, WA

Income Taxes and Family Forests

December 1, 2005, International Falls, MN

Non-timber Forest Products and Managing Your Woodland for Wildlife

December 3, 2005, Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder, MN

Contracts for Forest Based Businesses

December 7, 2005, Vancouver, BC

Horse Logging Demonstration and Workshops

December 9-10, 2005, Audubon Center of the North Woods, Sandstone, MN

Cooperation Can Benefit Woodland Owners

December 10, 2005, La Farge, WI

For more event listings visit:

http://www.forestrycenter.org/Calendar/Cal.cfm

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INFORMATION:

National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry

Position: Forestry Program Manager, Berea, KY

For more documents and information visit:

http://www.forestrycenter.org/Search/search.cfm

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PUBLICATIONS:

Report: Reaching Woodland Owners Online: Current approaches and recommended future directions for Minnesota

A SmartGuide to Paper & Print Resources

Balancing Ecology and Economics: A Start-up Guide for Forest Owner Cooperation

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HEADLINES:

Plum Creek completes Michigan timberland acquisition

Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. today announced that it has completed the purchase of 650,000 acres of timberlands in Michigan from Escanaba Timber LLC. The signing of the purchase agreement was previously announced on October 3, 2005. Plum Creek will continue to manage these forests to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Standard that they are currently certified under.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/051115/20051115006371.html?.v=1 OR

http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77523

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Study maps species at risk (MN)

The product of three years of work by state, federal and conservation researchers, a new comprehensive report on wildlife species from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says the populations of 292 of 1,200 species native to the state are below levels needed to assure their long-term health and survival. The chief reasons, it stated, are habitat degradation and loss.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/business/industries/environment/13147640.htm OR http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77517

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The Pineros: Forest workers caught in web of exploitation

Unlike millions of Latin Americans who cross the border illegally to work in El Norte, the Pineros – or pine workers – toiling on federal land in Idaho are in this country legally, part of a small army of foreign residents who fill low-paying, non-farm jobs under a little-known federal guest worker program. Yet the 10,000 or so forest guest workers, who plant trees across the nation and thin fire-prone woods out West as part of the Bush administration's Healthy Forests Initiative, have hardly been treated with hospitality.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/projects/pineros/ OR

http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77525

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Online resources can help salvage timber

A variety of Web sites are gathering names and contact information in an attempt to link landowners with timber on the ground with people who can help them salvage it. Glenn Hughes, Mississippi State University Extension Service forester, said Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the standing timber in South Mississippi, and landowners are working now to salvage what they can. The salvage job is massive, but speed is critical in the recovery.

http://www.enn.com/biz.html?id=1229 OR http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77518
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State fears sale of forest could hurt research (OH)

The danger of a 16,000-acre forest in southeast Ohio being sold to developers or broken up into small private plots has state officials so worried they want to buy it. For the past 50 years, the Raccoon Ecological Management Area in Vinton County has been the site of timber-growth research by government and private scientists and is a key location for forestry education. It is also prime wildlife and hunting grounds.

http://www.centralohio.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/B8/20051116/NEWS01/511160310/1002&template=B8 OR http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77529
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Paper Maker Georgia-Pacific to Be Sold to Koch
Georgia-Pacific, the paper giant that makes Dixie cups and Brawny paper towels, agreed to be sold yesterday for $13.2 billion to Koch Industries, a family-controlled conglomerate that will become the nation's largest privately held company. The deal may transform Koch, which owns dozens of companies with few recognizable brands, into a consumer and retail powerhouse, competing with names like Procter & Gamble.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/14/business/14deal.html?hp&ex=1131944400&en=09cec1e5729e8bb7&ei=5094&partner=homepage OR http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77504
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Galapagos fire threatens unique forest (Ecuador)

A forest that is home to a rare tree species found only on the Galapagos Islands is threatened by fire set by an erupting volcano. There are only 400 specimens of the Scalesia-Cordata tree left in the world, press reports said Sunday. The species has succumbed over the years to pressure from imported goats and cattle as well as insects.

http://science.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1061941.php/Galapagos_fire_threatens_unique_forest OR http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77491
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Villagers’ empowerment a must for forest project success (India)

Stepping up the heat on the World Bank, forest activists today warned that unless the rural people were empowered and given charge of forests, the ambitious Jharkhand social forestry project would fail to protect the deteriorating forest cover in the state. The latest development puts NGOs in the forest sectors on a collision course with the state forest department officials.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051114/asp/jamshedpur/story_5474062.asp OR http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77502

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EVENTS

Forest Certification: Challenges and Opportunities for Secondary Manufacturers

November 18, 2005, Hudson, WI

The goal of this workshop is to take the mystery out of certification, and help firms to understand or even participate in this growing market. This interactive workshop will provide answers to the key questions individual firms may have, as well as tools for taking advantage of the benefits, and resources participants can access.

