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Pair of forestry workshops set for October

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Forester Daniel Stepanauskas will discuss sound and proper thinning of forest. (Courtesy photo)

Moose Mountains Regional Greenways and Branch Hill Farm/the Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust are teaming up to offer two free outdoor forestry workshops. The first, on Thursday Oct. 16, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., is designed for natural resource professionals, whereas the second, on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9-11 a.m., is aimed for beginners.

Led by BHF forester Daniel Stepanauskas, the Saturday beginner's workshop will showcase an exemplary 2013 thinning conducted in a young red oak/northern hardwood stand on BHF property in Wakefield.

Stepanauskas will answer questions and talk about the "if, when, how and why" of thinning decisions; the complexity of considerations may surprise you. He will also discuss best forestry practices that protect stream water quality and enhance the forest habitat, give an update on insect and disease threats to New Hampshire forests, talk about the numbers in the timber business, and relate stories from his work in the forests from Maine to the Cascade Mountains.

Stepanauskas has been a consulting forester in New Hampshire for 32 years. He works on the sustainable management of private and municipal forest lands, using light-touch management techniques and imitating nature's design to achieve the desired results.

Consulting forester Charlie Moreno and state Natural Resources Conservation Services Resource Conservationist Don Keirstead will jointly lead the Thursday workshop at Branch Hill Farm in Milton Mills for NRCS staff, staff of land trusts, and others natural resource professionals. They will present information on current NRCS financial grant programs for state landowners to assist in the implementation of selected management practices as well as give updates on best forestry practices.

Moreno has practiced as a consulting forester for more than 32 years. He has managed over 30,000 acres of forests for private landowners, conservation organizations, and communities in southern New Hampshire and Maine, including the forests of Branch Hill Farm. Keirstead has worked at NRCS for 14 years. After an early career as a soil scientist, during which he mapped over 150,000 acres of soils in New Hampshire and Alaska, he moved on to agricultural systems and forested landscapes planning, with an interest in ecosystem restoration and management.

Both workshops are free and open to the public but preregistration is required. For more information and to preregister, please call MMRG's Education Coordinator Kari Lygren at (603) 978-7125 or email info@mmrg.info.

MMRG, a non-profit land trust, works to conserve and connect important water resources, farm and forest lands, wildlife habitats, and recreational land in Brookfield, Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham, Wakefield, and Wolfeboro. Throughout the year, MMRG offers many educational opportunities to inform all ages about the benefits of our region's natural resources. For more information and a calendar of upcoming events, visit www.mmrg.info. Branch Hill Farm/the Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust works to protect open space and working forests and to educate the public about sound forestry, conservation and agricultural practices; see www.branchillfarm.org.

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