Florida Land Steward Calendar and News

To sign up for weekly email updates, which include the latest calendar of events, news and a link to the quarterly Florida Land Steward newsletter, send an email to cdemers@ufl.edu.

If you know of an event or news brief that should be included on this page or the news blog please send an email with the news information or event name, date, location, and contact information to cdemers@ufl.edu.

• Ongoing Initiatives and Programs

  ENROLL IN THE ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY
  

  Are you new to forestry and land management? Need a good primer on forest management concepts and next steps? Hard to fit travel for tours and workshops in your busy schedule? Need a course in a self-paced format that you can take on your own time?  This course is for you!  Forest landowners, and others in need of forest management information, are encouraged to enroll in this self-paced, online course to connect with forest management experts at the University of Florida and receive quality core educational content on forestry and multiple-use stewardship concepts. 

  The 7 course modules cover a variety of topics on understanding your forest resources, developing your management plan, timber management, marketing forest products, other forest enterprises such as pine straw and hunting leases, wildlife management, and planning for the future. Each module includes recorded video from the field or virtual classroom, links to references, and an assessment where you can apply what you’ve learned to your land or situation and begin or continue planning and making contacts.  The cost of the course is $150. Those completing the course will earn a University of Florida Certificate of Completion.

  Enroll in the Forest Landowner Academy today:
  https://ifas-sfrc-for.catalog.instructure.com/courses/for-fla

  Questions about the course can be directed to Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu, (352) 846-2375.

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  CHECK OUT THE NEW PROFOREST “PODFOREST” PODCAST

  Immerse yourself in the world of forestry through extension as ProForest coordinator Dr. Tyler Carney hosts guests to talk about all things forestry. Listeners can join each episode to listen to a new guest and learn about different forestry topics. Curated for private forest landowners but interesting to all, this podcast was created as an Extension product of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

  Learn more about the PodForest podcast and listen to available episodes..

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  FLORIDA WOMEN LANDOWNERS ASSOCIATION (FWLA)
  
  Our goal is to provide opportunities for collaboration and education for all generations of women landowners in Florida. We share land stewardship resources through in-person events and virtual networking related to land ownership including farms, ranches, forests, recreation, and wildlife. Whether you have 1 acre or 1,000 – we are here for you. Keep posted on FWLA news and activities on their Facebook page! 

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  LANDOWNER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FROM QUAIL FOREVER BIOLOGISTS

  Quail Forever is a non-profit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation through habitat improvements, public access, education, and conservation advocacy. We are excited to have Farm Bill Biologists in Florida providing technical assistance to landowners interested in improving the health of their land for wildlife, clean water, and other important natural resources. Biologists are available to assist landowners through the application process for USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Farm Bill programs.

  Florida Quail Forever Biologist positions are supported through partnership with USDA NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife Framework and in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Our focus is Northern Bobwhite quail and upland habitats. Technical assistance to private landowners includes answering wildlife management questions, working with landowners to identify habitat objectives and develop wildlife habitat management plans, and connecting them to resources and applicable programs.

  Those interested in assistance can reach out to either of our Florida Quail Forever Biologists: Nicole Itzkowitz, nitzkowitz@quailforever.org based in Kissimmee (Central Florida including Lake, Sumter, Seminole, Orange, Brevard and Osceola counties) or Katie Maddox, kmaddox@quailforever.org based in Quincy (Gadsden, Leon, Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison and Hamilton counties). If you do not see your county listed, please contact the biologist closest to you.

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  PRESCRIBED BURN ASSOCIATIONS AND PRESCRIBED BURN ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FROM TALL TIMBERS RESEARCH STATION, ALACHUA CONSERVATION TRUST, AND ATTACK-ONE FIRE MANAGEMENT SERVICES

  These organizations are available to meet onsite with landowners to discuss their goals and assist with prescribed burn prescription and implementation.

  Tall Timbers Research Station is funded by a Longleaf Legacy Landscape project to provide fire consultation and assistance with planning, and implementation to private landowners in the Florida Panhandle from Pensacola to Lake City and in west Georgia as far north as the Chattahoochee Fall Line (Columbus, GA). For more information contact Jeremy Martin at (850) 333-4776, or JMartin@talltimbers.org. Jeremy is also the coordinator for the Northwest Florida Prescribed Burn Association: Private Lands Prescribed Fire Project - Tall Timbers

  Alachua Conservation Trust has a prescribed fire specialist available to assist private landowners with burn planning in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Marion, Putnam, St. John’s,  Suwannee, Union, and portions of Citrus, Lake, Sumter, and Volusia Counties. Contact Barry Coulliette at barry@alachuaconservationtrust.org, 904-838-8591. Barry is also the Coordinator for the North Florida Prescribed Burn Association.

