Educational Programs and Workshops
Idaho’s family forest landowners have diverse goals for their property. One common goal is to be good stewards.
Our educational programs and workshops are designed to increase the knowledge base that Idaho’s forestland owners and managers use to plan and implement natural resource management activities.
Find educational programs that help forestland owners and managers strengthen forest stewardship skills. Learn how to become an Idaho Master Forest Steward. Locate events that offer continuing education and certification credits for:
- Idaho Department of Agriculture pesticide recertification
- Idaho Pro-Logger program
- Society of American Foresters Certified Forester program
- Idaho schoolteachers (through the University of Idaho)
Check our calendar for specific dates.
2018-2019 Strengthening Forest Stewardship Skills events are designed to help family forest owners and those who work with them strengthen their forest stewardship skills.
NOTE: North-Central Idaho Forest Stewardship Workshops.
Workshops offered through UI Extension, Clearwater County are not set until January. Worship information will be published in the UI Extension, Clearwater County January newsletter. Anyone interested in these programs for 2019 should contact the UI Extension, Clearwater County office at clearwater@uidaho.edu or 208-476-4434 and request to be added to their distribution list. List members will receive the January newsletter as well as all program brochures and announcements for the year.
Forestry Shortcourse
Enriches family forest owners' basic understanding of forest planning, forest ecology, silviculture, insects, disease, wildlife habitat, taxes and other forest stewardship topics (two U of I credits available) (IMFS).
- Sandpoint (PDF), Wednesdays, June 12, 19, 26 and July 10, 17, 24, 2019 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Landscaping for Fire Prevention
Forest homeowners learn how to make their home site less likely to burn and easier for firefighters to access in the event of a local forest fire.
- Sessions of this program can be scheduled for large groups.
Safely Using Herbicides in Forestry
Learn how to assess the need for herbicides and safely and effectively use them to ensure reforestation and control invasive species in forests.
- Moscow, TBA
UI Experimental Forest Field Day: Forest Stewardship and Fire Preparedness on Moscow Mountain (PDF)
This all day event provides an opportunity for participants to view recent regeneration, prescribed burning, thinning and harvesting; and other forest management activities, as well as attend several demonstrations and workshops focusing on wildfire. Registration fee is $24/person and you can register online at: U of I Experimental Forest Field Day
- Princeton, Saturday, May 4, 2019. Workshop agenda (PDF)
Forest Stewardship FieldTour
Tour forest management practices implemented by multiple family forest owners, while interacting with forestry professionals and landowners.
- Moscow, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Agenda and program registration flyer (PDF)
- McCall, Friday, July 26, 2019
Weed ID Field Tour
Learn from expert weed scientist Rich Old how to identify many of our most important invasive weeds in the field along with information on their biology and how to control them.
- Kendrick, Friday, May 31, 2019
Forest Insect and Disease Field Day
Participants will learn directly from forest entomologists and pathologists on how to identify and address forest insect and disease threats to timber-stand productivity.
- Kamiah, Thursday, June 20, 2019
Pruning to Restore White Pine (PDF)
Covers disease cycles and identification and pruning methods to reduce western white pine mortality from blister rust.
- Coolin, Friday, June 21, 2019 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Thinning and Pruning Field Day (PDF)
Includes 2-3 hours indoors, followed by a hands-on field tour to learn about forest growth, forest genetics, thinning and pruning (IMFS).
- Sandpoint, Saturday, June 22, 2019
Forest Landowners Peer Learning Field Tour
Learn from your neighbors who are managing their forestland's for timber production and other resources. We will be visiting local forest landowners and learning from their management experience as well as discussing options for forest management.
- Cottonwood, Friday, June 28, 2019
Measuring Your Trees (PDF)
Participants learn how to measure species composition, density and other forest characteristics to better inform management decisions (IMFS).
- Sandpoint, Saturday, July 13, 2019
Forest Insects and Disease Field Day (PDF)
A full day of first-hand contact with insects and diseases that affect forest growth and health, with discussions of related management strategies (IMFS).
- Coeur d’Alene, Friday, July 26, 2019
Restoring Idaho Streams
Learn about stream restoration fundamentals, as well as simple and elaborate techniques to improve stream. health, function and stability.
- Moscow, Friday, Aug. 16, 2019
Off the Grid 2019
Highlights emerging mobile data technology in natural resources for situational awareness, communication, real-time positioning and wearable technology.
- Coeur d’Alene, Oct. 24-25, 2019
Idaho Master Forest Stewards receive over 70 hours of training, much of which consists of selected existing UI Extension programs many Idaho forest owners may have already completed (credit is given for previous attendance). Training includes several of the workshops listed in the 2018-2019 Strengthening Forest Stewardship Skills calendar, indicated by (IMFS)at the end of the event description. But the program also includes new indoor and outdoor educational experiences designed to take participants to the next level of managing their forest and helping other forest owners to do the same. These four one-day “IMFS core sessions” are held at forested sites throughout northern Idaho to expose participants to a range of forest ecosystems.
Learn more about becoming a certified Idaho Master Forest Steward at the University of Idaho Extension Forestry Panhandle website or by calling Chris Schnepf at the University of Idaho Extension office in Kootenai County at 208-446-1680.
Idaho Master Forest Stewards 2019
- Core 2: Priest River Exp. Forest (near Priest River, ID), Saturday, June 8, 2019.
- Core 3: UI Sandpoint Center for Organic Agriculture, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.
- Core 4: Shoshone Base Camp (near Pritchard, ID), Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019.
- IMFS Spring Gathering, Sandpoint, Friday, May 17, 2019.
- IMFS Fall Gathering, Moscow, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019.
The Logger Education to Advance Professionalism (LEAP) program is a nationally acclaimed University of Idaho Extension program. It began at the request of loggers who want to improve their skills, document and market their services and communicate more effectively with family forest owners and managers. Credits are available to participants to fulfill continuing education requirements of the Idaho Pro-Logger Program.
All LEAP programs are over for this year. Please check back in the fall for next years dates and locations.
LEAP Update is an annual opportunity for loggers to build on LEAP with in-depth training on forestry topics. The program also helps loggers meet Idaho Pro-Logger BMP training and continuing education requirements. For more information on the Idaho Pro-Logger program and credit requirements, contact the Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho (ALC) at 208-667-6473.
All LEAP Update sessions are over for the year. Please check back in October to see next years dates and locations.