By Carol Lea Spence

Woodland owners who are wondering how to get the most from their property will benefit from attending one of three Woodland Owners Short Courses being offered around the state this summer.

Kentucky woodlands can provide many benefits including extra income and recreation for their owners, as well as providing a healthy environment for wildlife. These benefits can be enhanced through proper care and management. The 2015 Woodland Owners Short Course will cover all those aspects, for both novice and experienced landowners.

“It’s important to understand a property’s potential. There is a wide variety of resources available to help woodland owners care for their woodlands and achieve their objectives, but folks might not be aware of that,” said Billy Thomas, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension forester. “The Woodland Owners Short Course puts landowners face-to-face with professionals who can help them achieve their particular management goals.”

The one-day course is offered once in each of the three geographical regions of the state. Planning committees have developed the regional programs with local needs in mind, so each region’s course will vary slightly from the others.

In Central Kentucky, the course is scheduled for August 15 in the Woodford County Cooperative Extension office, 184 Beasley Road, Versailles. The Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary will host the field site visit. The course in Western Kentucky is scheduled for August 29 at the Christian County Extension office, 2850 Pembroke Road, Hopkinsville, with the field site at the James Hale farm. In Eastern Kentucky, the course on September 26 will be held at the Hayes Crossing Fire Department, 6400 U.S. Route 60, Morehead. The Lynn Johnson farm will host the field visit. Organizers will provide transportation to all field sites.

Two concurrent tracks, Gold and Green, target either new or seasoned woodland owners. Landowners who have just acquired woodlands or who are beginning to think about management and wondering what their options are should enroll in the Green Track, while more experienced woodland managers can take advantage of the information available in the Gold Track. Past graduates of the short course will also find valuable information by returning to the course through the Gold Track.

Depending on the track and the region, sessions will cover such topics as tree identification; woodland management concepts; woodland rehabilitation, invasive plants and pests; management and control of deer or beavers, improving grouse habitat, crop tree management and timber stand improvement, to name a few.

Each short course begins at 9 a.m. local time, with registration at 8:30 a.m., and concludes around 4:30 p.m. Lunch is included. Preregistration is strongly encouraged as space is limited. When preregistering, sessions are $20 for individuals and $30 for couples. The day of the program, sessions are $30 for individuals and $40 for couples.

For a detailed listing of course topics at each location and to register, visit the short course website at http://www2.ca.uky.edu/forestryextension/WOSC.php. Registration is also available by phoning 859-257-7597.

The 2015 Woodland Owners Short Course is the result of a partnership between UK Cooperative Extension Service, UK Department of Forestry, Kentucky Division of Forestry, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky State University, Kentucky Tree Farm Committee, Kentucky Woodland Owners Association, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kentucky Forest Industries Association, Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Kentucky Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters of America Inc.