Home Forest landowners retreat to the woods
Local

Forest landowners retreat to the woods

Contributors

Virginia Department of ForestryCentral Virginia landowners can learn more about actively managing their forest lands during the 11th annual Forest Landowners’ Retreat, to be held Oct. 22-23 at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center near Appomattox.

Topics will include forest management planning, timber sales, wildlife management, basic tree identification and measurement skills, and more. A tour of the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest will showcase pine and hardwood management strategies that woodland owners can use.

Sponsoring partners for the retreat are Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program. “This program provides an excellent introduction to forest management issues, especially for those new to land ownership,” said Ellen Powell of the Virginia Department of Forestry.

“We use a combination of classroom and field sessions, taught by experts, to get participants fully engaged in learning,” said Jennifer Gagnon of Virginia Tech’s Forest Landowner Education Program. “The retreat format also allows people to share their experiences with other landowners.”

The program starts early on Friday, so Thursday night lodging is available and encouraged. Two registration options are available: with Thursday and Friday night lodging at $95 per person or $170 per couple; or a commuter option without lodging at $55 per person or $90 per couple. Meals included with all options are Friday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and Saturday breakfast and lunch.

To register online or download a brochure, visit forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/landownerprograms/retreats.html.

The deadline to register is Oct. 8. For more information, contact Jennifer Gagnon at 540-231-6391 or [email protected].

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.