  Attack-One Fire Management Services, Inc. is grant-funded to assist private landowners who have current or previous NRCS contracts with prescribed fire consultation, planning and implementation throughout North Florida, Georgia and Alabama. For private landowners with previous NRCS contracts to qualify, the property must include Longleaf Pine and / or have active Gopher Tortoise habitat present. For more information contact: Kevin Carter (850) 926-6534, kevin@attack-one.com For additional information see http://www.attack-one.com

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  ONLINE PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING COURSE AVAILABLE ON UF/IFAS EXTENSION CANVAS CATALOG
  This course is designed to provide individuals with knowledge and resources to better accomplish their land management goals and to cultivate fire-educated communities. Topics include: Basic Fire Knowledge, How to Implement Prescribed Fire, Air Quality & Smoke, Fire Liability & Risk Reduction, Wildlife Management, Forest Management, and more. This course is free and for educational purposes only. It is not a professional certification course. See Prescribed Fire Training | CESRxFire for more details and to enroll.

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  UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FIRE UNIVERSITY PODCASTS

  The UF Disturbance Ecology and Ecological Restoration (DEER) Lab has launched a podcast named Fire University in a podcast network called Natural Resources University. The network features four science-based podcasts with leading scientists in each topic area. Topics include Deer University focused on white-tailed deer biology and management, Habitat University focused on the science of wildlife habitat management, Pond University focused on delivering the latest science about managing fishing ponds and aquatic ecosystems, and Fire University which delivers the latest research and science on fire ecology and related wildlife and forest management.

  The Natural Resources University (NRU) podcasts are available at: https://naturalresourcesuniversity.libsyn.com/

  The Fire University Podcasts are available at: https://fireuniversity.libsyn.com/

  WILD TURKEY SCIENCE PODCAST
  Wild Turkey Science is a podcast hosted by Dr. Marcus Lashley at the University of Florida and Dr. Will Gulsby at Auburn University. The podcast is science-based and features in-depth discussion about wild turkey research and how it relates to managing your wild turkey population. Check out the Wild Turkey Science podcast here.

  These podcasts are all available on all the major podcast platforms and people can follow them @UFDEERLab and @NRUniversity where additional content related to natural resource management is posted. For more information contact Dr. Marcus Lashley, (352) 846-0870, marcus.lashley@ufl.edu   

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  HURRICANE PREPARATION AND RECOVERY GUIDES FOR FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS AND LANDOWNERS

  The USDA Southeast Climate Hub with other USDA agencies and university Extension experts, have developed a set of guides for Florida agricultural producers. The guides are each tailored to a specific agricultural commodity and designed to help produces prepare for and recover from hurricane events.

  The guides are available on the USDA Southeast Climate Hub Website. Of interest to forest landowners is the Pine Forest Landowners Guide. 

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  SOMETHING BUGGING YOUR TREES? - CHECK OUT THE FOREST HEALTH DIAGNOSTICS FORUM

  Hosted by a group of forest and tree health specialists with Southeastern universities and agencies, we are here to help identify pests and diseases in your forest or your backyard, and to recommend a solution, if appropriate. Join the group and report your tree health issue!

  Visit the new Forest Health Diagnostic forum on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthernTreeHealthDiagnostics/

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  GOT AN INVASIVE SPECIES PROBLEM?

  Go to floridainvasives.org for information, assistance and partnership opportunities. Get information on all invasive taxa at UF/IFAS Invasive Species Programs

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  FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE HOSTING SIMPLE SMOKE SCREENING TOOL ONLINE

  A user-friendly smoke plotting tool is now available on the Florida Forest's Fire Tools and Downloads webpage. 

