LEXINGTON, Ky. — Owners and managers of Kentucky forests can learn best practices to preserve and improve their natural resource this summer by enrolling in the the 2024 Kentucky Woodland Owners Short Course (WOSC) at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
The online courses are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT, starting June 11.
WOSC will cover numerous aspects, including woodland management processes, tree identification, climate change, woodland health, interactions between wildlife and woodlands, the impact of carbon and how National Resource Conservation Service programs can support woodland health and water quality. These sessions are designed to increase awareness of critical woodland and wildlife issues, provide practical examples of solutions and introduce the programs and professionals available to support woodland owners.
Following the online sessions, participants can attend one of two hands-on field sessions. These are scheduled for July 13 at the UK Robinson Forest and August 10 at Roundstone Native Seed.
The field sessions are intended to showcase effective woodland and wildlife management practices, allowing participants to see these practices applied on the ground and interact with natural resource professionals. This practical application helps reinforce the lessons learned online and illustrates how they can be translated into effective stewardship of their own woodlands.
Registration is now open.
The program is designed to enhance woodland owners’ capabilities in managing and preserving their woodland resources effectively. The upcoming course features a series of five informative online sessions, complemented by a practical field session with two available dates to accommodate more participants.
“We are really excited about this year’s Kentucky WOSC,” said Billy Thomas, extension forester in the UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. “We have online sessions dealing with many topics important to forest owners. We also have two outstanding field sessions for participants to choose from.”
“The WOSC is a unique opportunity for land owners,” Thomas said. “Through the course, participants receive a tremendous amount of information about caring for their woodlands. They can connect with natural resource professionals who can assist them on their own land.”
To learn more about WOSC, including registration, visit https://wosc.ca.uky.edu/2024WOSC.
—By Jordan Strickler, UK Agriculture Communications
