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Maine Forest Service

In This Issue...

* Conservation Stewardship Simplified Series: Live Staking Webinar [ #link_1 ]
* Forestry Health Workshop & Field Walk - Lamoine [ #link_2 ]
* NVFC's Wildfire Assessment Program Course [ #link_3 ]
* 2026 NESAF Annual Winter Meeting [ #link_4 ]
* Funds Available for Young Professionals and Students   [ #link_6 ]
* Landowner Webinar Series: Protecting Your Legacy [ #link_7 ]
* Forest Health Workshop & Field Walk [ #link_8 ]

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Conservation Stewardship Simplified Series: Live Staking Webinar

*Bureau / Program:* Maine Forest Service 

*Date:* January 27, 2026 

*Time:* 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 

*Event Type:* Workshop/Training 

Live staking can be a simple and inexpensive conservation technique for stabilizing shoreland areas. Participants in this webinar will learn how to sustainably collect cuttings from existing woody plants to establish new vegetation, the conditions under which live staking is best implemented, and other complementary practices. In-person demos spring 2026! 

*Contact Name:* Allyssa Gregory 

*Contact Email:* [email protected] 

Join the Zoom Meeting [ [link removed] ]

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Forestry Health Workshop & Field Walk - Lamoine

*Bureau / Program:* Maine Natural Areas Program, Maine Forest Service 

*Date:* January 30, 2026 

*Time:* 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM 

*Location:* Lamoine Community Center, followed by Field Walk near Lamoine State Park 

*Event Type:* Workshop/Training 

This event will feature state and county-wide experts on forest invasives for woodland owners wanting to learn practices to improve the health of their forest land and trees. 

Workshop Presentations will include: 


* *Chad Hammer,* Invasive Plant Biologist, ME Natural Areas Program, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) will speak on early detection, rapid response, Japanese stiltgrass, how to use iMap, a discussion on the means of spread and how to mitigate it. 

* *Stephen MacDonald*, Maine Forest Service/Hancock County District Forester, will be lead the Field Walk. 

* Maine Forest Service Health & Monitoring Division presents a forest health update for Hancock County. 

* *Gabe LeMay*, Entomologist II Maine Forest Service/DACF will focus on major pests and diseases affecting Downeast Maine. 

* *Mark Whiting*, Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District Board Chair and Biologist will talk about how managing small woodlots and Backyard Rewilding go together. 

The workshop is free, but registration is required.

Register [ [link removed] ]

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NVFC's Wildfire Assessment Program Course

*Date*: Saturday, February 9, 2026 

*Time*: 4PM to 6PM EST 

*Location*: North Lakes Fire & Rescue - Madawaska Lake, 1636 New Sweden Rd, Stockholm, ME 04736 

*Format*: Seminar 

*Host*: Maine Forest Service, National Volunteer Fire Council, North Lakes Fire & Rescue 

The Wildland Fires Assessment Program (WFAP) will teach participants how to work side-by-side with homeowners to identify threats around their property that may be susceptible to wildfires. WFAP is a joint effort between the National Volunteer Fire Council and the U.S. Forest Service to prepare fire department members with the necessary information, skills, and resources to conduct home safety assessments. It will allow participants to provide residents with recommendations as to how to make their homes more adapted in the wildland-urban interface.  

Participants will complete several home wildfire risk assessments indoors using real-world photos from past home assessments. Due to potential winter conditions, there will be no outdoor hands-on training. An outdoor review will be offered in Summer 2026. 

Snacks and lunch will be provided by the Maine Forest Service.  

The course is free but requires registration. 

For more information, contact: 

*Local*: Kent Nelson, (207) 922-7410, [email protected] 

*NVFC*: Amanda Tegtmeyer, 202-887-5700, [email protected] 

Register [ [link removed] ]

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2026 NESAF Annual Winter Meeting

*Date*:  Wednesday, March 18 – Friday, March 20, 2026 

*Time*: All day 

*Location*: Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks*, *200 Sable Oaks Dr, South Portland, ME 04106 

The Maine Division of the New England Society of American Foresters looks forward to welcoming our colleagues from throughout New England at the 3-day NESAF Annual Winter Meeting.  The conference will take place from Wednesday, March 18, through Friday, March 20, 2026, at the Sheraton Sable Oaks in South Portland, Maine.  An engaging lineup of speakers, technical sessions, posters, field trips, and social networking opportunities is planned.  We hope to see you there! 

