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The Maine Forest Service (MFS) skidder bridge loan program makes steel and wooden skidder?bridges available to the logging community at various locations statewide. Please take our survey to?share your thoughts on the existing program to help the MFS make informed decisions about this program to better serve Maine?s forest products industry.
There is currently an opportunity to enhance and/or expand the skidder bridge loan program using?federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act legislation. This opportunity may allow MFS to replace wooden?bridges with steel, and/or purchase additional bridges to serve new locations around the?state. Funds may also be used to administer a cost share program, where qualified participants?could purchase skidder bridge panels outright at a reduced cost. We are eager to hear from the?forestry community about how these funds should be best utilized. Please take the survey online (see link below) by March 1, 2023.
Thank you
DATE:???????????
Thursday, March 2, 2023
LOCATION:?????????
Jeff?s Catering -15 Littlefield Way, Brewer, Maine
TIME:????????????
5:30 - 6:15 PM - Social ?Hour?
6:15 ? 7:00 PM ? Buffet Dinner
7:00 ? 8:00 PM ? Forum Speaker and Discussion
COST: ??????????
$25 for Members and $35 for Non-Members - Payable at the door.?
Payment via cash, check or credit card.
REGISTER:
Pre-registration is requested by Tuesday, February 28, 2023 to assure an accurate head count for meals!
Identifying, Recruiting and Retaining Talent - Ideas for the Forest Industry Workforce
The entire forest products industry is struggling to attract and retain workers.? Our industry isn?t alone, but we?re fortunate to be full of creative people who have experience and ideas on how to recruit and keep talent.? Inspired by a recent podcase by The Northern Logger (listen here) titled ?Industry Leaders Weigh in on How Businesses Can Attract and Retain Top Talent?, we?re going to solicit ideas, thoughts and questions from attendees on how we as an industry can address this growing challenge. ? Following a brief presentation that shares examples from the podcast, FRA will be leading a group discussion / brainstorming / idea sharing, where thoughts are captured and shared on the screen.? Expect this to be highly interactive, and the goal is to get as many good ideas, strategies and questions shared as possible.? Following the meeting, all participants will be emailed a summary, sharing what was heard. ? This is a great and unique opportunity to share your thoughts and hear from others, and will provide you the opportunity to learn ways that you can address what is a challenge across the entire forest industry supply chain.
DATE:?
Sunday, March 12, 2023
TIME:?
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
LOCATION:?
Twin Bridges Preserve, Route 117 Otisfield, Maine?
Join Maine Forest Service District Forester Mike Richard to learn Winter Tree Identification tips and tricks. Participants will learn about the methods available for positive tree identification during winter or fall conditions when leaves are not present. Other topics including forest ecology, natural history and forest management will be discussed.
Proper winter clothing and footwear for trail conditions is advised (snowshoes or micro spikes may be necessary).
For more information or to pre-register please call District Forester Mike Richard: 207-441-3276 or email:?[email protected]
This program is being offered by the Western Foothills Land Trust and the Maine Forest Service.
DATE:?
Friday, March 24, 2023
TIME:?
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
LOCATION:?
Virtual - Microsoft Teams
The MFS Division of Forest Health and Monitoring will discuss the results of Maine's various spruce budworm population monitoring activities over the last four monitoring seasons spanning from 2019-2022. Topics covered will include SBW monitoring through pheromone trapping, light trapping, aerial and ground defoliation surveys, overwintering larval surveys. Presenters will also touch on management activities by private landowners in recent years.
CREDITS:?
CEU Credits have been requested for Pesticide Applicator and Forester Licenses.
?
DATE:
Saturday, March 25, 2023
TIME:
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
LOCATION:
45 Heald Pond Rd, Moose River, Maine 04945
Join us on Saturday March 25th for the Maine Maple Sunday event at Sawyer?s Maple Farm. There will be tours of the entire maple syrup process, starting from the trees in their 7000 tap maple orchard and all the way to their evaporator and finished product. They will be boiling syrup if they have sap and will have lots of maple treats and goodies for sale.
This year, District Forester Jim Ferrante from the Maine Forest Service will be here to give tours of the woods, tree identification, a history of maple syrup and the overall process of making it today.
Jim will be doing tours at 10:00am and 2:00pm, with more tours possible.
There will be syrup samples, possibly hot off the evaporator if they are boiling.
They will be serving hot maple coffee and hot chocolate.
DIRECTIONS:
Stay North on Rt 201 till you get to the Heald Pond Rd. We will have signs at the intersection. We are two miles in the Heald Pond Rd on the right hand side.
Dress warm and wear boots for tours in the woods.
If you plan to attend, please send District Forester Jim Ferrante an email at [email protected] or give him a call at 207-441-4308.
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