All posts by Melinda Olson

The Field Technology Conference is at the center of technologies that are developing and converging at a rapid pace. Satellite imagery is enjoying its most exciting time in the last 40 years. GPS, already a staple in our everyday lives, is poised to make a huge advancement in accuracy and availability. Mobile devices (PDAs, handhelds and mobile phones) are, arguably, advancing at a pace as fast as any technology has in history. Terrestrial LiDAR (3D scanning) is becoming more affordable now and allows users to collect a massive amount of data in a matter of a minutes.

Location

The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn Portland Airport Hotel. The Holiday Inn is located at 8439 NE Columbia Blvd., 2 miles from the Portland International Airport and 10 miles east of downtown Portland.

Agenda

Conference Agenda
Conference Materials for Attendees (password protected)

Registration

The registration fee is $225 if received by October 30, 2017 or $295 if received after October 30. The registration fees include 2 lunches and refreshments. Checks should be made payable to Western Forestry and Conservation Association. Purchase orders, VISA/MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Tax id # 930-331-712. No refunds for cancellations after October 30, but substitutions are always welcome.
 

Registration Questions?

Western Forestry and Conservation Association
4033 SW Canyon Rd., Portland, OR 97221
503-226-4562 ● westernforestry.org
 

SAF CFE credits

Attendees will be eligible for CFE credits through the Society of American Foresters.
 

Exhibitor and Sponsor Opportunities

A variety of sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available at this event. This technology-focused conference brings the forestry and aquatic monitoring communities together to share best practices, learn about the newest in field technologies, and share field-tested expertise in collecting and using data in the field. By combining these communities, we expect an audience of 150+ at the Holiday Inn Portland Airport in Portland, Oregon on November 7 – 8, 2017. Historically, this conference has attracted forestry and fisheries field managers from the public and private sectors, tribes, non-profits and municipalities.

Summary of Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

7:00 Registration Opens
8:30 Opening Remarks – Mike Cloughesy, Oregon Forest Resources Institute
8:45 History & Current Practices of Herbicide Application – Dan Newton, Weyerhaeuser
9:15 The Future of Herbicide Application – Joe Newton, Lone Rock Timber Management
9:45 Break
10:15 An Overview of the History of Aerial Forestry Applications in the Pacific Northwest – John Mateski, Retired Chief Pilot, Western Helicopter
10:45 New Technologies of Aerial Applications – Rick Krohn, Western Helicopter
11:15 Maximizing Efficacy and Safety with Droplet Technology – Robert Wolf, Wolf Consulting & Research
12:00 Lunch
1:15 Comparative Responses of Planted Douglas-fir and Associated Vegetation to Logging Debris Retention and Site Preparation Herbicide Treatments – Timothy Harrington, PNW Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Olympia, WA
2:00 Spray Adjuvants: The Rest of the Story – Richard Zollinger, North Dakota State University
2:45 Break
3:15 Investigation of Oregon Pesticide Application Complaints – Mike Odenthal, Oregon Department of Agriculture
4:00 Understanding Pesticide Fate for the Protection of Water Resources – Jeffrey Jenkins, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University
4:45 Suppliers Update – Eric Hippler (Moderator), Weyerhaeuser
5:15 Vegetation Management Reception – Hosted Beer, Wine and Appetizers

Thursday, November 30, 2017

8:00 New Chemistry in Forestry – Ed Fredrickson, Thunder Road Resources
8:45 Understanding Pesticide Labels – Bruce Alber, Wilbur-Ellis Co.
9:15 Who is my Neighbor? Minimizing Conflicts through Communication – Jim Carr, Barnes & Associates
9:45 Break
10:15 Worker Protection Standards for Forestry – Kaci Buhl, Pesticide Education Resources Collaborative, Statewide PSEP Coordinator, Department of Environmental & Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University
11:15 Choline Formulation Technology – Bob Stewart, Dow AgroSciences
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Lunch Speaker: Policy Issues – Kristina McNitt, Oregon Forest and Industries Council
1:30 Break
1:45 Esplanade F Herbicide – A New Tool for Pre-Emergent Control of Grasses and Broadleaf Weeds in Western Conifer Production Areas – Kent Pittard, Bayer
2:15 Human Health Risk Assessment and Glyphosate – Jeffrey Jenkins, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University
2:45 Break
3:00 Facilitated Discussion – Mark Gourley, Starker Forests

• Southern Oregon: Mark Wall, Roseburg Resource Co.
• Cascade Mtn: Eric Hippler, Weyerhaeuser
• Coastal: Jim Carr, Barnes & Associates
• Interior: Bryan Nelson, Lone Rock Timber
• Agency: George McFadden, BLM

