Saturday, Jan 25, 2025

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

(formerly the Avon Hills Conference)

Saint John’s University

Peter Engel Science Center

The University of Minnesota Extension Timber Management and Taxation School is designed to provide tax professionals, foresters, logging contractors, landowners, agricultural lenders, and farm management instructors with up-to-date information on federal tax treatment of income and expenses associated with the sale of timber.

The event will include presentations by Tamara Cushing, a timber taxation specialist from the University of Florida and Mike Kilgore of the UMN Department of Forest Resources and will offer a rare opportunity to update your timber taxation knowledge.

One unique aspect of this event is that it involves professional foresters, logging contractors, landowners, and tax professionals in the same workshop. To best serve each group's clientele, each should understand the respective role(s) each group serves. The session will include ample time for questions and answers.

Date and Location:

November 13, 2024
University of Minnesota Cloquet Forestry Center
175 University Road
Cloquet, MN 55720

Early bird price is $50 and increases to $75 on November 8, 2024.

The course offers three Federal Tax update hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credits for tax professionals. Professional foresters will also receive 4.5 continuing forestry education (CFE) credits from the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and MN Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP). The registration fee covers workshop materials, refreshments, snacks, and lunch.

CE credits: 3 CPE (IRS) hours | 4.5 CFE credits

Please contact Rebecca Groos (taxschool@umn.edu, 612-625-5923) for information about a discount for Volunteer tax preparers (VITA).

Course contacts:

Eli Sagor, UMN Extension Forestry and Cloquet Forestry Center
esagor@umn.edu
218-409-6115 (voice or text)

Rob Holcomb, EA, UMN Ag Business Management
holcombr@umn.edu
507-258-8754

Registration help or questions:

Contact Extension Registration at ext-reg@umn.edu

If you experience difficulties logging in:

Contact the University of Minnesota IT Help Line at 612-301-4357. Please mention you are using a University of Minnesota "guest account" to register for a non-credit event.

Registration cancellation/refund policy:

Read completely before registering for a workshop.

• Registration cancellations are accepted and will receive a 100% refund through Nov. 5, 2024. Starting Nov. 6, the registration is transferable to a different person, but no refund will be given.

• To request a cancellation, send an email with all pertinent details to ext-reg@umn.edu.

To register by phone:

Paying online using our registration portal is secure, available 24 hours a day, and provides immediate enrollment. However, if you wish to register by phone, Extension registration professionals are here to help. Please contact us using one of the following methods. We will be in touch within three business days.

• Request registration by phone: z.umn.edu/registrationhelp (preferred)

• or call the voicemail line to leave a message at (612) 626-5174

This woodland owner workshop seeks to help private landowners in Aitkin County learn how their properties fit into the greater landscape and how they can manage their forests to achieve their goals. Hosted by the Aitkin Area Private Woodlands Group, we will connect you to resources and provide education and motivation to take action. 

Morning presentations will be centered on resources for woodland owners, woodland management for wildlife habitat, and forest health. After lunch, we will go on a walking tour of the forests at the Long Lake Conservation Center and beyond to see first-hand how woodlands can be managed to increase wildlife, recreation, water quality, and timber harvesting values.

We will be outdoors and walking for most of the afternoon, so please dress accordingly.

Audience

Private landowners and woodland stewards in Aitkin County.

Cost

$10, includes lunch

Registration

Questions about registration can be directed to Anna Stockstad, stock523@umn.edu.

Register

Accommodations

University of Minnesota Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. To request accommodations for persons with disabilities, reach out to the event contact Anna Stockstad two weeks before the start of the event. Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.

Language

This offering is delivered in English. Interpreter services may be available with an advance request.

THURSDAY, OCT 10
5-8 PM
Milk & Honey Ciders
11738 County Rd 51, St. Joseph, MN 56374

RSVP preferred by Oct 6

What to Expect

• Food and drinks for purchase from Dana's Kitchen Food Truck and Milk & Honey Ciders

• Lawn Games & Activities

• Conversations with friends, new and old

• Nature Trivia: 7-8 PM

MFA Polaris Gathering @ the North Star Expo

When:  Friday, September 13, 2024  

Where:  Log Building, Itasca County Fairgrounds, Grand Rapids, MN. Click here for a map.