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  HELP WITH EASTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE STATUS ASSESSMENT
  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has been petitioned to list the eastern diamondback rattlesnake as a threatened or endangered species. They are now working on a Species Status Assessment (SSA), which they plan to have a draft of in the fall of 2023. This Assessment will be used for all decisions associated with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), including whether a species should be listed as endangered/threatened or not. The assessment allows for State and partner engagement in the science used to base ESA decisions. This is an opportunity to let USFWS know how many eastern diamondback rattlesnakes we are seeing in Florida.

  The National Council on Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) has an online survey where you can submit observations of eastern diamondbacks. Please be sure to observe snakes from a safe distance and don’t attempt to kill them. 

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  LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC? AskIFAS!

  Check the vast array of extension publications available through UF/IFAS on the AskIFAS publication site: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/  Wow, there’s a publication about that? 

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  NEED A LOAN TO FUND CONSERVATION PROJECTS? CHECK OUT THE USDA FARM SERVICE AGENCY'S GUARANTEED CONSERVATION LOAN PROGRAM

  The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) guarantees loans to promote conservation practices on farms and ranches that help protect natural resources. The goal of FSA’s Conservation Loan (CL) program is to provide access to credit for farmers who need and want to implement conservation measures on their land, but do not have the “up front” funds available to implement these practices. For more information see this Conservation Loan Program Fact Sheet. Also see this table summarizing FSA farm loan opportunities.

  The Conservation Contract Program is a program for eligible landowners that protects important natural resources and other sensitive areas while providing a debt management tool. A conservation contract is available to people with Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct loans secured by real estate. These individuals may qualify for a reduction of their FSA indebtedness in exchange for a conservation contract with a term of 50, 30 or 10 years. The conservation contract is a voluntary legal agreement that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on portions of the landowner’s property. Contracts may be established on marginal cropland and other environmentally sensitive lands for conservation, recreation and wildlife purposes. For more information see this Conservation Contract Program Fact Sheet.

  The FSA provides several types of farm loans. For more information on these opportunities, see the Florida FSA Website or contact your local FSA office to speak with a local representative.

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  FLORIDA LAND STEWARD PARTNERS WEB MAP TOOL

  Use this web tool to identify resources at a local watershed scale. The map is at this link: http://viewer.apps.pflcc.databasin.org/v1/index.html. More about Florida Landscape Web Map Tool and how to use it.

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  CONSIDER A GIFT IN SUPPORT OF THE UF/IFAS FLORIDA LAND STEWARD PROGRAM

  The mission of the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program is to help and encourage private landowners to actively manage their land resources for long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits. This program is largely supported by partners and donors. If this program has made a difference in your land stewardship efforts please consider a gift. Support the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program here. Thanks!