NESAF has a room block at the conference hotel with a rate of US $114/night plus 9% lodging tax, single or double occupancy. To receive this rate, book by *February 25, 2026*. 

Registration is available online (link above) and allows for payment by card (preferred) or by mailed check for single or multiple attendees. Early and Standard registration closes by *12 PM* on *Monday, March 9*, after which meals are not guaranteed.  

*Full Registration *includes 2 continental breakfasts, 2 lunches, all breaks, and 2 receptions 

For questions about registration, please contact NESAF Administrative Coordinator*, Cassie Vir* at [email protected]

Meeting Info & Registration [ [link removed] ]

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Funds Available for Young Professionals and Students  

The application period is open until May 15 for Thomas Hill Young Professional Grants and Student Scholarships. Young Professionals may apply for grants of up to $1,000 for networking and other activities benefiting the YP community. SAF student members may apply for $1,500 scholarships to offset expenses related to attending an undergraduate program in forestry or a related natural resources field.   

Learn More [ [link removed] ]

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Landowner Webinar Series: Protecting Your Legacy

*Date*: January 13, 2026 (COMPLETED), January 27, 2026, February 10, 2026, February 24, 2026.   

*Time*: 6:30PM to 8PM   

*Location*: Digital Webinar   

Your land is part of your legacy. Planning what will happen to it after you are gone is a critical step to being a good steward. In fact, it may be the most important step you can take as a landowner—not just for your benefit but for the benefit of your family, your community, and the land itself.    

Join UMass Extension and guest speakers for a free, four-part webinar series about planning the future of your land. Attend some or all the webinars. Get information. Ask questions. Hear the experience of other landowners.    


* *January 13(COMPLETED):* Getting Started with Conservation-based Estate Planning    

* *January 27:* Passing on Your Land Using a Will or Trust    

* *February 10:* Permanent Land Conservation Tools    

* *February 24*: Becoming a Landowner  

Register [ [link removed] ]

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Forest Health Workshop & Field Walk

*Date:* Friday, January 30, 2026

*Time*: 10 AM – 2 PM 

*Location:* Lamoine Community Arts Building, 7 Lamoine Beach Road 

*Cost:* Free (includes lunch) 

*Field Trip:* Park Lamoine State Park (following lunch), short walk to local woodlot for guided walk. 

If you own woodland in Downeast Maine, you're facing threats that weren't on your radar five years ago. Japanese stiltgrass is spreading. Emerald ash borer is here. Beech leaf disease is damaging trees across the region. And red pine scale is becoming a growing concern for softwood stands. 

The good news? You don't have to figure this out alone. 

*Free Workshop Brings State Experts to Hancock County* 

On Friday, January 30, 2026, the Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District is hosting a comprehensive Forest Health Workshop designed specifically for woodland owners like you. This isn't a generic forestry seminar; it's a deep dive into the invasive pests and diseases currently threatening your woodlot, plus a hands-on field demonstration. 

This event is co-sponsored by Maine Woodland Owners, [ [link removed] ] Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry [ [link removed] ], and the Natural Resource Conservation Service [ [link removed] ].  

*What You'll Learn* 

Six experts from across Maine will cover the topics that matter most right now: 


* *Early detection tools* you can use to spot invasive plants before they take over (including hands-on training with the iMap system). 

* *Current pest and disease threats* specific to Downeast Maine; what's here now, and what's coming. 

* *Practical management strategies* that actually work for small woodlot owners. 

* *New financial assistance programs*, including the WoodsWISE Resiliency cost-share program launching in 2026. 

* *NRCS forest management plans* and how to access funding opportunities. 

You'll hear from the Maine Forest Service entomologist tracking these pests, the invasive plant biologist leading early response efforts, your local district forester, and USDA conservation experts who can help you access financial support. 

*Plus: A Real Woodlot Walk* 

After a hot lunch (included free), we'll head to Lamoine State Park for a guided walk through an actual woodlot. This is your chance to see management strategies in action and ask questions in the field. 

This workshop is co-sponsored by Maine Woodland Owners, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Register [ [link removed] ]



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