Master Forest Owner Volunteer Training
Have
you ever thought about using your knowledge and skill to help your
neighbor woodland owners? Join the hundreds of woodland owners who have
served their neighbors since 1994.
As a woodland owner you have a
special set of skills that you could share with other woodland owners
in your area. These skills are enhanced by educational resources
available through Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell’s
ForestConnect program (https://blogs.cornell.edu/cceforestconnect/).
Learn how to merge your skills with existing resources so you can be a
volunteer that helps other woodland owners more thoroughly enjoy and
manage their property. You are invited to the annual training for
Cornell’s Master Forest Owner (MFO) volunteers. MFO volunteers work
through Cornell Cooperative Extension to visit woodland owners in their
county and direct them towards resources that help them manage their
woodlands. This training is open for new volunteers and previously
trained volunteers seeking a refresher.
Applicants invited to
participate will join in 7 weekly online sessions via Zoom, and
subsequently meet in person in early to mid-June for a one-day field
session at locations around the state. Online sessions are 6:30 –
7:30PM starting on Tuesday April 13 at 6:30PM, and occur each Tuesday
through May 25. In addition to 2 orientation sessions, 5 technical
content sessions provide participants increased knowledge about:
woodland ecology and health, wildlife and habitat, interfering
vegetation management, silviculture, and agroforestry. Participants
should plan to allocate 3-4 hours per week to learn the technical
content via guided online learning and spend an hour per week in a live
interactive discussion session.
All woodland owners in NY are welcome. Owners interested in becoming a volunteer should start the process here https://cornell.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3jZyjaz1IoIuktK.
The fee is $35 per person and $50 per couple which includes the full
training, and supplies and resources provided at the field session.
Previously trained volunteers are also welcome at $18/person and
$25/couple.
For consideration to participate in the training, follow these steps to be completed by April 6:
1. Complete registration application via the link above, and after reviewing other materials here https://blogs.cornell.edu/ccemfo/become-an-mfo-volunteer/.
2. Be alert to an email from your regional director to meet via Zoom after completing your application.
3. Payment made via a secure online link provided to you after you talk with your regional director.
Within 6 months of the training:
1. Have a visit on your property conducted by an existing MFO volunteer
2. Shadow a visit to a woodland owner in your area with a local MFO volunteer.
If you have any questions about the MFO program, you can learn more at www.CornellMFO.info or from Program Director Peter Smallidge at pjs23@cornell.edu or 607-592-3640
https://cornell.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3jZyjaz1IoIuktK
Brett Chedzoy
Senior Resource Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Regional Director for the CCE Master Forest Owner volunteer program, Forest Manager for Cornell’s Arnot Teaching and Research Forest
bjc226@cornell.edu
Last updated March 10, 2021