Northwest Illinois Forestry AssociationWoodland owners sharing ideas on forest productivity

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  • October 07, 2015 5:37 PM | Richard Pouzar (Administrator)

    Illinois agricultural producers who want to improve natural resources and address concerns are encouraged to sign up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) through the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

     

    Eric Gerth, Acting Illinois NRCS State Conservationist, announced that November 20, 2015 and January 15, 2016 will be the two EQIP application deadlines in Illinois. “Producers can sign-up for EQIP at any time throughout the year, but to compete for the upcoming funding periods; I encourage producers with resource concerns to submit an application by one of the application deadlines.” Gerth explains.

     

    Many applicants have interest in funding pools that address soil erosion and water quality issues on cropland.  However, there are also funding pools for grazing land operations, confined livestock operations, organic producers, and wildlife habitat improvement, just to name a few.

     

    In addition to conservation practices, EQIP provides funding for the development of plans, such as Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP), Grazing Plans, Drainage Water Management Plans, and more.

     

    Producers interested in EQIP should submit a signed application (NRCS-CPA-1200 form) to the local NRCS field office.  Applications submitted by November 20, 2015 and January 15, 2016 will be evaluated by NRCS staff for the funding period submitted. The staff will work with producers to determine eligibility for the program and complete worksheets  and rankings in order for the applicant to compete for funding.

     

    EQIP is a voluntary conservation program available for agricultural producers. Through EQIP, NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance to install conservation practices that reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, improve water and air quality, and create wildlife habitat. For information on EQIP, contact the local NRCS field office or visit THIS SITE.


  • October 07, 2015 9:58 AM | Richard Pouzar (Administrator)

    These are the tips that I gathered from the excellent Chainsaw Safety Demonstration by our IDNR District Firester Jeff Harris at the end of August -

    • keep your saw clean and the chain sharp
    • file the raker blades when sharpening the chain's cutters
    • use 91 octane ethanol-free gasoline
    • wear protective clothing and accessories
    • no one should be within reach when operating your saw
    • when felling, everyone should be 2.5 times the tree's height away
    • step back and estimate the weight or lean of the tree
    • based on the lean, cut from the safe side, away from the lean
    • spend the time to look for all the hazards
    • plan two escape routes, each 45º off the intended tree fall
    • your hinge width should be 80% of the DBH
    • your hinge thickness should be less than 10% of DBH
    • use an open-face/boring-cut technique
    • if tree is thick enough, leave a rear trigger for release
    • after cutting the trigger, always walk away on an escape route
    • always keep both hands on the saw when it is running
    • never cut across your body
    • always engage the chain brake when walking or moving
    • always lock your thumb on the front handle
    • always quit when you feel tired

    This isn't a comprehensive list and shouldn't be used as a substitute for professional training.  I'll expand this list based on any suggestions.


  • October 07, 2015 9:54 AM | Richard Pouzar (Administrator)

    If you attended Duane Mitch's Workshop tour in August, you mat be interested in some of the products that he uses.  One of the places that carries Dirtex, Hide Glue, and Ultra Fine Steel Wool is Amazon.  Be aware that the spray Dirtex that they carry cannot be used on varnished surfaces - it is so strong a cleaner that it removes the varnish.  The powdered Dirtex is safe for varnish.

  • October 07, 2015 9:49 AM | Richard Pouzar (Administrator)

    Some loggers in Michigan are falsely telling walnut land owners that TCD has been detected in the state (and apparently in Indiana too) as a way to get landowners to sell their trees.

    IDNR Regional Forester Randy Timmons says, "TCD has not been confirmed in Illinois so if anyone if claiming it is, they may be involved in some sort of scam or intimidation."

  • October 07, 2015 9:45 AM | Richard Pouzar (Administrator)

    Stihl USA has posted a pretty good summary of tips on firewood, from selecting the right wood, to splitting, stacking, and storing it.  To go to their guide, CLICK HERE.

  • October 17, 2014 11:48 AM | Richard Pouzar (Administrator)

    I recently came upon some numbers showing hardwood exports by species and country.  They surprised me.  For one, I hadn't expected Vietnam and Canada to be the primary consumers of our lumber and logs.  Evidently, much furniture manufacturing has moved from China to Vietnam due to lower labor costs.  Secondly, I didn't realize that red oak was in demand by the export market.  If I can find some numbers that show domestic consumption to put these in context, I'll post them later.


    The darker board represents lumber volume; the lighter board represents log count.  I'm not sure the numbers can be compared, but wanted to show relative size of the exports.


  • October 16, 2014 7:37 PM | Richard Pouzar (Administrator)

    Penn State University does a great job of producing webinars on woodland management.  This one should help in assessing the value of your timber.

    Making the Grade is a presentation which shows the relationship between lumber grades, log grades and tree grades with respect to estimating the quality and quantity of lumber which one may expect to recover from the board, log, or tree, respectively. The presentation covers basic information and does not require an in depth understanding of Forestry or Wood Products Manufacturing to understand the subject material. It is intended for small woodlot owners, farm woodlot owners, portable sawmill owners, public and municipal forest land managers, hunting camp wood land owners and other interested parties to help them better understand the Forest resource they own and/or work with.

    This recorded webinar can be accessed HERE.

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