Benzie Conservation District
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Forestry Events

Forestry Assistance Program Workshops & Events
​

Serving: BENZIE, GRAND TRAVERSE, AND LEELANAU CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

Forestry Events 2020


EYES ON THE FOREST: HOW TO BE THE BEST STEWARD OF YOUR TREES AND FOREST

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  • September 01, 2020
  • 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom Meeting
Registration
  • MGANM Member
    current year member of MGANM
  • Public – $5.00
    Suggested $5 donation for non-member attendee.
Kama Ross, District Forester for the Leelanau, Benzie and Grand Traverse Conservation Districts, will speak on forest stewardship at the September 1st meeting of the Master Gardener Association of Northwest Michigan. The meeting will be held on the Zoom virtual platform. Please register to obtain the log-in information.

Kama will share some of the major forest stresses facing our trees- how to correctly identify them, how to mitigate their impacts through seasonal inspections and how to implement management practices based on science so that we can preserve this valuable natural resource, our forests, for future generations.  Being the "Best Steward" of your property means being well-informed, getting out there and noticing changes and working with qualified local tree professionals to help keep your trees and shrubs healthy, vigorously growing and providing all the benefits that we need every day.  

Kama Ross has been the Forestry Assistance Program (FAP) Forester for Leelanau, Benzie and Grand Traverse Conservation Districts since October 2013.  Prior to this position, Kama was the FAP Forester for Wexford and Missaukee Conservation Districts.  She also enjoyed a career as an outdoor and environmental educator at Kettunen Center, Michigan’s 4-H Conference Center in Tustin.  She is very glad to be sharing her passion for forestry with area landowners.

Kama is a co-owner of two Northern Michigan Certified Tree Farms since 1990.   After receiving her forestry degree from Michigan State University, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay.

“Our forests today face many stresses, but there is a lot we can all be doing to protect our beautiful forests.  Kama does a great job of educating us all” says Michele Worden, President of the Master Gardener Association of Northwest Michigan.

The Master Gardener Association of Northwest Michigan (MGANM) furthers the horticulture education activities of MSU Extension through monthly educational presentations. Meetings are held monthly on the first Tuesday of the month and are open to the public. A $5 donation from non-members is appreciated. For certified master gardeners meeting attendance earns credits toward volunteer and education hours. For more information visit mganm.org.


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Painting: "Metamorphosis" by Tom Ford, local naturalist and wildlife artist. Copyrighted.

Planting Workshop: Balance Your Backyard with Trees, Bees & Expertise!

The Benzie Conservation District is sponsoring a spring Planting Workshop on Wednesday, March 11, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Almira Township Hall, 19639 Maple St, Lake Ann, MI 49650. 
 
This is a great workshop to kick-start spring planting projects! Learn about new species to add to yards or acreage through our Assisted Tree Range Expansion Project, ATREP, with Maddy Baroli, Project Manager. Planting species that are native to southern Michigan hopes to help mitigate the challenges of climate change and help keep our forest landscape diverse and vibrant. Visit www.atrep.net  for more information, or check out Benzie CD’s Spring Seedling catalog for species information at www.benziecd.org.
 
Participants will gain understanding on matching “the right tree to the right site for the right reason” with District Forester, Kama Ross. She will provide information about the native tree and shrub species that the Benzie Conservation District is offering this spring through the annual bare-root seedling sale. Advanced planning, preparing the site, amending the soil, proper planting techniques and follow-up care will all be discussed to help landowners succeed with any sized planting project.
 
Finally, enjoy a presentation by Tom Ford, locally renowned naturalist and wildlife artist. A lifelong Audubon member and avid gardener, Ford will offer guidance for planning and growing a wildlife-friendly yard.
 
This workshop has been approved by the MAEAP (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program) Phase I Credit. 
 
There is no cost to attend the workshop, but registration is appreciated, and can be done by contacting Aimé Merizon at the Benzie Conservation District at 231-882-4391, or by emailing aime@benziecd.org.

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Forestry Events 2019


Mushroom Workshop
  • Small Farms Conference, Friday January 25—Saturday January 26th Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Acme. Great sessions and information booths throughout the two-day event. The Forestry Assistance Program will be manning a booth—come join us! For more information visit: www.smallfarmconference.com/

  • "American Chestnuts Today" by Dr. Carmen Medina Mora, Tuesday, February 5, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, Grand Traverse Conservation District, 1450 Cass Road, Traverse City. Join Dr. Medina Mora, from Michigan State University’s Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, as we discuss the return of the American Chestnut. Contact the Leelanau Conservation District at 231-256-9783 for more information.