4:30 Adjourn

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

1:00 PM Welcome and introductions
1:30 Laminated Root Rot Resistance in Douglas-fir Progeny Sites – Ronald Rhatigan
2:15 Update on the Reproductive Phenology Project – Janet Prevey, USDA Forest Service
2:45 Break and load bus
3:00 Depart for tour
3:30 Tour Pacific Forest Seed processing and extraction facility in Eagle Point, OR
5:30 Return to Medford
6:00 – 8:00 Evening social at Porters restaurant: Dinner from selected menu

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

8:00 AM Introductions
8:15 Round Table/audience discussion – Efficiencies made to seed operations and other topics
10:00 Break
10:15 Using PICOL: Pesticide Information Center Online – Lenora Jones, WA State Pesticide Management Resource Service, WA State University
11:00 ODA Pesticide Regulations for Seed Orchards – Rose Kachadoorian, Oregon Dept. of Agriculture
12:00 Depart for field tour
12:30 Weyerhaeuser Orchard – Managing a dry-site seed orchard
2:00 Elite Pear Orchard – Management techniques comparison of a fruit orchard with tree seed orchards.
3:30 Return to Medford and adjourn

Monday • July 31

6:00 – 8:00 pm Ice Breaker

Tuesday • Aug 1

7:00 am Breakfast Buffet
8:00 Welcome – Forrest Boe, Director, Minnesota Dept. Of Natural Resources (invited)
Forest Health Challenges for Forest Tree Nurseries
8:15 Forest Regeneration in Minnesota – Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources
8:45 Blatant and Latent: A Tale of Two Diseases and Their Management in Seedling Nurseries – Glen Stanocz, University of Wisconsin – Madison
9:30 Dominus® Soil Biofumigation as an Alternative to Methyl Bromide: Results From Two Trials – Nabil Khadduri, Webster Nursery, Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources
10:00 Break
Expanding Markets
10:30 Gary Michael, Minnesota Conservation Reserve program
11:00 Alternative Tree Species Following Black Ash Loss Associated With Emerald Ash Borer: Early Survival, Growth, and Implications for Seedling Demand – Rob Slesak, University of Minnesota
11:30 Visit vendors
12:00 Lunch – NE and Southern Forest Nursery Associations and Intertribal Nursery Council
The Urban Interface
1:00 Urban Uses of Trees – Gary Johnson, U of Minnesota
1:45 What is the fate of seedlings destined for small private landowners? The answer might surprise you! – Mike Reichenbach, U of Minnesota Extension
2:15 Discussion
2:30 Break
Opportunities in Native Plants and Seeds
3:00 Seed Mixes Heads-Up – Vic Vankus, USFS National Seed Lab
3:30 Pollinator and Seed Research – Dan Carriveau, University of Minnesota
4:00 Business meetings
4:30 Adjourn and dinner on your own.

Wednesday • August 2: Field Trip

6:30 Breakfast buffet
7:45 Board buses for field trip
8:00 Travel to Red Lake Forest Development Center greenhouse
9:30 Tour Red Lake greenhouse
11:00 Drive to Badoura State Forest
12:30 Lunch at Badoura State Forest
1:30 Tour Badoura State Forest
3:30 Depart for Itasca St Park
6:00 Evening banquet and boat tour
9:00 Arrive at conference hotel

Thursday • August 3

7:00 am Breakfast Buffet
8:00 Housekeeping and Introductions
Seed Zones & Capsaicin Effectiveness
8:15 Browse prevention in the Central Hardwoods Forest Region – Joshua Sloan
8:45 MN forest tree seed zones in an era of climate change – Julie Etterson, UM-Duluth
9:15 Eastern Seed Zone Forum – Carrie Pike, USDA Forest Service
9:45 Panel
10:00 Conference adjourns/ INC Break
10:15 INC Presentations
11:30 INC Lunch
12:30 INC adjourns

0700 – 0815   REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST (Provided)

0815 – 0830   Introduction to WR.COFE & Seminar – Jeff Wimer, Chair, WR.COFE & Oregon State University FERM Department

SESSION 1: Forestry Drones

0830-0900   Drones for Assistance in Cable Logging Operations – Mark Standley (Invited), LogSafe Inc.

0900 – 0930   Applications of UAV in Forest Monitoring: a Regeneration Survey Case and an Ice Damage Case – Bogdan Strimbu, Oregon State University

SESSION 2: Tether Assist and Ground/Soil Impacts

0930 – 1000   Mobility of Tethered Equipment on Steep Slopes: Soil-Machine Interactions – Ben Leschinsky, Oregon State University

1000 – 1010   Triad Machinery Update

1010 – 1040   BREAK (Refreshments Provided)

1040 – 1050   Pape’ Machinery Update

1050 – 1120   CTL Thinning on Steep Ground with Ecoforst T-Winch – Terry Mann, L&L Inc.

