Fall Into Peer Networking

A Two-Day Peer Mentoring Program Focused on Forest Management Practices 

Thursday, September 16 and Friday, September 17, 2010
Alberta and Houghton, Michigan 

Photo by Kalman Csia, courtesy of Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy 

Are you involved in land protection and stewardship? 

Don't miss our first-ever networking session designed by and for land acquisition and stewardship practitioners.  This workshop is designed for land trust staff, but board members with responsibilities for acquisition or stewardship are also welcome to join.

The Fall Into Peer Networking two-day program will focus on forest management.  Connect with your land acquisition and stewardship peers from other conservancies, share stories to see how others are handling forestry issues we all face, learn current forestry tools and techniques, and network with great people like you who are giving their time, talent and leadership to permanent land protection.

Since learning about forest management practices is best done in the field, this program includes extensive time outdoors.  Please bring your field gear and be prepared to drive or carpool; we will be outside rain or shine. 

Program Overview:

To download the full agenda click here.

Day One - Ford Center - Alberta, MI 

Get to know your land and stewardship colleagues from across the upper Midwest!  In the morning, Michigan Tech faculty Jim Rivard and Jim Schmierer will lead us through what forest best management practices look like on the ground, how to evaluate forest management plans, and how we as land trusts can incorporate ecological forest management into our projects.  In the afternoon, we will drive to the Michigan DNRE Baraga Field Office to meet with Gary Willis, Private Forest Specialist with the Forest Management Division, to learn more about forest management plans and review the Commercial Forest Act Program.

Day Two - Nara Chalet and Interpretive Center - Houghton, MI 

We will start the day with a round table discussion with your peers, including how land trusts can work better with foresters, loggers and landowners.  Then we will travel to the Hovel property where Justin Miller from Green Timber Consulting will lead us in learning how to create openings in the woods to increase diversity, how to develop good multi-use forest management plans which incorporate wildlife and ecological values, provide for a sustainable forest, increase diversity, and encourage environmental health and stability.

This program is brought to you by the Michigan Advancing Conservancy Excellence (ACE) program, a partnership between the Land Trust Alliance and the Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Policy.  Land trust members from all states are welcome to join.

Cost:

Because of the generous support from the Carls Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Frey Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and Wege Foundation, this training is being offered for $40 per person. This cost will cover continental breakfasts, lunches, and a light dinner on Thursday evening (optional).

Registration & Questions: 

Space is limited to 25 attendees, so please register today!   

Register Online Here 

Register By Mail or Fax

-Download the registration form.

-Mail the completed registration form to:

Land Trust Alliance
1660 L Street, NW
Suite 1100
Washington,  DC 20036

OR

- Fax the completed registration form to: 202-638-4730.

To download a list of hotels in the Alberta and Houghton Area click here.

For content questions, please contact MaryKay O'Donnell at 269-352-7032 or mkodonnell@lta.org. 

For registration questions, please contact Matt Castelhano at 202-638-4725 or mcastelhano@lta.org.