The log cabin building is located to the right up a hill next to the Camping area.  

You are invited to attend the annual gathering of the Minnesota Forestry Association in conjunction with the 70th annual North Star Expo. Each year, all parts of Minnesota's logging community--vendors, truckers, foresters, lawmakers, policy makers, woodland owners and of course, loggers!--gather in Grand Rapids for the "Great Minnesota Logging Get-together – the Expo!

TENTATIVE AGENDA:

Friday, Sept. 13, 2024

Morning and early afternoon, tour the fairgrounds (it is free!) on your own.

3pm: Having a Healthy Forest, Josh Donatel, MN DNR and Dave Roerick, MFA

4:30pm: Q&A with Professional Consulting Forester - Stan Grossman, Itasca Woodland Services

5pm: Social Hour

6pm: Dinner 

7pm: MN Tree Farm Awards

7:30pm: Finland Forestry Panel: John Rajala, Vandy Johnson, Eric Singsaas

Before and after the MFA annual meeting, you can take the opportunity to tour these picturesque fairgrounds, talk with equipment dealers, see harvesting and sawing equipment at work, and just mingle with fellow woods-people who like to talk about trees, tree planting, tree harvesting, and tree care.

TO REGISTER:
Please RSVP by September 9, 2024 so we add up the total number of attendees to plan for seating and food. RSVP with any of the following options:

• Call MFA Phone Number (218) 879-5100.  

• Fill out this form.

• Send an email to: expo@minnesotaforestry.org with the name(s) of people in your group planning to attend.

BRING:

Bring $20 cash or check per person on Friday, Sept 13.

Monitor the MFA website for updated information later this summer.  

More info about the expo can be found here: https://www.timberproducers.com/expo

The University of Minnesota's Dr. Mike Kilgore will talk about forest carbon as it relates to forest managers and go over market implications, quantifying and generating carbon credits through forest management, and to what extent foresters need to be considering forest carbon in their day-to-day work.

Each webinar is rated for one CAT1 credit; participants, keep an eye on the chat for the link to the webinar CE request form towards the end of the hour. We will record each webinar and post it on the SFEC YouTube Channel. Recordings are typically available within one week of the live broadcast.

Event Speaker

Mike Kilgore, Professor, UMN Department of Forest Resources

Join MNWWN for the Landowner Assistance Programs webinar (September 9 at 12 p.m.). Registration is free, but donations are appreciated! All webinars will be recorded for future access.

Do you steward woodlands in the Cass County area? Join the Cass County Forestry Day on Saturday, September 7, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Walker Area Community Center. Hosted by Cass County Soil and Water Conservation District, join local forestry professionals to learn more about resources that are available to help you care for your wooded property. Learn about managing game and nongame wildlife habitat, forest health and more. Please text 218-833-2492 to reserve your spot and receive a free barbecue lunch (vegetarian and gluten-free options available) at this event.

28th Annual Golf Tournament

Friday, September 6, 2024

Pokegama Golf Course | Grand Rapids, MN

Tools for Living with Fire Event

Date: June 15, 2024

Location: Minnesota North Vermilion Campus

Description: The Tools for Living with Fire Event is an opportunity for landowners to gain invaluable empowerment tools for managing your land effectively. The interactive afternoon session will be held outside - weather permitting. Cost $10 nonrefundable, with event proceeds donated to Ely Community Resource Center. If space is available, same day registration will be accepted.

Cost: $10 per ticket. All proceeds will be donated to the Ely Community Resource Center.

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tools-for-living-with-fire-event-tickets-895372131147?aff=oddtdtcreator

Agenda

8:30 - 9:00 Registration (Coffee & Snacks)

9:00 - 9:15 Welcome and What is a Fire Adapted Community?

