USU Forestry Extension Publications Receive National Recognition

Two Utah State University Forestry Extension publications received awards at the recent biannual conference of the national Association of Natural Resources Extension Professionals held in Park City, Utah. The publications were selected from nominations submitted by association members from throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Utah Forest News, a quarterly newsletter produced by USU Forestry Extension’s Forest Landowner Education Program, received the Gold Award in the Newsletter or Series of Articles category, while the informational booklet, Firewise Landscaping for Utah, also produced by USU Forestry Extension, won the Bronze Award in the Long Publication category.

Darren McAvoy, Extension program associate in the USU College of Natural Resources’ Department of Wildland Resources, serves as director of the Forest Landowner Education Program and as editor of Utah Forest News. The newsletter features articles, tips and news aimed at helping private landowners in Utah achieve efficient, cost-effective, environmentally friendly and firewise management of their forested properties.

“Utah Forest News creates a forum that allows people of varied backgrounds and occupations, who share a common interest in preservation of Utah’s forests, to work together for find optimal solutions,” said McAvoy.

Recent articles have featured unique products and industries derived from Utah forests, spotlights on individual landowners and their experiences in good land management practices, as well as results from landowner surveys conducted by the Forest Landowner Education Program in cooperation with USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry and USU’s Agricultural Experiment Station.

The newsletter is available on-line at the Forest Landowner Education Program Web site.

Michael Kuhns, Extension forestry specialist and professor in the Department of Wildland Resources, and Barbara Daniels, former Forestry Extension assistant, are authors of Firewise Landscaping in Utah. The 34-page booklet, available in both print and electronic versions, provides homeowners with practical advice on selecting appropriate plants and developing a firewise landscape design, along with maintenance, safety and emergency preparedness tips.

The publication is available on the Forestry Extension Web site.

USU Forestry Extension provides comprehensive information about Utah trees and forests and offers educational publications and presentations on home, farm and community trees, forest management, forest products industries and forest ecology. For more information, visit the Web site.