1120 – 1150   Large Scale Integrated Management Experiment on the Olympic Experimental State Forest – Opportunities for Operational Research – Tedora Minkova, WA Dept. of Natural Resources

1150 – 1200   Peterson Cat update

1200 – 1240   LUNCH (Provided)

1240 – 1310   ANNOUNCEMENTS, Ticket Raffle, OSU Student Scholarship Awards – Jerry Sedlak Memorial Scholarship

1310 – 1320   Blount International update

SESSION 3: Road and Water

1320 – 1350   Alternative Techniques for Stabilizing Legacy Roads with Access Challenges – Jill Bell and Susan Shaw, Weyerhaeuser

1350 – 1400   Modern Machinery Update

1400 – 1420   BREAK (Refreshments Provided)

1420 – 1450   Suspended Sediment and Turbidity After Road Construction/Improvement and Forest Harvest in Streams of the Trask River Watershed Study, Oregon – Ivan Arismendi, Oregon State University

1450 – 1520   Re-engineering/Reconstruction of Railcars for Forest Operations – Ken Hoffine and Wes Addington, Lone Rock Timber

SESSION 4: Technological Innovation in Forestry

1520 – 1550   Show me the Money – David Smith, OSU Courtesy Faculty

1550 – 1620   After the Fire – Don Persyn, Roseburg Forest

1620 – 1630   Wrap-Up and Evaluation – Jeff Wimer

January 25, 2018

8:30   2018 Stressors and Opportunities for North American Forest Industry

Paul Quinn
Analyst
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

Paul Quinn has been a forest products analyst for over 13 years with the last nine years at Royal Bank of Canada. Based in Vancouver, he is responsible for both US and Canadian forest products coverage and has been cited for stock picking and estimates accuracy over the years.  

9:00   Strategic Issues for US PNW Timberlands in 2018

Mike Mackelwich
Director of Timberland Operations
Pope Resources/Olympic Resource Management

Mike Mackelwich is Vice President of Timberland Operations for Olympic Resource Management and has been with the firm since 1998. As Vice President of Timberland Operations, he oversees all of ORM’s timberland management and mineral resources for Pope Resources’ properties and the Timber Fund properties, comprising over 200,000 acres.  

9:30   Outlook for Sawlog and Pulpwood Prices in Western US and Western Canada – Hakan Ekstrom, Wood Resources International  

10:00   Break  

10:30   BC Interior Log Supply Issues

Brad Bennett
Interfor

Brad Bennett is a registered professional forester with over 30 years of experience in the British Columbia forest industry and has held a number of senior positions in wood products manufacturing, woodlands operations, and the bioenergy sector. He is currently Woodlands Manager for Interfor Corporation.  

11:00   BC Coastal Log supply Issues – Brian Brown, Manager, Fibre & Log Supply, MacKenzie Sawmill Ltd  

11:45   Lunch  

1:00   US PNW Sawmill Sector: Eastside and Westside Issues

Tim Atkinson
Vice President – Sales
Stimson Lumber Co.

Tim Atkinson – Vice President of Sales at Stimson Lumber Company, Inc. in Portland, Oregon. Tim also serves on The Green Building Initiative board of directors as well as The Pacific Northwest Association of Rail Shippers board.  

1:30   The US Northwest Pulp and Paper Sector: Issues ahead in 2018 – Tim Gammell, Wood Resources International  

2:00   Will There be Enough Log Supply to Increase Lumber Production?

Rocky Goodnow
Forest Economic Advisors

Rocky Goodnow – Vice President of the North American Timber Service at Forest Economic Advisors LLC. In this role, Rocky is responsible for FEA’s outlook on the North American timber markets.  

2:30   Break  

3:00   Why Build an Export Pellet Plant in the US Pacific Northwest? Why Not?

Seth Walker
FutureMetrics

Seth Walker is Senior Economist and Director of Business Development for FutureMetrics. Seth recently authored FutureMetrics’ Japanese Biomass Outlook. Seth has extensive knowledge and experience in the bioenergy and forest products sectors. Prior to joining FutureMetrics, Seth spent seven years leading the bioenergy services team at RISI as their Senior Bioenergy Economist. He holds a B.S. in Resource Economics and Commerce and an M.S. in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics from the University of Rhode Island.  

