What's New (Blog)

Remember the feeling of wind brushing against your cheek or the momentary gasp as your boot slid on a big, slippery rock? Or, what about trees bursting with brilliant fall colors or the chirp, hoot and rustle in the woods that made you ask, ‘Who’s there?’ For many adults these memories are the stuff of their American childhood – rites of passage recalled with great affection and humor. For many, these experiences form the basis of a lifetime of enjoyment and caring for America’s great outdoors. That’s why the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) wants to help make playing in nature outdoors fun for kids again.

Since 1905, USFS has prided itself on educating the public about the Nation’s natural resources, including the 193 million acres of forests and grasslands it manages. Today that legacy continues as the Forest Service’s Conservation Education Office supports a wide variety of programs directed at pre-K to 12th grade students, their parents and educators. Programs draw from work performed by Agency experts who provide guidance in science, land management and recreation, which serves as the foundation for environmental literacy efforts. USFS also promotes partnerships with organizations that support its mission.

Read the full article and learn more about the Forest Service’s educational programs by clicking here.

To view archived InterfaceSouth Posts click here. 
 

This 4-part webinar series will focus on the theme "Considering Natural Resources in Land-Use Decision Making Processes." Natural resource professionals often refer to "being at the table" in reference to their participation in multi-stakeholder processes such as land-use planning. Therefore we use the same language is used in the session titles of this series. Each session will address the theme from a different perspective.

Session Details:

October 12th, 12:00-1:00 pm EST

Why should we be at the table?Natural resource managers' perspective
 (Susan Stein, Private Forest Studies Coordinator, US Forest Service)

October 17th, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm EST

Why we need you at the table? and How do you get to the table? Land-use planners' perspectives (Craig Diamond, Environmental Economist, Consultant)

November 10th, 12:00-1:00 pm EST

What happens when we are at the table together? A case study from Sumner County, Tennessee (Dwight Barnett, Area Forester, Tennessee Division of Forestry and Michael Briggs, Transportation Planner, Metropolitan Nashville Planning Department)

November 18th, 12:00-1:00 pm EST

What do you do when people start throwing food at the table? A conflict management perspective (Steve Smutko, Spicer Chair of Collaborative Practice, University of Wyoming, Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics)

Who should participate?
Natural resource professionals who want to learn more about wildland-urban interface issues, opportunities, and strategies.

Can I receive continuing education credit?
The CR webinar series provides a convenient, free professional development option for busy professionals who want to earn continuing education credits without paying travel expenses or taking time off work. Participants who log in to the liver session may be eligible for Society of American Foresters and International Society of Aboriculture continuing education credits. The archived sessions can be viewed for continuing education credits for up to one year.

Click here for session details and for more information on how to access the webinar. You can also earn more about the Changing Roles Professional Development program by clicking here.

This fall the Southern Fire Exchange (http://www.southernfireexchange.org/), a Joint Fire Science sponsored program dedicated to providing the latest fire science information to communities and practitioners across the South, will present a series of webinars on topics related to wildland fire and natural resource management.  The current schedule is as follows: 
 

Using the Southern Fire Exchange Resource Center
September 28, 2011, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Eastern
 
Using Smoke Prediction Models for Prescribed Burning Planning
October 19, 2011, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Eastern
 
Prescribed Fire and the Public: Myths and Realities
November 16, 2011, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Eastern
 
Interagency Fuel Treatment Decision Support System
December 14, 2011, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Eastern
 
To register and/or learn more about these webinars visit:
http://www.southernfireexchange.org/ProDev/Webinars.html
 
For updates from the Southern Fire Exchange, follow their Twitter account:
http://twitter.com/SEFireScience

In this issue, we highlight a research project headed by John Schelhas (SRS-4952 natural resource sociologist) that is helping to describe social networks among African American forest landowners as well as forest and land values and identities, forest practices, and forest histories. The findings of this project are helping to illuminate a crucial disconnect in forestry and extension efforts, and have subsequently led to outreach efforts designed specifically to connect with underserved landowner groups.

Click here to view this issue. To view the accompanying case study insert click here.

To view past issues of Leaves of Change click here.

This new publication, jointly developed by InterfaceSouth and the Unversity of Florida IFAS, can help you select shrubs for your landscape, particularly for homes in the southern United States.

To view this publication, click here.

Saturday, May 21st is National Walk in the Woods Day, an event in celebration of the International Year of the Forests and coordinated by the American Forest Foundation. Consider helping youth and adults alike to discover a forest and learn about its importance by participating in, or leading, a “walk in the woods.”
 

Click here to learn more about this event. To learn more about the International Year of the Forests click here.

The Children & Nature Network has designated all of April as Let's G.O. (Get Outdoors) month, with the goal of bringing together intergenerational groups of people to get outside together to be active, have fun, and connect with nature.  Events are occuring in a variety of locations, from coast to coast. Find an event in your area at: http://www.childrenandnature.org/LETSGO_FIND

Wednesday, April 20, 2011, 11:00 AM (Eastern)

The next Urban Natural Resources Institute Informational Webcast will take place on April 20th and will provide an overview of social networking tools to communicate and develop new audiences for urban natural resource programs and outreach.This session will be presented by Melanie R. Kirk, Assistant Professor & Extension Urban Forestry Specialist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service. 

 http://www.unri.org/webcasts/#social

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $1 million in cost-share funding for children's programs in 18 states and Puerto Rico, furthering USDA's commitment to connect young people around the country with America's great outdoors. The two programs receiving funding through this announcement will reach tens of thousands of young people this year, and support the goals of both President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative and First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Initiative.

To view the article visit: http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/detail/agriculture_secretary_vilsack_announces_local_projects_to_help_kids_get_out/

We will have a booth at the Kanapaha Spring Garden Festival in Gainesville, Florida this weekend, March 26-27.. This festival features about 200 booths offering plants, landscape displays, garden accessories, arts and crafts, educational exhibits, and foods. Also featured are a walk-through butterfly conservatory, children's activities area, live entertainment and auctions, both live and silent.

For more information visit: http://www.gardenfestival.org/