Non-profit EcoForesters is holding a free Hands-On Forest Landowner Workshop in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the NC Forest Service to inform landowners about opportunities to steward their forest. The workshop is set for Saturday, September 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sandy Mush Game Lands. Lunch will be included.
Attendees will learn how forests have become degraded over time and what can be done to restore them. The workshop will be fully outdoors and will include a field tour through the Sandy Mush Game Lands to provide examples of forest restoration in action.
Subjects will include how to identify and control invasive plant species, when and why forest restoration is needed, information about forest management resources, tax incentives for forest management, and cost-share funding for forest stewardship. This workshop was made possible through the USDA USFS Landscape Scale Restoration Grant and is in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act.
Native forests in the Appalachian region have been greatly impacted by clear-cuts, repeated high-grading, invasive species, and other unsustainable forestry practices. Since about 70% of WNC’s forests are owned by private landowners, providing easy access to education and resources plays an essential role in increasing the health and resiliency of our forests. EcoForesters aims to connect with landowners by connecting healthy forests to their values, allowing conservation and individual objectives to go hand in hand. This workshop will also provide professionals with the opportunity to learn from landowners and where they are struggling to manage their forests, which in turn informs future outreach and event planning.
Long pants and close-toe shoes will be required to participate in the in-person field session.
Sandy Mush Game Lands are at 474 Cedar Hill Road, Alexander, NC 28701. For more information or to register for this workshop visit, ecoforesters.org/outreach-events/ or call 828-484-6842.