  • Gaylord Ultimate Hunting Expo, March 15-17, FAP Foresters will hold a booth, for more information visitwww.gaylordhuntingexpo.com/

  • Spring planting workshops in all three counties:

    • Leelanau CD—Wed. March 20, 6:30-8:30 pm, 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suttons Bay. Emphasis on invasive species removal techniques with and without the use of chemicals by Liana May, Borealis Consulting and Katie Grzesiak NW Michigan Invasive Species Network Coordinator. LCD staff with recommendations on the native plants to replace them with.
    • Benzie CD—Thurs. March 21, 6:30-8:30 pm, Homestead Township Hall, Honor, "Remove Invasives; Plant Natives!"
    • Grand Traverse CD—date tbd

  • Hands-on Pruning Demonstration with Fritz Girrbach of Brothers Tree Service, Saturday, March 23, 10:00 am to noon, GTCD, 1450 Cass Road, Traverse City. Before the trees leave dormancy, learn how to do corrective pruning on all types of trees and shrubs. $5/person. Contact the Leelanau Conservation District at 231-256-9783.

  • "Forest Mushrooms," presentation by Linda Schribner, Wednesday, April 3, 6:30-8:30 pm, Mills Community Room, Benzonia. Linda is a certified forager who can commercially harvest and sell wild mushrooms in Michigan, $10/person. Contact the Benzie Conservation District at 231-882-4391; aime@benziecd.org.

For more information or to register, contact Kama Ross, District Forester, Leelanau, Grand Traverse and Benzie Conservation Districts
​at 
231-256-9783, or kama.ross@macd.org.

Forestry Events 2018

Contact District Forester, Kama Ross, for more information:
​kama.ross@macd.org or call 231-256-9783


[To enlarge, double-click on flyer and open in new window or save to desktop.]
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DOWNLOAD BIOCHAR PRESS RELEASE BY CLICKING HERE!

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Public Input Welcomed!
Tues, July 10th: Have a say in how your
​state forests are managed

Michigan’s 4 million acres of state forest land require a lot of careful planning to keep them healthy and thriving. That’s why the DNR finalizes plans for each forest management unit two years in advance of when any management activities – prescribed burns, timber harvests or tree thinning, for example – actually will take place.

This summer, forest management recommendations for 2020 are being presented at open houses within those forest management units, giving people the opportunity to speak with foresters, wildlife biologists and other resource professionals. Upcoming open houses include:

  • Traverse City Forest Management Unit – Tuesday, July 10 in Traverse City and Wednesday, July 11 in Kalkaska
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About a month after each forest management unit’s open house, a public compartment review meeting also will take place. That’s where the foresters will present their final decisions on management activities for that unit. Compartment review meetings coming up in July and August include:

  • Traverse City Forest Management Unit – Tuesday, July 31 in Traverse City

For more information – including a link to the interactive forest map showing details of forest management activities, and the forest open house and compartment review schedules – visit the public input section of the DNR’s michigan.gov/forestry webpage.

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​

Safety & Woods Worker (SAWW) Chainsaw Safety Training 

SAWW Training is an umbrella organization that promotes safe and efficient chainsaw use, for both professionals and backyard chainsaw operators.
The four full-day course begins January 24, 2018, and is designed for both professionals and backyard chainsaw operators. The program is limited to 10 participants and we would like to offer the opportunity to tree professionals, as well as to area landowners. Click on link to download flyer.
​


saww_flyer.pdf
File Size: 1492 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Forestry Field Day at Interlochen Center for the Arts!

Saturday, September 9, 2017; from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Interlochen Center for the Arts, 4000 Highway M-137, Interlochen
​
iaa_field_day_flyer.pdf
File Size: 906 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

REGISTER HERE

"Ties to the Land": Family Forest Planning Workshop

​Saturday, September 16, 2017; from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
​

Grand Traverse Conservation District, Boardman Nature Center Community Room, 1450 Cass Road, Traverse City​

Got spring fever? Click here for info on our Planting Workshop!
Workshop is Wed, March 8, 2017
​Homestead Twp. Hall, Honor
 

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2016 Events

DNR Public Meeting for Forest Planning

Wed, July 12, 2016, 4 pm
, TC Center, 2122 M-37
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Location

Contact us

By Phone
231.882.4391

By Email
benziecd@benziecd.org

By Mail
280 Benzie Boulevard
POB 408
Beulah, MI 49617

Contact individual staff members

​

follow us

  • Home
    • Events
    • Calendar
  • About
    • Annual Reports
    • Benzie Natural Resource Assessment
    • BCD Policies
    • Board Directors & Meetings
    • Hinkle Nature Preserve Project
    • Staff
    • Volunteer
    • Links
    • Contact Us
  • Aquatic Invasive Species
  • Programs & Services
    • Critical Dunes
    • District Shorts: Video Series
    • Education & Outreach >
      • Beach Clean Ups
      • Benzie: Plastic Awareness Collective
      • District Readers
      • EARTH DAY
      • Leave No Trace/Salmon in the Classroom
      • Nuts 4 Nature
      • Nature Hikes
    • Forestry Assistance Program >
      • ATREP
      • FAP Form
      • Forestry Education & Media
      • Forestry Events
      • Forest Pests & Diseases
      • Forestry Referrals
    • Invasive Species
    • Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program
    • Natural Resources Conservation Services
    • Produce Safety
  • Benzie Waters
    • Benzie Watersheds Coalition
    • Platte and Betsie River Clean Sweeps
    • Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program
    • Watersheds
  • Store
    • Shipping Policy
  • Donations
    • Garden Party: Nature Art Auction