The NASF Washington Weekly Report

Happy Labor Day from NASF

The National Association of State Foresters wishes its members and friends a safe and healthy Labor Day weekend.

Biomass Energy

Mississippi approves $75M loan to biomass company for five new plants

The Mississippi state legislature has approved Governor Barbour's special session request for a $75 million loan to KiOR for a proposed development of five biofuel plants. The projects will create 1,000 direct and indirect jobs over a five-year period and will generate $85 million in incremental payroll for the state, according to KiOR.

Pests and Disease

Indiana bans walnut from neighboring states to prevent thousand canker disease

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has issued an emergency rule banning the transportation of walnut products from nine western states and Tennessee to prevent the introduction of thousand cankers disease. Although the disease has not been found in Indiana, it is a major threat to the state's black walnut resource.

Water Resources

$16M logging protect aimed at protection Denver's urban water supply

Denver's water agency will spend $16.5 million on logging to protect the city's water supply from potential devastating wildfires and erosion from trees killed by pine bark beetles. Denver Water and the U.S. Forest Service will split the cost of a five-year, $33 million project to cut and remove dead trees in the city's watershed. Tons of sediment have flowed into the reservoir following two wildfires in the area in the past 14 years.

Sustainable Forestry

Western universities to study impact of fire and climate change on sensitive forests

Faculty at Montana State University, the University of Colorado, the University of Idaho and collaborators at the USDA Forest Service received a $3.85 million grant to study fire and climate change in sensitive forests in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. The proposed research studies conducted in the U.S. and abroad, will help inform fire management decisions and educate the next generation of fire scientists and managers worldwide.

Two Chiefs' Partnership Awards nominations deadline extended

The deadline to submit nominations for the Two Chiefs' Partnership Awards has been extended to September 30, 2010. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Forest Service are requesting nominations for their fifth annual Two Chiefs' Partnership Award. Nominations should be submitted to the Joint Forestry Team website by September 30.

Understories

Fall foliage in the Northeast may disappoint this year

Fall foliage lovers in the Northeast may be disappointed this year, with experts in Connecticut predicting that the sun-filled, rain-free and oppressively hot days from mid-June to early August will weather the leaves in local forests before they can change to their brilliant orange, yellow and red hues.

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