One of the first steps to improving your woodland is to know the species of trees that grow there.  With dozens of tree species on the typical woodland property in Appalachian Ohio, this can be a formidable task.  “Identifying the Trees in Your Woods” will introduce you a simple leaf key to guide you through the process.  You will have the opportunity to use the key to identify a wide assortment of tree samples in the classroom, then explore the diverse woodlands at the Vinton Furnace State Forest  with experienced foresters.  This will help to reinforce your leaf identification skills and to help you to learn to use other characteristics, such as bark, twigs and buds, tree form and shape, and even site or location to help you identify trees.

This program will take place at the Vinton Furnace State Forest (Directions – Experimental Forest)

and runs from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM.   A registration fee of $12 will cover the cost of lunch and your copy of Leaf Identification Key to Eighty-eight Ohio Trees. 

Please use one of the following methods to register by August 8:

•  Register and pay online at http://go.osu.edu/vintonswcd

•  Call  740-596-5676 Vinton SWCD

•  Email Dave Apsley at apsley.1@osu.edu

For  brochures and more information upcomming programs visit: ADIW BROCHURE

Don’t forget to check out our tree identification videos at: go.osu.edu/treeid

 “A Day in the Woods” and the “2nd Friday Series” are sponsored by the Education and Demonstration Subcommittee of the Vinton Furnace State Forest with support from Ohio State University Extension, ODNR-Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, Vinton Soil and Water Conservation District, Central State University Extension, National Wild Turkey Federation, Pixelle Specialty Solutions, Ohio Tree Farm Committee, Ohio Forestry Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hocking College,  Ruffed Grouse Society, Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative, Pheasants and Quail Forever, and Ohio’s SFI Implementation Committee.

Are you interested in supporting wildlife by creating native grassland and pollinator habitat on your land? Are there areas of your property that you want to keep open or are not well-suited to growing trees? Woodland openings, old pastures, lawn, and unused hay fields present opportunities to create native grassland and pollinator habitats. Managing these upland habitats along with healthy woodlands is the key to providing year-round food and cover for game birds, songbirds, deer, pollinating insects, and many other desirable wildlife species.

Join us on Friday, July 22 in Meigs County to:

• See a real-life example of pollinator habitat that was created and is actively managed by a private landowner with support from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP.)

• View a live demonstration of equipment commonly used to create and manage grassland and pollinator habitats.

• Learn how to identify areas of your property that are suitable for native grasslands and pollinator habitat.

• Discuss challenges and solutions for managing upland habitats once they are established.

• Become familiar with common native forbs and grasses that attract desirable wildlife.

• Participate in collecting and identifying insects that use pollinator habitat.

• Consider how multiple habitat types can be managed on your property and how they combine to support Ohio’s wildlife.

• Discover resources and assistance available to help you establish and improve wildlife habitat on your own property.

Resource professionals from Ohio State University Extension, local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Pheasants and Quail Forever, the United States Forest Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will be present to share information and answer your questions.

The field day will take place on July 22^nd from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at:

Re-Gen Farm and Forest Products Inc.

40518 Township Hwy 247, Pomeroy, Ohio 45769

Here is a Google Maps link to the event location:

go.osu.edu/pollinator-location

Look for the yellow and green  A DAY in the WOODS signs leading to the parking area. A registration fee of $12 will cover the cost of lunch and program materials.

Please bring a water bottle. Water coolers will be available on site. Portable chairs, sunscreen, hats, and bug spray are also recommended, according to your needs. Wear comfortable, protective shoes that will support you when walking up and down hills at a comfortable pace on mown grass trails.

Please use one of the following methods to register by July 18:

• Register and pay online: http://go.osu.edu/vintonswcd Be sure to select July 22.

• Call: Vinton Soil and Water Conservation District  (740-596-5676)

• Email: Dave Apsley at apsley.1@osu.edu

“A Day in the Woods” and the “2nd Friday Series” are sponsored by the Education and Demonstration Subcommittee of the Vinton Furnace State Forest with support from Ohio State University Extension, ODNR-Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, Vinton Soil and Water Conservation District, Central State University Extension, National Wild Turkey Federation, Pixelle Specialty Solutions, Ohio Tree Farm Committee, Ohio Forestry Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hocking College, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ruffed Grouse Society, Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative,  and Pheasants and Quail Forever, and Ohio’s SFI Implementation Committee.