Contact Bob Seavey at 612-624-3028 or or see http://www.forestrycenter.org/calendar.cfm?refid=77451

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Timber Supply, Land Use and Sustainable Forestry Options in the PNW

November 30-December 1, 2005, Vancouver, WA

This two-day conference is sponsored by the Western Forestry and Conservation Association and the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. The program will focus on timber supply, forest products, land use changes, forest fragmentation, and sustainable forestry options with speakers and presenters from around the Pacific Northwest.

Contact Michele at 888-722-9416 or or see http://www.forestrycenter.org/calendar.cfm?refID=77151&categoryID=

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Income Taxes and Family Forests

December 1, 2005, International Falls, MN

Minnesota's family forest owners selling timber may be able to take advantage of favorable capital gains treatment when selling timber. Learn what records to keep and how a stewardship plan could help show that you are managing your land for long term gain. Finally, learn about how you can receive a yearly check from the Minnesota Department of Revenue for agreeing to manage your land for forestry.

Contact Susan Seabury at 888-241-0724, ext. 6466 or or see http://www.forestrycenter.org/calendar.cfm?refid=77496

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Non-timber Forest Products and Managing Your Woodland for Wildlife

December 3, 2005, Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder, MN

The University of Minnesota Extension’s “Woodland Advisor” program is offering a joint course in non-timber forest products and managing woodland for wildlife. One or both topics may be attended. Woodland Advisor credit is available.

Contact Susan Seabury at 888-241-0724, ext. 6466 or or see http://www.cnr.umn.edu/cfc/wa/Support/wasess.htm

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Contracts for Forest Based Businesses

December 7, 2005, Vancouver, BC

This 1-day course will train participants to understand, implement and manage contracts. This seminar is for anyone involved in, or who is considering being involved in a forest based business. Satisfied past participants of this course and similar courses led by Robert Hunter include employees and owners of businesses in forestry, forest consulting, silviculture and logging.

Contact Doug Ellis at 250-740-6198 or or see http://www.mala.ca/nrep/courseinfo.asp?ID=915

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Horse Logging Demonstration and Workshops

December 9-10, 2005, Audubon Center of the North Woods, Sandstone, MN

Tim Carroll, current president of the North American Horse and Mule Loggers Association, will lead two one-day workshops on the Audubon Center of the North Woods’ FSC certified forest. Workshops will focus on forest management at the scale of private landowners with a special emphasis on managing land for wild birds. Participants can register for one or both days.

Contact the Audubon Center at 320-245-2648 or or see http://www.forestrycenter.org/calendar.cfm?refid=77157

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Cooperation Can Benefit Woodland Owners

December 10, 2005, La Farge, WI

This workshop focuses on the benefits of neighbors working together and provides information on how to start a woodland cooperative. The day will include guest landowners who have used cooperation effectively, and guidance on how to do it. Participants will locate their woodlands on a map, and have a chance to meet with other landowners from their local area who are present.

Contact Lila Marmel at 608-624-5269 or or see http://www.forestrycenter.org/calendar.cfm?refID=77470&categoryID=

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INFORMATION

National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry

NCSSF's mission is to improve the scientific basis for the design, conduct and evaluation of sustainable forest practices in the United States. NCSSF sponsors work of the highest technical quality that is relevant to the urgent needs of forest managers, practitioners and policymakers.

http://www.ncseonline.org/NCSSF/ OR http://www.forestrycenter.org/organizations.cfm?refID=77507

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Position: Forestry Program Manager, Berea, KY

This position is with the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development based in eastern Kentucky. The forestry program manager will manage MACED’s emerging forestry initiative which promotes land management on private lands through creative uses of financing, information and management planning.

http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refid=77520

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PUBLICATIONS

Report: Reaching Woodland Owners Online: Current approaches and recommended future directions for Minnesota

The purpose of this study was to learn from the experiences and insights of Minnesota’s forestry community and the managers of existing and developing websites targeting family forest owners. The primary output is a series of recommendations for future internet development in Minnesota.

http://www.forestrycenter.org/library.cfm?refid=77506

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A SmartGuide to Paper & Print Resources

This publication provides information on certified paper and printed material as well as a list of sources for products that are certified by Rainforest Alliance’s SmartWood program for meeting the FSC’s standards.

http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs/forestry/pdf/smartguide.pdf OR http://www.forestrycenter.org/library.cfm?refid=77521

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Balancing Ecology and Economics: A Start-up Guide for Forest Owner Cooperation

The 160-page guide is intended to show how private landowners, working together, can improve the ecological conditions of their lands while improving their own economic well-being and that of the communities in which their forest land is located.

Intended primarily for landowners and resource managers, the guide provides essential information on all aspects of establishing a forest owner cooperative, including: forest management, marketing, business planning, co-op governance, cooperative structures, non-timber forest products, sustainable certification, developing member education programs, and more.

For more information about Sustainable Forestry Cooperatives, or to order a copy of Balancing Ecology and Economics: A Start-Up Guide for Forest Owner Cooperation, please visit: http://www.forestrycenter.org

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