3:30   Softwood Lumber Demand in North and South Asia and its Impact on the North American Lumber Market Through 2030

Robert Hagler
ForestEdge LLC
 
 

4:00   Reception

0800 Welcome and Introduction – Jeff deGraan, 2018 IERC Chair and WA Dept of Natural Resources

0810 Reforestation for the Future: Future Concerns, Shaping your Reforestation Plans and the Seedlot Selection Tool – Brad St. Clair, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station

0910 Planning Effective Herbicide Projects – Dan Miller, Precision Forestry LLC

1005 Break

1035 Forest Restoration: An Ecophysiological, or Seedling’s Perspective – Steve Grossnickle, NurseryToForest Solutions

1135 Seedling Handling for Successful Reforestation – Aram Eramian, USFS Coeur d’Alene Nursery

1210 Lunch and IERC Committee meeting

1315 Cleantraxx and Esplanade: Two New Herbicides for Forestry Site Prep and Release – Harry Quicke, Bayer Vegetation Management

1405 Nursery Crop Visits: What to Look for and the Questions to Ask Your Grower – Abbie Acuff, PotlatchDeltic

1505 Break

1535 Impacts of Dwarf Mistletoe in Leave Trees on Understory Regeneration – Brennan Ferguson, USFS Wenatchee Service Center

1625 Nursery Production Timelines: Tips for Successful Grower and Buyer Partnerships – Don Regan, University of Idaho Pitkin Forestry Nursery

1700 Meeting Adjourn and Social

8:30  Introduction and Overview
How did mobile technologies evolve? Looking at the legacy of devices and operating systems (Windows Mobile, Blackberry, iOS and Android).

8:45  BYOD – The Future of Field Data Collection

• What is BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)?
• Why BYOD makes sense.
• When BYOD doesn’t make sense.

9:30  GPS/GNSS receivers: Basic operation and technology trends

• How does GPS work?
• How accurate is GPS?
• Different categories and capabilities of GPS receivers. Recreational vs. Professional
• GPS Advancements: What can you expect in the next couple of years

10:30 Break

10:45 A look at BYOD hardware and software:

• iOS, Android, Windows smartphones, and tablets.

Screen readability, GPS accuracy, ruggedness, expandability, and flexibility.

• Software

Open source (free) vs. paid. Esri, tMap, Avenza, GIS Cloud, etc.
Cloud vs. on-device software. To download or not to download?

• What combination works best for you?

12:00 Lunch

1:00   GPS mapping fundamentals and troubleshooting

• Why doesn’t my data line up?
• Map projections and datums.
• GIS data collection structure. Points, lines and polygons.
• Field data collection forms.
• Linking photos to data.

2:30   Break

2:45   Using background map data. Sources and cost.

• Imagery (aerial/satellite/UAV photos).
• Vector (roads, parcels, contours, etc.).
• Sources of free and paid data.

3:15   Wrap up and Q&A

4:00   Adjourn

8:30  Introduction and Overview
How did mobile technologies evolve? Looking at the legacy of devices and operating systems (Windows Mobile, Blackberry, iOS and Android)

8:45  Drone Rules

• How to obtain a drone pilot certificate.
• 20 hours of on-line study. Common test questions. Local test centers.
• Drone flying rules. Where can you fly and not fly?
• Flying by yourself, flying in the woods and around people.
• Hobby vs. business flying.

10:30 Break

11:00 Drone Technology: Capabilities, cost and pros/cons

• Airframes
  • Rotorcraft, fixed-wing, hybrid.
  • Flight controller (tablet/smartphone vs. proprietary).
  • Airframe pros/cons.
  • Batteries.
  • Operating differences.

12:00 Lunch

1:00   Drone Technology (continued)

• Mission planning software
  • Third-party vs. manufacturer-supplied.
  • iOS vs. Android vs. Windows.
• Sensors
• RGB cameras (photogrammetry, Phodar point clouds).
• Lidar, thermal, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index).
• Image processing software
• Matching images effectively and accurately.
• Using ground control points.
• Cloud processing vs. Stand-alone processing.
• Producing orthophotos, DEM (Digital Elevation Model)/DSM (Digital Surface Model), contours, volumes and 3D models.
• Integrating into GIS (ESRI) systems.

2:30   Break

2:45   The Possibilities. What’s Possible with a $1,500 UAV?

• Orthophoto example.
• Elevation contour example.
• 3D model example.
• DEM/DSM example.
• Volume example.