Swedish brush axe

Caring for you woodlands can be overwhelming at times.  Fortunately, there is a wide array of tools and equipment that can help to make these tasks much more efficient and effective. These tools can be as simple as a hatchet or as sophisticated as an an off-road vehicle with a GPS guided sprayer.   Join us on Friday, July 15 at Hocking College to:

• Learn how to select, maintain, and safely use chainsaws
• Understand how to safely operate your small farm tractors and off-road vehicles
• Become familiar with a wide variety of power and manual tools you can use to improve your woodlands and wildlife habitat
• Learn how to operate hand-held and vehicle mounted spray equipment safely and effectively

Our featured presenter for this program is Dale Hatfield, Hocking College-Forest and Tree Care Manager, Building and Grounds.   Dale is also an instructor for the Ohio Forestry Association’s CSAW (Chainsaw Safety Awareness that Works) training program.  Dale’s crew and Natural Resources professionals from partnering agencies including Ohio State University Extension, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts will be on hand to demonstrate equipment and share pro tips.

This program will take place from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Hocking College –  Sylvania Educational Site,  17690 Sylvania Ave, Nelsonville Ohio 45764. A registration fee of $12 will cover the cost of lunch and program materials.

Please use one of the following methods to register by July 11th:

• Register and pay online:http://go.osu.edu/vintonswcd  Be sure to select July 15
• Call: Vinton Soil and Water Conservation District 740-596-5676
• Email: Dave Apsley at apsley.apsley.1@osu.edu

For a map and more details visit: http://u.osu.edu/seohiowoods

“A Day in the Woods” and the “2nd Friday Series” are sponsored by the Education and Demonstration Subcommittee of the Vinton Furnace State Forest with support from Ohio State University Extension, ODNR-Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, Vinton Soil and Water Conservation District, Central State University Extension, National Wild Turkey Federation, Pixelle Specialty Solutions, Ohio Tree Farm Committee, Ohio Forestry Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hocking College, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ruffed Grouse Society, Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative, Pheasants and Quail Forever, and Ohio’s SFI Implementation Committee.

Streamside forests and wooded watersheds play a key role in providing clean water and quality habitat for both aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. Trees, especially those along stream sides, absorb nutrients and trap soil particles minimizing their impact on fish and the organisms that they feed on. Forested watersheds and wetlands can also help to reduce the severity of flooding and provide for a more consistent flow of clean water for human consumption.  Program attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Learn about watersheds and how humans can impact them
• Understand the role of streamside forests in keeping streams healthy and productive
• Watch an electrofishing demonstration and learn about other sampling techniques used to study streams
• Explore macroinvertebrates and other indicators of water quality
• Enjoy an optional guided float down Raccoon Creek (additional fee of $12)

You will have the opportunity to get in a creek and help with seining for aquatic insects. So, if you want to jump in, be sure to bring an old pair of tennis shoes or waders and an extra set of dry clothes.

Featured presenters include Carrie Brown, ANR Educator-OSU Extension Fairfield County; Amy Mackey,Raccoon Creek Watershed Coordinator-Ohio University’s Voinovich School; Levi Arnold, Region 7  Watershed Manager-ODA Division of Soil & Water Conservation; Bob Mulligan, Forest Hydrology Manager- Ohio Division of Forestry; Jenna Balazs,Watershed Education and Outreach Coordinator-Hocking Soil and Water Conservation District; Rebecca Miller, Education Specialist-Hocking Soil and Water Conservatoin District; Kelly Capuzzi, State Fisheries Biologist-Ohio EPA; and Kaylin Callander, Naturalist- Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft.

This program will take place from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Hope School House Interpretive Center in Zaleski State Forest located at approximately 28000 Wheelabout Road, McArthur.  A registration fee of $12 will cover the cost of lunch and program materials.  An optional float trip will take place from approximately 2:15 to 6:00 PM.  An additional fee of $12 Canoe or Kayak rental, and shuttle. Be sure to let us know if you’re planning to join us on the float trip.

Please use one of the following methods to register by June 8th:

• Register and pay online: http://go.osu.edu/vintonswcd  Select June 10 (be sure to also select June 10 float if you plan to kayak)
• Call:  Vinton Soil and Water Conservation District (740-596-5676)
• Email: Dave Apsley at apsley.1@osu.edu

Southeastern Ohio’s woodlands contain a rich assortment of plants ranging from majestic oaks to the most delicate understory herbs.  The focus of the May 13 “A Day in the Woods” program will be “Understory Plants in Your Woodland.” Featured presenters are Homer Elliott – Wildlife & Natural Resources Faculty at Hocking College, Todd Hutchinson- Research Ecologist – USFS Northern Research Station, Badger Johnson – Climate Resilience Coordinator at Rural Action, and Rebecca Wood, Director of Hopewood Holistic Health. “Understory Plants in Your Woodland” is designed to help you:

• Learn to identify many of the understory plants found in SE Ohio

• Understand the ecology of these plants

• Recognize some common woodland mushrooms

• Become familiar with the many resources available to help you further understand the nutritional and medicinal value of these plants and mushrooms

• Explore understory plants and fungi at the Vinton Furnace State Forest

This program will take place at the Vinton Furnace State Forest and runs from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM.   A registration fee of $12 will cover the cost of lunch and program materials.  Please use one of the following methods to register by May 9th:

•  Register and pay online at http://go.osu.edu/vintonswcd

•  Call  740-596-5676 Vinton SWCD

•  Email Dave Apsley at apsley.1@osu.edu

For  brochures and more information: 2022 A DAY In the WOODS Brochure

Directions – Experimental Forest

 “A Day in the Woods” and the “2^nd Friday Series” are sponsored by the Education and Demonstration Subcommittee of the Vinton Furnace State Forest with support from Ohio State University Extension, ODNR-Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, Vinton Soil and Water Conservation District, Central State University Extension, National Wild Turkey Federation, Pixelle Specialty Solutions, Ohio Tree Farm Committee, Ohio Forestry Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hocking College,  Ruffed Grouse Society, Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative, Pheasants and Quail Forever, and Ohio’s SFI Implementation Committee.

These are the recordings from “Using Technology to Map and Care for Your Woodlands”  A DAY in the WOODS program on 4-8-22.  Unfortunately, the audio quality is not great.  See bottom half of this post for supplemental information (power point slides and instructions) and more detailed recordings from 10/9/2020.

My Land Plan and Google Earth (Dave Apsley, OSU Extension; 23:32 min)

Adding a Soil Series Layer to Google Earth PRO

Note:  One of our partcipantes shared this link which provides a soils layer for Google Earth: https://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/soil_web/kml/SoilWeb.kmz

Just click on the link and a SoilWeb  KMZ file will download.  Click on it and it will open in Google Earth Pro if you have it loaded on your comptuer.  It will show up as a folder in your Temporary Places folder as SoilWeb and can turned on and off by checking and unchecking the box next to it.   When it is checked the Soil Series info will show up when you zoom into one of your places.

Web Soil Survey (Stephanie Downs, ODNR-Division of Forestry; 32:10 min)

ONX Hunt; Pat Migliozzi (ODNR-Divison of Forestry) and George Hulbert (USFS-Northern Research Station; 17:21 min)

Using AVENZA phone app (Stephanie Downs, ODNR-Division of Forestry; 13:14 min)

The resources below delve even deeper into several of the mapping and GPS programs that were explored on October 9, 2020.

Mapping you woodland focuses on tools that you can use to locate boundaries and other land features, and to create digital maps from location data using free GPS (Global Positioning System) phone applications and online mapping tools.

Recording of October 9 Virtual DAY in the WOODS program including (79 min):

• Using Ohio county auditor web resources – Eric Hayes, Athens Soil and Water Conservation District

• Collecting location information from your woodland using AVENZA maps – Stephanie Downs,  Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Forestry

  • Mapping – AVENZA Instructions

  • Mapping- How to use AVENZA – powerpoint slides

• Overview of online mapping tools including My Land Plan, Google Earth Pro and other free or low cost mapping tools – Dave Apsley, Ohio State University Extension, Stephanie Downs,  Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Forestry, and Eric Hayes, Athens Soil and Water Conservation District

  • Mapping – Tool Worth Exploring – powerpoint slides

How to use My Land Plan to map and manage your woodland Resources

Dave Apsley, Ohio State University Extension

Mapping- Using My Land Plan- powerpoint slides

PowerPoint presentation on My Land Plan (13 min):

Demonstration on how to use My Land Plan (14 min):

Creating interactive maps using Google Earth Pro

Dave Apsley, Ohio State University Extension, and Eric Hayes, Athens Soil and Water Conservation District (30 minutes)

Mapping – How to use Google Earth Pro- powerpoint slides

PowerPoint presentation on Google Earth pro (13 min):

Map created in
Google Earth pro

Our April 8, A DAY in the WOODS program “Using Technology to Map and Care for Your Woodlands” will be offered in a hybrid format.   The morning portion of the program will explore online resources including Web Soil Survey, My Land Plan, Google Earth and Virginia Tech’s Tree Identification web site.  We will also introduce participants to a variety of smart phone apps that can be used to map and track your movement on your property, identify your trees and assess the health of your woodlands.   The optional field session offered only at Zaleski State Forest will consist of demonstrations and hands practice to help you to become comfortable with the technology

Please select one of the following options to attend this program:

1. To attend the morning Zoom Webinar portion of the program, CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

2. To join us for the morning and afternoon sessions in-person at Zaleski ODNR Complex.  PLEASE RSVP by email Dave Apsley at apsley.1@osu.edu (include the subject line Technology A DAY in the WOODS).  Since we will not be providing a lunch at this event, it will be free of charge.  Please don’t forget to bring your lunch.