• Upcoming Events and Webinars

  East Florida | West Florida | Webinars

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  East Florida Events

  EAST FLORIDA (Madison County and all counties east and south)
  September 24	Cold Hardy Citrus Workshop, Taylor County 8:30 am to 2:30 pm ET at UF/IFAS Extension Office Taylor County, 203 Forest Park Dr, Perry, FL 32347. Topics will include essential tips for planting, everyday considerations for success, markets and prices, breeding, plant health issues, fruit sales and contracts, and more. $30 includes program and lunch. See link above for details and registration.
  September 26	2024 Fall Southwest Florida Small Farmer Network Meeting and Farm Tour 9:00 am to12:30 pm ET at Stalk and Vine on 39, 4923 South County Road 39 Lithia, FL 33547. The Southwest Florida Small Farmer Network is a peer-to-peer network focused on exploring diversified and sustainable farming systems. See link above for details and registration.
  October 24	Florida Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year Tour at Vanzant Farm, Nassau County 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET at the Vanzant Farm, 48484 Vanzant Road, Hilliard, FL 32046. Provided by Florida Tree Farm Program, UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program and other partners. Join us to meet Floyd Vanzant, our 2024 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year, witness a 7-generation family farm legacy, and learn about the economic and environmental benefits of a silvopasture operation. Silvopasture combines forage, livestock, and timber production on the same acres. See link above for details and registration.
  October 25	Florida Land Steward Tour at Sparkleberry Farm, Alachua County 9:00 am to 2:00 pm ET at Sparkleberry Farm near Earleton, FL. Bill Black and Denise Matthews were recognized in 2022 as the Florida Land Steward landowners of the Year for their outstanding stewardship and outreach efforts at their Sparkleberry Farm property in Alachua County, FL. Join us for a tour of this unique property to gain some valuable, hands-on information about multiple-use forest management, and network with professionals and other landowners who share your interests. Topics include longleaf pine forest management, prescribed fire, promoting native plants, wildlife, and more. This will be a walking tour of reasonable length. Lunch will be served after the tour at the Florida Forest Service Waccasassa Forestry Center. Wear appropriate clothing for the field and bring water. See link above for details and registration.
  October 26	Landowner Field Day – Quail Forever and FWLA 9:00 am to 3:00 pm ET at South Prong Plantation, 13538 Brince Way, Glen St. Mary, FL 32040. Join Quail Forever, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Florida Women Landowners Association as we engage to define your property goals, participate in a forestry demonstration, and enjoy an interactive habitat walk! This is an excellent opportunity to deepen your understanding of land stewardship & take actionable steps toward achieving your conservation goals. $20 Registration fee, lunch included. Register at the above link or contact AHawk@QuailForever.org
  October 29	Environmental Lands Management Workshop and Field Tour 8:00 am to 3:00 pm ET at Lee Civic Center, 11831 Bayshore Road North Fort Myers, FL 33917. Provided by UF/IFAS Extension. Learn more about environmental lands and the benefits cattle can provide through grazing. $50 fee includes lunch and program. See link above for details and registration.
  November 7	Andrews State Tree Nursery Tour 9:00 to 11:00 am at Andrews Nursery, 9850 NW 42nd Ct., Chiefland, FL 32626. Provided by Florida Forest Service, UF/IFAS Extension, and UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program. The Florida Forest Service produces over 4 million bare-root pine seedlings at its Andrews Nursery located in Chiefland, Florida. Join us for a tour and learn about where our trees come from. Free event. See link above for details and registration.
  November 8	Learn to Hack-and-Squirt 8:30 am to 1:00 pm ET in Newberry, FL. Meet across from Eastern Irrigation Supply, 5328 FL-45, Newberry, FL 32669. Provided by the North Florida Prescribed Burn Association, FWC Landowner Assistance Program and McGehee family. Join for food, fellowship, and learning about this important herbicide application technique. Please wear close-toed shoes, long pants, and long sleeves, and bring a container for water. Contact Megan.Ellis@MyFWC.com to RSVP!
  December 3-5	Prescribed Fire for Wildlife, Highlands County FFA Leadership Training Center, 5000 Firetower Road, Haines City, FL 33844. Provided by the Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Land managers and land stewards are invited to learn about prescribed fire as a management tool to manage wildlife habitat. The training will include classroom presentations, panel discussions, and field exercises covering a variety of wildlife and habitats. Registration details will be announced soon at the link above. For more details contact Jim Schortemeyer, (239) 455-5847, Schortfire@aol.com

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  West Florida Events

  WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west)
  September 23	Farm Technology Field Day 9:00 am to 4:00 pm ET at UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), 155 Research Road, Quincy, FL 32351. The event will feature three workshops. Participants can choose from either the Tractor Operation, Farm Implement Calibration (focusing on sprayer and seed drill calibration for 2024), or Chainsaw Safety workshops. Each workshop will cost $75, covering the cost of supplies and materials for participants to have hands on training. See link above for details and registration. Questions can be directed to Robbie Jones at (850) 875-7255 or r.jones1@ufl.edu.
  September 25	Prescribed Burning: The Basics 9:00 am to 4:00 pm CT at UF/IFAS Extension Santa Rosa County, 6263 Dogwood Dr., Milton, FL 32570. Provided by Northwest FL Prescribed Burn Association. Attend to learn the fundamentals of prescribed fire. Topics include burn planning, fire lines, weather factors, smoke management, and more. See link above to register or call (850) 333-4776.
  October 7	Florida Land Steward Tour at Property of Gus Andrews, Walton County 8:00 am to 2:00 pm CT at Gus Andrews property in Walton County. Join us for a landowner tour featuring excellent examples of wildlife habitat management. Provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, UF/IFAS Extension, Florida Land Steward Program, Tall Timbers, Beard Equipment, Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, and other partners. Lunch included. See link above for details and registration.
  October 8-11	15th Biennial Longleaf Conference Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, FL. Sponsored by The Longleaf Alliance, this event is focused on the restoration and conservation of the longleaf ecosystem that once dominated the landscape in the southeastern United States. See link above for details and registration.
  October 21	Florida Women Landowners Association (FWLA) Workshop: Florida Forests Worked by Women, Work! 8:45 am to 1:00 pm CT at the Estes Property, 8801 S Hwy 99, McDavid, FL. Celebrate 2024 Working Forest Week at one of the BEST! Join FWLA Vice President, Dee Allen, and her husband, Rod, at their family farm. Topics will include herbicides, chainsaws, financial planning, and available resources. See link above for details and registration. For more information contact Cathy at Cathy.Hardin@FDACS.gov or (850) 587-5237.
  October 26	UF/IFAS North Florida REC Garden & Farm Family Fall Festival 9:00 am to 2:00 pm ET at UF/IFAS North Florida REC Quincy, 155 Research Rd, Quincy, FL 32351. Free event featuring plant sale, farm tours, local vendors, kids activities, hands-on science, food, entertainment, and corn maze. All are welcome.

