Clemson Extension webinars connect landowners with Southeast forestry experts

CLEMSON — Clemson Extension is partnering on a program to equip South Carolina landowners with the knowledge to manage their woodlands by connecting them with forestry experts from across the Southeast via locally based webinar sessions.

The Woodland Stewards Webinar Series is a regional Extension program for landowners that aims to empower woodland owners to make sound management decisions to meet their objectives for their land.

“The Woodland Stewards Program is designed to introduce all aspects of woodland/forest management to beginners,” Extension area forestry agent Jeff Fellers said. “This program will take the participant from learning about past management practices on the property to properly managing the woodlands/forest in present day. After completing the course, the participant will have a better understanding of principles behind why and how we manage our woodlands to promote better health and production.”

Presented by Southern Region Extension Forestry, the program consists of four live webinar sessions followed by a final local session organized by site hosts. Led by Extension forestry specialists from across the Southeast, the sessions will cover getting to know your woodlands, managing your woodlands, identifying woodland threats, wildlife and woodlands and more.

There will also be a chance for interaction with the instructors as a knowledgeable Clemson Extension Forestry and Wildlife agent will be hosting the local meetings.

Sessions will be 7-9 p.m. on Thursday evenings from Feb. 21 to March 14 at various locations across the state, with the final date to be set locally. The cost is $50 per person.

The program came to fruition through a multi-state effort among Extension services across the Southeast.

“Everyone involved saw the value in combining efforts and leveraging the strengths of each of our abilities,” Extension Natural Resources Program team leader Derrick Phinney said. “If just one Extension service took that approach and tried to offer this on its own, it could not have happened. It takes everyone to make a program of this magnitude happen. The basics of this live feed was to allow Extension agents across the Southeast to bring this educational opportunity to their local landowners. It allows landowners to come together in an Extension office to both meet their agent and also fellow landowners that are attending.”

Course locations and contact information are:

• Camden, Ryan Bean, 803-432-9071, rbean@clemson.edu;
• Conway, Ben Powell, 843-365-6715, bpowel2@clemson.edu;
• Edgefield, Stephen Pohlman, 803-637-3161, spohlma@clemson.edu;
• Florence, T.J. Savereno, 843-230-3109, asavere@clemson.edu;
• Greenville, Carolyn Dawson, 864-638-5889, dawson4@clemson.edu;
• Newberry, Jeff Fellers, 864-427-6259, fellers@clemson.edu; and
• Orangeburg, Janet Steele, 803-534-6280, jmwatt@clemson.edu.