Author: Chad Niman
Major Program: Forest Education: Health, Management, and Utilization
There is a shortage of forestry training programs available at the K-12 and community/technical college level in Kentucky. Our educational team created a Kentucky ForstryWorks high school curriculum to provide a resource for Kentucky teachers. Kentucky ForestryWorks is an educational training and certificate program focused on forestry, wood industry and logging career opportunities and skillsets. The educational committee is working on upcoming educational opportunities and resources available
Plastic pollution, heavy metal pollution, so many types of pollution. The benefits of renewable forest products are often not clearly understood by consumers. 2023 marked 7 years of UK Forestry and Natural Resources Extension celebrating the importance of forest products and the forests and people that provide them with the UK campus community. Forest Products are incredibly important to Kentucky, as nearly half of Kentucky is in forest and the circular economy in Kentucky renew-ably contri
Despite the ecological and economic advantages of using cross laminated timber (CLT) products, the North American building industry has been slow to adopt this emerging architectural component. The technology has been used in Europe and British Columbia for over 20 years. Many parts of the world have embraced laminated timber (CLT) and mass timber as components in large scale architectural projects. As cross-laminated timber is emerging across portions of the US, this region is far behind despit
Kentucky’s forests cover nearly half the Commonwealth, but only scattered information had existed on the overall economic impact of Kentucky’s forest and wood industry. To address this shortfall, a team of faculty and staff from the University of Kentucky Departments of Forestry and Agricultural Economics (Drs. Jeff Stringer, Alison Davis, and Terrell Baker along with staff members Bobby Ammerman and Billy Thomas) worked closely to compile data from a wide variety of sources for the
Forests cover nearly half the surface of Kentucky and forest products provide the largest agricultural economic contribution of any sector with $18.6 Billion and provide the most ingredient (White oak) for the $9 Billion Bourbon industry. Despite this few people understand the importance of managing their forests and forest health to maintain ecological and economic productivity. The benefits of using renewable and sustainably grown wood from local woodland owners and farmers are often not clear
Author: Michael Ammerman
Once a year, the Small Scale Logging Program showcases several pieces of small equipment available on the market that can be safely attached to a side-by-side ATV, farm tractor, or truck. These attachments lift the front of the log up off the ground reducing skidding impact to the ground and making skidding much safer and easier. The need for this program comes from small acreage properties, which are only sometimes economical for commercial loggers to harvest, requiring woodland owners and farm
Author: Miranda Rudolph
Each year, wild mushroom consumption leads to illness and in some cases, even death. According to the most recently published National Poison Control Annual Report, Mushrooms ranked 19th on their top 25 substance categories with the greatest risk of exposure increase. 1,119 serious exposures from mushrooms were reported by national poison control in 2022 alone. Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents in the Purchase Region also noticed a substantial increase in mushroom identification
Author: Ellen Crocker
Laurel wilt is a new invasive tree disease in Kentucky lethal to sassafras and spicebush. This disease is caused by a fungus, Harringtonia lauricola, and spread by the redbay ambrosia beetle, both of which are native to Asia. Infection by the fungus compromises the vascular system of the tree and can rapidly kill sassafras. While it has been present in coastal areas of the southeast for several years, killing redbay laurel, avocado, and other species, it was first detected in Kentuck
The Kentucky Master Naturalist (KYMN) program was developed by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension with valuable input from stakeholders at public and private organizations. The mission of the KYMN program is to develop a cohort of well-informed volunteers to advance education, research, and outreach efforts dedicated to the conservation and management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Becoming a KY Master Naturali
Invasive plants are a major issue in Kentucky and beyond, impacting a wide range of habitats from forests to grasslands. Already there are many different invasive trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and herbaceous plants that cause problems in the state. In addition, new plants arrive each year. From recognizing and managing common species to selecting non-invasive plants for landscaping, the public needs more information about invasive plants.To meet this need, we (Frannie Preston
Forests are key to Kentucky’s economic and environmental wellbeing. The state is 47% forested with over 12 million acres of woodlands and, collectively, the forest sector contributes over $13.5 billion annually to the state’s economy and impacts over 60,398 jobs. However, a range of insects, diseases, invasive plants, and other issues threaten the sustainability of our forests, woodlands, and urban trees. For example, the invasive emerald ash borer alone is estimated to cost K
The University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Extension team launched the weekly online program From the Woods Today in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the program remains an important component of our forestry and natural resources Extension programming efforts (https://forestry.ca.uky.edu/woods-today). The From the Woods Today program features current information on woodlands and wildlife in Kentucky including presentations on woodland management, tree identific
Invasive plants are a major issue in Kentucky and beyond, impacting a wide range of habitats from forests to grasslands. Already there are many different invasive trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and herbaceous plants that cause problems in the state. In addition, new plants arrive each year. From recognizing new invasives to best practices in managing current problems, landowners and professionals need more information about invasive plants.To increase understanding of these issues an
Tree Week is a week celebrating all things tree-related that happens each October in communities across Kentucky. Extension agents and specialists contribute to Tree Week in many different ways, from organizing events in their communities to delivering programs to serving on the Tree Week Planning Committee. Several of these include: Tree Week Webinar Series:This year, as in past years, the Forestry and Natural Resources Extension Team organized a webinar series (led by Ellen Cr
Author: William Thomas
The University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Extension team launched the weekly online program From the Woods Today in 2020 and the program remains an important component of our forestry and natural resources Extension programming efforts (https://forestry.ca.uky.edu/woods-today). The From the Woods Today program features current information on woodlands and wildlife in Kentucky including presentations on woodland management, tree identification, invasive species, fore
The University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Extension (UK FNRE) team along with key partners such as the Kentucky Maple Syrup Association, and the Kentucky Center for Agricultural Development, and the Kentucky Natural Resources Conservation Service have worked to support maple syrup producers in Kentucky. These efforts helped form the Kentucky Maple Syrup Project (https://ky-maplesyrup.ca.uky.edu) which contains a growing library of maple syrup-related information, in
The University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resource Extension annually documents and reports on the economic contribution of Kentucky’s forests and forest industry. With half of Kentucky covered in forests (or woodlands). These woodlands provide many environmental benefits and support a diverse forest industry that is a key part of Kentucky’s economy. Because of the diffuse nature of the forest industry in Kentucky relatively few people realize how significant it i