Gloria Erickson, Dovetail Partners, Inc Contracted St. Louis County Firewise Coordinator

9:15 - 9:45 Fires Past and Fire's Future in Northern Minnesota

Lane Johnson, Forest ResearcherUniversity of Minnesota Cloquet Forestry Center

9:45 - 10:45 Climate-ready Woodlands: Rewilding Your Backyard Woods

Anna Stockstad, Extension Educator, Forest Ecosystem Heath, University of MN, Extension

10:45 - 11:00 Break

11:00 - 11:30 Preparing Before, During and After a Wildfire Emergency

Deborah Trent, MN DAK Volunteer, American Red Cross

11:30 - 12:00 Homeowner Firewise Best Practices

Laura Murphy, MN DNR Regional Firewise Program Specialist

12:00 - 12:15 Video: “Rooted in the Future”

Produced by Dovetail Partners, Inc

12:15 - 1:00 Boxed Lunch Provided

1:00 - 1:30 Creating a Land Stewardship Plan

Victoria Jari, Forester, MN DNR Private Lands Management

Tristan Nelson, Forester, North St. Louis Soil & Water Conservation District

Zach Evans, Regional Farm Bill Forester, North St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District, NRCS

1:30 - 2:00 “Fuel Reduction and Friendship”

One More Tree, a group of Ely - area residents and landowners.

2:00 - 2:15 Break and walk outside to Kawishiwi Ranger Station

(Interactive afternoon outside event, weather permitting)

2:30 - 4:00 Hazardous Woody Debris Disposal Options

“The Art of Safe Pile Burning”

Nicole Selmer, Fire Prevention Technician, West Zone Superior National Forest, Kawishiwi Ranger District

“Hand cut, Mulching, Chipping”

Austin Van Scoy, Dutchman Tree Service

4:00 - 4:30 Wrap Up and Raffle for Prizes! Prizes! Prizes!

Kawishiwi District Ranger Station

1393 MN-169, Ely, MN 55731

This event was made possible with grant funding from: Bi- Partisan Infrastructure Law CommunityWildfire Defense Grant, MN DNR Firewise Community Grant Program, US Forest Service, and the SFI Community Grant.

This Institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Questions? Visit www.minnesotafac.org or contact Gloria Erickson, St. Louis County Firewise Coordinator at gloria@dovetailinc.org or 218-365-0878.

How to Take Action on Climate Change as a Woodland Steward

Learn about climate change in Minnesota and how you can take action as a woodland steward to prepare for its effects on forest ecosystems. The webinar will begin with a look at local climate change history and projections and will break down the basics of how to read climate data. From there, we'll go over the two main pathways of fighting climate change: mitigation and adaptation. The mitigation section will go over management actions individuals can take to help their woodlands mitigate climate change, such as increasing carbon sequestration and storage. The adaptation section will cover actions woodland stewards can take to adapt their forests to future climate change. The webinar will close out with a series of resource highlights for those who are inspired and looking to take action.

What You Should Know About Ticks and Mosquitoes

Alex Garvin, a vectorborne disease epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health, will present on tick biology and ecology, diseases that can be transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes in Minnesota, and ways to reduce your disease risk.

As Minnesota’s climate changes, forests will face increasing pressure from tree diseases and pests, heavier and more frequent rainfalls, warmer temperatures, and prolonged drought. Using modeled climate response data from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the US Forest Service Northern Research Station, University of Minnesota Extension created a suite of regionally specific recommendation lists of climate-resilient trees and plants (z.umn.edu/climateready). This webinar will outline the climate change basis, Extension’s methodology, and the content of these tree and plant lists. 

Each webinar is rated for one CAT1 credit; participants, keep an eye on the chat for the link to the webinar CE request form towards the end of the hour. We will record each webinar and post it on the SFEC YouTube Channel. Recordings are typically available within one week of the live broadcast.

Event Speaker

Angie Gupta, UMN Extension Educator

The Minnesota Forestry Association is working to inform residents about healthy forests, how and where to find opportunities and incentives to create a healthy forest on your property. Opportunities include tax incentives from the Department of Revenue. Course includes a free visit to your property from a consulting forester with no strings attached.