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  Webinars / Online Training / Virtual Events

  September 18	UF/IFAS Invasion Science Research Institute Presentation 3:00 to 4:00 pm ET. Paul Evans with UF/IFAS Invasion Science Research Institute (ISRI) will be presenting on invasive species habitat modeling. See link above to join the meeting at its start time.
  September 26	Forestry Webinar: Underplanting Longleaf Pine: the Ecology Behind this Regeneration Technique from a Georgia Case Study 12:30 pm ET. Underplanting is introducing a new generation of trees under an existing overstory. This can be done to convert the stand to a different species or with seedlings of the same species as the overstory if a multi-aged stand is desired. Some questions to be addressed: Why plant longleaf pine seedlings under an existing pine canopy? Is it possible to establish a longleaf pine stand without clearcutting? What preparation is needed for converting loblolly pine stands to longleaf pine dominance? How does one manage an underplanted stand to reduce damage and encourage growth? See link above for details and registration.
  October 10	Forestry Webinar: Managing the Right Species on the Right Site: Part 1 - Site Selection 12:00 pm ET. Provided by NC State Extension Forestry. Examples will be North Carolina but the concepts apply everywhere. See link above for details and registration.
  October 17	Forestry Webinar: Managing the Right Species on the Right Site: Part 2 - Species Selection 12:00 pm ET. Provided by NC State Extension Forestry. Examples will be North Carolina but the concepts apply everywhere. See link above for details and Registration.
  -Featured On Demand Prerecorded Webinars- Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar Series
  Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Building a Resilient Operation Provided by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program with support from National Wildlife Federation, Florida Forest Service, Farm Credit Associations of Florida and other partners. We discuss a range of considerations and systems that landowners can put in place to increase their resilience facing hurricanes and other potential disasters. Recorded April 15, 2021.
  Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Casualty Loss Tax Deduction and Determining Your Basis This webinar will help you better understand casualty loss deduction and how to determine your basis. Presented by Dr. Tamara Cushing, Forest Business Specialist at UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences. Recorded June 1, 2023
  Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Prepare for the Storm Topics include important resources, assessing risk, documentation, protecting property, and contacts to have lined up ahead of a hurricane or other disaster. Presented by Chris Demers, Extension Program Manager at UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Science. Recorded June 15, 2023.
  Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: USDA Disaster Recovery Assistance Programs Provided by UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program and Florida partners in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Get an overview of the disaster assistance programs USDA FSA offers, steps to take in advance to make the enrollment process as efficient as possible, and how to find your local USDA service center. Note that SAF CFEs are not approved for the recording. Recorded June 22, 2023.
  Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Recovering from the Storm Provided by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program, in this webinar we discusses key assistance contacts and strategies to recover value and minimize economic losses to timber within a week and months after a hurricane. Presented by Chris Demers, Extension Program Manager, UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences. Recorded August 24, 2023.
  Florida Land Steward Webinar: Forest Certification and the Florida Tree Farm Program A cooperative effort by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward and Florida Tree Farm Programs, this presentation provides an introduction to forest certification programs: what they are, why they exist, and how they came about. Then we take a deep dive into Florida's Tree Farm Program with a discussion led by John Nash, a Florida Tree Farmer and current President of the Florida Tree Farm Program. Recorded June 27, 2024.
  Recordings, links, and materials for all Florida Land Steward Program Events and Webinars here
  *** UF/IFAS ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY ***

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