3:30   Wrap up and Q&A

4:00   Adjourn

General Meeting Agenda (to be updated with more details later):

Sunday, October 22

Arrival
Opening reception – 6:00pm – midnight
Billiard Suite and Baby Grand Suite (Rooms 501 & 502)
Light snacks, beer, wine, water, soft drinks

Monday, October 23

7:00-8:00am Breakfast (provided)
8:00-8:15am Introductions and Welcome
8:15-9:45am Research presentations
9:45-10:15am Break – snacks and coffee/beverages (provided)
10:15-noon Research presentations
noon-1:15pm Lunch (provided)
1:15-2:45pm Research presentations
2:45-3:15pm Break – snacks and coffee/beverages (provided)
3:15-5:00pm Research presentations
6:00pm Dinner downtown (provided)

Tuesday, October 24

7:00-8:00am Breakfast (provided)
8:00-9:45am Research presentations
9:45-10:15am Break – snacks and coffee/beverages (provided)
10:15-noon Research presentations
noon-1:15pm Lunch (provided)
1:15-2:45pm Research presentations
2:45-3:15pm Break – snacks and coffee/beverages (provided)
3:15-4:30pm Research presentations
4:30-5:00pm Awards, Closing Remarks, Short Business Meeting

Wednesday, October 25

Field Trip
Depart 8:00am, Return to hotel by 4:00pm
Join us for a day in the field looking at current research plots in southern pine management.
Stops: Loblolly pine research trials.
Stops include visits to:

• Culture-Density research trial with planting densities ranging from 300 – 1800 trees per acre.
• Accelerated Pine Productivity research trial nearing rotation age with a 2×2 factorial with fertilization and competition control.
• Mid-Rotation Treatment study looking at the impacts of thinning intensity combined with a 2×2 factorial with fertilization and competition control, along with an non-thinned counterpart as a thinning control.
• Other stops as time permits.

Field Trip Cost: $30 per person, includes lunch

8:30 am

• Basics of Easement Law
• Duties and Liabilities Grantors and Grantees
• Crafting a Solid Easement Agreement; Pitfalls To Avoid
• Easements of a Different Feather: Licenses, Permits and Profits a Prendre

10:00 – 10:30 Break

• Prescriptive Easements: Avoiding Rights Arising in Others
• Easements By Necessity: Dealing with Landlocked Parcels
• Minerals Issues: Surface and Subsurface Rights
• Conservation Easements

Noon Lunch (included with registration)

1:00 pm

• Road Maintenance Cost Sharing
• Recreational Users and Trespassers: A Primer on Liability
• Timber Trespass Overview

2:30 – 2:45 Break

• Timber Trespass Damages and Insurance
• How to Avoid Timber Trespass
• Forest Dwellings: Permitting and Access

4:00 Adjourn

9:00     Scaling Bureaus: How they operate and their role in log markets – Tom St. Laurent

• How bureaus fit into the log buying and selling process
• Represent both the log buyers and sellers
• Apply log scaling rules
• Provide qualified scalers
• Serve as independent third parties

9:30     What does a log scaler do? Mike Belfry

• How scalers fit into the log transaction process (only measure volume, not value)
• What is their relationship to log buyers and sellers
• Different points in log transport where scaling can occur
• What is log volume and how is it calculated?
• What are the specific measurements and data collected on a typical log?
• Log documentation
• Understanding gross and net volume
• Why did my load scale out at a lesser volume? Reasons for volume deductions

10:30     Break

11:00     Northwest Log Scaling Rules: Applying uniformity and standardization within the Doug-fir processing area – Tom St. Laurent

• Function and role of the rules
• What they cover
• How they are maintained and revised

11:30     Special requests: Using procedures in addition to the NW Log Scaling Rules – Tom St. Laurent

• Why special requests are made
• Common examples
• Documenting special requests

Noon     Lunch

1:00     Understanding log grades and sorts – Mike Belfry

• What is the difference between grades and sorts?
• Why do sorts vary from company to company?
• What is the difference between a good #2 sawlog and a rough #2 sawlog
• What is the pulp sort?
• What is a cull?

2:00     Break

2:15     Log accountability: Tracking the log load from landing to mill – Mike Belfry

• How is data collected? Load receipts, weight reports, sample scales, sample expansion, log tags, scale tickets and certificates
• Understanding the paperwork: Examples will be provided of load receipts, scale tickets and certificates and each form will be reviewed in detail.
• What are the standard procedures for documentation and changes?
• How is the data stored, disseminated and then accessed by clients?

3:45     Catch-all short topics – Mike Belfry and Tom St. Laurent

• Difference between westside and eastside scaling
• Understanding cubic measurements
• Deciphering overrun and underrun
• Volume conversion factors
• Using taper factors and actual taper
• Scaler cost and value

4:15     Adjourn