AUGUSTA — An all-day program focused on topics important to woodland owners and those interested in forests in Maine Maine Woodland Owners will be hosting its annual Forestry Forum, on Wednesday, Jan. 11 during the Agricultural Trades Show at the Augusta Civic Center. This will be conducted in person, however, the organization’s largest indoor event of the year will also be live streamed.
The feature presentation, representatives of two companies who work with small woodland owners who want to sell their forest carbon credits. Lillian Hogan, landowner customer success manager from NCX, and Patricia Ruby, Northeast director of the Family Forest Carbon Program, will explain how their programs work and discuss what woodland owners interested in selling their forest’s carbon must consider to determine if this is the right choice for them.
The Forestry Forum will start with a brief member meeting at 8 a.m. and will be followed by a series of presentations on wood markets, woodland wildlife, forest carbon markets, and forest pest and disease updates. Last year’s online event was a departure from the in-person format at the Augusta Civic Center attendees have come to expect. For the past several years, Maine Woodland Owners has scheduled the Forestry Forum during the Maine Agricultural Trades Show, so once the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry announced their decision to transition the Show to an online format, Maine Woodland Owners made the switch as well. The Agricultural Trades Show will be held Tuesday, Jan. 11 to Thursday, Jan. 13.
In addition to hosting the all day program, Maine Woodland Owners is also holding an online auction with unique items that include books, tours, gear, equipment, and gift certificates. The auction will run from Jan. 4-11, just after the end of the Forestry Forum.
Maine Woodland Owners was formed in 1975 as an educational organization dedicated to providing knowledge and technical support for Maine’s small woodland owners. Their goal is to increase landowner engagement and long-term stewardship to ensure the health of Maine’s forests. Maine Woodland Owners is the only statewide organization supporting Maine’s 86,000 family woodland owners.
The Forestry Forum will be held on the online conference platform Zoom. For more information about the event and how to attend, visit Maine Woodland Owners website, www.mainewoodlandowners.org, or contact Jennifer Hicks, director of communications and outreach, at [email protected] or 207-626-0005.
