The Forest Stewardship Conference is hosted by University of Illinois Extension, Iowa State Extension and Outreach, University of Wisconsin Extension. 

 
Pre-registration is required to attend. Registration can be completed by filling out the form below or calling University of Illinois Extension at (815) 858-2273. Registration fee is $55 on or before Feb. 21. After that, the fee increases to $65.

The University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA) conducts archaeological research for cultural resource management across Iowa. It is statutorily responsible for ancient burial site protection in collaboration with the Indian Advisory Council and tribal partners, and conducts public programs to share knowledge of Iowa's human past and foster public stewardship. The OSA also maintains and manages data on all recorded archaeological sites in the state through I-Sites, which has been an invaluable tool for cultural resource protection and preservation. This presentation will highlight OSA's processes and resources available for identifying cultural resources in Iowa and their work with both private landowners and state agencies to ensure their stewardship. A summary of the history of the cultural resources we protect will be provided with emphasis on the day-to-day operation of the OSA's Bioarchaeology Program.

 Knowing what kind of trees you have in your woodlands is key to helping you make the right management decisions. Learning to identify trees takes time and patience. This class will teach you the basic characteristics needed to get you off to a good start.

Combining observations from professionals invested in forest health and firsthand discussions with landowners, this presentation will cover emerging tree health issues impacting forests in the upper Midwest. This includes foes both old and new, and some that might not be as scary as they are made out to be. Learn about forest health issues, how to monitor for them, and what, if anything can be done to help our trees.

Starting in the second half of the 20th century, agricultural intensification increasingly involved the use of chemicals for pest control. The development of numerous synthetic pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, led to widespread use and in some cases, recognition of widespread non-target effects on organisms. Unfortunately, our understanding of the potential effects of these pesticides on no-target organisms generally lags behind their widespread adoption, as does our understanding of the extent to which these chemicals travel beyond the agricultural fields in which they are applied and end up in natural areas. In 2023, we began working closely with the IDNR and Illinois Nature Preserves Commission to examine the extent of plant damage consistent with non-target herbicide exposure as well as to quantify concentrations of pesticides from plant tissue and soil from natural areas throughout Illinois. They sampled 185 sites in Illinois two times during the growing season of 2023 and found at least moderate damage to plants at almost all sites with 50% of sites having severe damage and oak species most frequently affected. They found pesticides in nearly all natural areas with 38 different chemicals detected primarily from plant tissues. Herbicides were found in the greatest concentrations with Atrazine and 2,4-D most common. Later in the season, fungicides and insecticides were more commonly detected. The amount of row-crop agriculture in the surrounding kilometer predicted leaf tissue concentrations of pesticides and severity of plant injury. The longer-term effects of this exposure and plant injury are unknown as are the effects on insects and insectivorous birds.

D: Iowa's Multifaceted Approach to CWD Outreach and Management - Catherine Cummings, ISU Extension
As Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) continues to pose a significant threat to Iowa's white-tailed deer populations, the Iowa DNR and ISU Extension and Outreach are committed to developing innovative outreach programs to enhance awareness and foster collaboration. With an increasing number of counties detecting CWD, efforts are focusing on educating hunters, landowners, and the public on best practices for hunting and processing while actively involving them in disease management. Key initiatives include: the CWD Ambassador program, public meetings that facilitate direct communication between DNR staff, hunters, and landowners, integration of CWD education into youth and adult hunter education programs, the development of county CWD resource guides tailored to each county, and CWD incentive hunts in core disease hotspots to provide hunters with landowner access for additional deer harvest in the late season. 

Before reaching out to your forester, it is crucial to consider several key topics. To ensure you are prepared for your first appointment, it is beneficial to reflect on various questions about your objectives, succession plans, restrictions, and many more. In this presentation, questions to work through that will help you be the most prepared for your exciting journey to forest stewardship will be discussed.

This presentation will provide an introductory overview of forest farming. Discussion will be had on what it is, what it isn't, and look at some non-timber "forest crops" with established markets for sales and distribution. Tree sap and syrup, fuelwood, mushrooms and medicinals will be covered and forest implications for each will be discussed.

Do you own a forest or farm? Have strong feelings about leaving your land in good condition for your heirs? Have you shared your passion and vision? Topics to be discussed include identifying needs for your property and family, communicating goals with your heirs, estate taxes, wills, and trusts, long-term healthcare considerations, conservation easements, and assembling your succession planning team.

D: Pruning Forest Trees: Techniques, Tree Health, and Economic Benefits - Justin Vozzo, University of Illinois Extension
Pruning is commonplace in urban and orchard settings, but not always front of mind in timber stands. This talk will discuss tree pruning specifically in forested settings and will cover the physiological impact of pruning on trees, proper pruning tools and techniques, and how timber stands may benefit from pruning. 

A: How to Know Your Woodlands - Billy Beck, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach 
How well do you know your woodlands? Be honest....Knowledge of the history, current status, and future trajectory of your woodlands are key facets of successful stewardship. This presentation will empower new landowners who desire to effectively explore, observe, assess, and track progress in their woodlands - and have some fun at the same time!

 

Keeping tabs on the latest invasive species in our region is critical to implementing successful management strategies, such as Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR). This presentation will cover emerging invasive species based on several sources of information including land managers, surveys, citizen science, and expert opinions. Species discussed include chaff flower, Callery pear, and spotted lanternfly among others across the region. Aspects of each species will be discussed, such as their ecological characteristics, current and native distributions, spread pathways, and control techniques.
 

Eastern Whip-poor-wills, a cryptic, nocturnal bird species named for their "whip-poor-will" song, are a familiar and culturally significant species to many in the eastern United States featured in folk stories and music, and often associated with an idyllic rural life. Yet the species is in steep decline, with approximately 70% of their population lost between 1970 and 2014. Reliant upon forested habitats, whip-poor-wills are vulnerable both to loss of forests and degradation of forest quality. Recently, many groups have sought to study what an "ideal whip-poor-will habitat" would look like, with most finding that forest management is key--however, the specific managements needed to create their preferred habitats remained unclear. In this presentation, this background will be elaborated upon, and the results from the recent research on whip-poor-will usage of the managed and unmanaged forests of southern Illinois and southern Missouri will be presented.

A forest management plan is a powerful tool for landowners to help guide them through the steps needed in their forests, but plans can be complicated and include terms and jargon that may be difficult to understand or to translate into action. This presentation will go over the basics of a forest management plan including the commonly included sections, data, schedules, and practices.

B:  Chainsaw Tips, Tricks, and Maintenance - Troy Heeren

This presentation will discuss basic chainsaw safety and operation, covering PPE and proper operating techniques. Further discussed will be chainsaw anatomy, saw maintenance including sharpening, bar maintenance, and when to replace parts. Poor cutting performance and what tools and guides are needed to remedy this issue will also be discussed.

 C: Control Techniques for Invasive Plants - Renz Lab, UW-Madison

 

Using a panel discussion and question-and-answer format, forestry leaders from all three states will discuss cost-share opportunities, new initiatives, and other programs available to landowners. Other topics will include trends and challenges in forestry in the Tri-State area.