Online University of Maryland Extension Course Teaches Small Woodland Management

COLLEGE PARK — The University of Maryland Extension (UME) is offering a webinar series to provide education on land care practices for small-scale natural area management.

The webinar series, which will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. over four Thursdays beginning on October 22 through November 12, 2020 will focus on natural area management services including wildlife habitat enhancement, forestry practices, invasive plant control, tree planting, tree management, trail development, and more.

This project is funded by the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro Ecology and part of The Woods In Your Backyard partnership, composed of UME, Penn State Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Virginia Dept. of Forestry, and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

“This project began as one that focused on Maryland and Virginia but has since expanded to partners in Pennsylvania. This is a testament to the importance of incorporating forestry practices in areas of small tract woodlands and natural areas previously not maintained,” said Dr. Kate Everts, director of the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology and the Wye Research and Education Center.

“This series was developed with green industry professionals in mind, and those looking to expand services to offer natural area enhancement, but it is also appropriate for landowners and anyone with an interest in environmentally-sustainable management practices,” said Jonathan Kays, Forestry Specialist with UME.

“Whether you are a landowner looking to create recreational opportunities on your wooded property, or a landscaper looking to incorporate forestry practices into your suite of services, a wide audience can benefit from this upcoming webinar series,” said Everts.

The course series includes four online classes, with a complementary resource manual and specialized checklist tool to help green industry professionals determine which enhancement practices are suitable for a given property or site depending on the landowner’s goals. The four class topics include:

Oct. 22 – Expanding Your Business: Land Care Practices on Small Acreage Properties
Oct. 29 – Land Care Practices for Woodland Health
Nov. 5 – Land Care Practices for Woodland Health (continued)
Nov. 12 – Introduction to Woodland Health Assessment and Incorporating Woodland Health Practices

The cost for the series is $35 and includes the Woodland Health Practices Handbook, the Woodland Health Assessment Checklist and Management Actions, and two Woody Plant Identification Guides. For an additional $20, participants can also receive a copy of the original “Woods In Your Backyard” book (normally $29 plus shipping).

To register for the webinar series, go to https://go.umd.edu/NaturalAreasServices. For more information on UME’s Woodland Stewardship Education Program, go to https://extension.umd.edu/woodland.