The Oceana and Muskegon Conservation Districts invite you to an educational evening focused on local forest management and resilience.

This workshop addresses critical forest health challenges, with a primary focus on managing Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA). Led by regional experts, you will learn to identify HWA infestations, prepare hemlock trees for treatment, and implement strategies for replacing impact trees. We will explore methods to enhance forest diversity using tree tubes/deer exclosures to protect newly planted trees or trees that are incorporated in natural generation. High-value tree species we are looking to protect are American basswood, yellow birch, white birch, white cedar, and hemlock. Finally, the session will cover essential silvicultural techniques, biocontrol methods, and strategic species selection for successful reforestation.

We will have two expert speakers: Andi Kantola who is the Forest Pest Manager for Muskegon Conservation District and Rod Denning who is the District Forester for Oceana, Muskegon, and Newaygo counties.

This event is free and open to the public and grated to us by a U.S. Forest Service Grant - Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR). There will be a indoor and outdoor component to this event. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Stewardship Coordinator, Emma Waatti at emma.waatti@macd.org.