Map and Directions to Zaleski ODNR Complex:   ZaleskiDrivingMapRevised4-13-15PDF-26r6cke    Zaleski ODNR Complex Aerial

Program Agenda

•  10:00 – 11:30 Indoor: Zoom Webinar or in person at Zaleski SF

  • Mapping resources: My Land Plan, Google Earth,

  • Web Soil Survey and Virginia Tech Tree ID websites

  • Introduction to a variety of Smart Phone Apps including Avenz (and other mapping apps), Healthy Woods and VTree

  • Question and Answer session

• 11:30-12:00    Lunch: Don’t forget to “bring your own”

• 12:00-2:00      Field: Zaleski SF

  • Demonstrations and hands-on use of apps

• 

Photo Courtesy of Jason Jones, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever

Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife Recording (Link to full recording of 3/11/22 DAY in the WOODS Zoom Recording)

 “The Power of Pollinators”  starts at 7:00 min  (Marne Tichenell, OSU Extension)

Titchenell Pollinator Status-Important-Plant Associations.pdf

“Goals and Expectations” starts at 33:40 (Eric Hayes, Athens SWCD)

Hayes GoalsAndExpectations.pdf

” Planning for and Maintaining Upland Habitat” starts at 48:00 (Abby Prieur, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever)

Prieur Planning for and Maintaining.pdf

“Site Preparation”  starts at 01:11:00 (Jason Jones, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever)

Jones_Site Prep.pdf

Separate recorded video, click to view: USDA Conservation Programs: Promoting Healthy Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat    (Nick Schell, Ohio NRCS)

Schell_USDA Conservation Programs Promoting Healthy Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat.pdf

Additional Resources:

Ohio Trees for Bees fact sheet

OSU Bee Lab – u.osu.edu/beelab

Attracting Native Pollinators – Xerces Society Publications – xerces.org

pheasantsforever.org/Conservation/Habitat-Education.

https://extension.psu.edu/warm-season-grasses-and-wildlife

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_017880.pdf

https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/documents/sp731-b.pdf

https://www.pfhabitatstore.com/store/items/OH/

EstablishingPollinatorMeadows

ButterflyGardens

PollinatorHabitat

PollinatorBiologyandHabitat

Pollinating insects are responsible for 75% of the global food supply, and are accurate indicators of overall ecosystem health. Recent declines of pollinating insects, and other wildlife adapted to similar habitats, are cause for genuine concern. Ohio landowners can help by managing healthy forests and native grasslands that host a diverse community of native flowering plants, which are critical strongholds for pollinating insects and wildlife dependent on grasslands.

Join us Via Zoom Webinar on March 11^th  from 3 pm to 5 p.m. for an introduction into native grasslands and pollinator habitat.

Click Here to register

Hold the Date: A field event is being planned for July 22.  Join us to to learn more about the benefits of pollinator habitat and native grassland habitat, and how to establish pollinator habitat and grassland habitat on your own property. We will tour pollinator habitat and native grasslands, and witness just some of the ecosystem services they provide for us.”  More details for this field event will be provided soon!

We’ve still got details to work out, but this is what we’ve got in store for A DAY in the WOODS, 2nd Friday Series for 2022:

• Mar 11- Native grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife- A virtual Introduction. 3 pm. via Zoom

• Apr 8 – Using Technology for Woodland Management. 10 am.  Join us via Zoom or in person at Zaleski ODNR Complex. 12:30 PM Live Demonstrations at Zaleski ODNR Complex (not available via Zoom)

• May 13- Understory plants in Your Woodland.  9 am. Vinton Furnace State Forest

• Jun 10- Woodlands and water.  9 am.  Zaleski State Forest.  2:30 pm optional float trip on Raccoon Creek

• Jul 15- Tools and Equipment for managing your woodlands and wildlife habitat. 10 am. Hocking College

• Jul 22- Native grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife. 9 am.  Field-based. Location to be determined.

• Aug 12- Tree Identification. 9am. Vinton Furnace State Forest

• Sept 9- A night in the forest: Nocturnal Wildlife and Night Skies. 6:30 pm. Vinton Furnace State Forest

• Oct 7- Managing oaks for wildlife. 9 am.  Vinton Furnace State Forest

• Nov 10 (Thursday)- Family Forests and Carbon.  3 pm. Virtual via zoom

• Hands on Chainsaw Training (CSAW). 8 Hour Hands on Classes. Dates, Locations TBA.