Instructor: Dave Roerick

Fee: No cost

Register here or call 218-327-5730.

WEBINAR

Speaker: Alex Garvin, epidemiologist, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Vectorborne Diseases Unit

If you spend time in the woods, you probably come into contact with ticks, but do you know how to prevent tick bites? Epidemiologist Alex Garvin will present on tick biology and ecology, diseases that can be transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes in Minnesota, and ways to reduce your disease risk.

Spruce Budworm in Minnesota's Forests: 2024 Update

April 15 | 11-12:30pm | In Person at CCHE & Zoom

Presenters & Partners: UMN Extension Educators, US Forest Service, and North Shore Forest Collaborative

Join us to learn about the identification, biology, and management of budworm in the forests of northeast Minnesota. Find out the latest information on the current spruce budworm outbreak and its impacts on our public and private forest lands into 2024 and beyond. Learn about local programs and resources that are available during spruce budworm management, such as tree planting and fencing programs. This workshop will be hosted by UMN Extension Educators with partners from the US Forest Service and the North Shore Forest Collaborative.

Contact info: 218-387-3411 | office@mycche.org

WEBINAR

Speaker: Jonathan Osthus, EAB technical assistance coordinator, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

An overview of where EAB is in Minnesota, MDA’s early detection efforts, and options for management.  Replacement trees for ash will also be discussed.

Maple Syrup Festival

Saturday, April 6, 2024 | 1-4 p.m.

Saint John’s University

Sap collecting, syrup cooking, demonstrations, and hot maple syrup sundaes await the whole family! Details and registration coming in February 2024.

Before You Come:

• The festival is ENTIRELY OUTDOORS - rain, snow, or shine. Please dress for the weather.

• It is usually extremely muddy, snowy, and occasionally icy out at the sugar shack. We HIGHLY recommend wearing boots.
  

• Please LEAVE DOGS AND PETS AT HOME. While we love them too, they are not allowed in the Abbey Arboretum.

WEBINAR

Speaker: Anna Stockstad, UMN Extension educator, forestry

UMN Extension's Climate-Ready Woodlands project consists of climate-resilient, microfauna-friendly tree and plant lists for each ecoregion in Minnesota. This webinar will present the climate change basis for these lists, Extension's methodology, and ways that woodland stewards can apply these tree and plant lists to their woodlands.

Join Extension educators and DNR forest health professionals to learn more about the new implications of emerald ash borer (EAB) on trees and woodlands in Cass County. 

Morning coffee and lunch will be provided for in-person attendees.

This event includes an optional outdoor walk in the woods, so please wear appropriate attire if you plan to participate.

Audience

Cass County landowners and anyone interested in learning about emerald ash borer

Cost

• $50 - Regular registration rate

• $25 - Scholarship registration rate

• Free - Tribal member registration rate

We do not want cost to be a barrier to participating in our programming. If you are not able to pay one of the listed registration fees, please reach out to us at stock523@umn.edu. We will arrange for you to participate in the program at a reduced fee or at no cost.

University of Minnesota Extension acknowledges we have an obligation to Tribal nations and their citizens to reduce barriers to participation in our programs and access our services. We are committed to strengthening our relationships with Tribal nations and their citizens and continue to take meaningful actions toward meeting our responsibility. Therefore, we are waiving the fees associated with this event for Tribal members.

No refunds will be issued for cancellations after registration closes. Cancellations prior to the close of registration will be fully refunded.

Registration

Registration opens on Feb. 5 and closes on March 20. 

WEBINAR

Speaker: Lane Moser, Education Program Specialist, Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative

There are dozens of off-the-shelf first aid kits of all sizes, but do they have everything you might need while you're in the woods? Further still, recommendations for what belongs and what you can leave out vary widely; Lane Moser will go over the contents of multiple first aid kits (personal, vehicle, family) built from the ground up and explain what makes the cut and why when he's in the woods for work or recreation.