Safely operating a chainsaw, from the moment you start the engine to the moment you turn it off, is a critical piece of safe habitat management in many ecosystems. In our final episode of our 5-part Habitat Safety Miniseries, forestry educator and chainsaw expert Chris Evans from the University of Illinois takes Adam through every step of safe chainsaw maintenance, operation, and use.

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Resources mentioned in the show:

You can learn more about the wildland fire chainsaw class (S212) Chris mentioned at this link: https://www.nwcg.gov/training/courses/s-212-wildland-fire-chainsaws-2012/administration

Safety and Woods Workers training resources: http://sawwtraining.com/index.html

Chainsaw safety video series from Husqvarna: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0VcazyXHqErUd8ib-OKs6sZkfGFQ5shu&si=LwGG9mEA1Un-3kSE

Chainsaw safety tips from Penn State Extension: https://extension.psu.edu/chainsaw-safety-tips

Chainsaw safety tips from Missouri Extension: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g1959

From large bulldozers to small ATVs, habitat management often necessitates the use of heavy machinery. And safely transporting and using that equipment ensures we protect the people and the land engaged in this critical work! In this episode, the fourth in our Habitat Safety Miniseries, Adam visits with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Heavy Equipment Manager for Region 3 in the upper Midwest, Clint DeMenge. Clint shares his knowledge from a career operating and training others to safely operate all kinds of heavy equipment to help habitat managers think about safely transporting and operating equipment!

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Resources mentioned in the show:

Determine if you need a CDL and how to get one by searching your state DOT. Here’s the page from Iowa: https://iowadot.gov/mvd/cdl/How-to-get-a-CDL/Do-I-need-a-CDL

Ritchie Brother’s equipment specs to learn your load size: https://www.ritchiespecs.com/

811 Call Before You Dig: https://call811.com/811-In-Your-State

Logging safety videos from Minnesota OSHA: https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/workplace-safety-and-health/mnosha-wsc-logging-safety-videos

Clint mentioned “safety walk arounds” and suggested you Google it. Here’s one we found! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIZcC_NRoOE

Herbicides can be a critical tool for habitat management, especially when it comes to invasive species. But their use does not come without risk to the applicator or the environment. In this episode, Adam visits with Dr. Fred Whitford, clinical engagement professor and director of the pesticide programs at Purdue University. Fred talks through the critical steps of making sure you’re using the right tool at the right time to confront the right challenge and then how to do it safely for you and the environment!

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Resources mentioned in the show:

You can learn more about Integrated Pest Management from regional hubs indexed at this site: https://www.ipmcenters.org/

Basic PPE for Pesticide use article from Iowa State: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/Basic-PPE-for-Pesticide-Use

Fred mentioned state certification manuals – Here’s resources from his unit at Purdue: https://ag.purdue.edu/department/extension/ppp/resources/training-manuals/ Search online for those in your states too.

Learn more about the unit Fred works in here: https://ag.purdue.edu/department/extension/ppp

Nothing is more important in habitat management than the people doing habitat management! That’s why this month we’re focusing on the basics of habitat safety with a series of episodes featuring experts in the field. In this first episode, Adam and Jarred set the stage for the mini-series. Then Adam interviews Rich Gassman from Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Iowa. Rich sets the stage for the series and challenges us to think about who we’re being safe for. Stay tuned for four more episodes in the mini-series coming this month.

Resources mentioned in the show:

Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH)

Twelve centers for agriculture safety in the U.S. are linked at this website. Find the one nearest you to explore their resources and programs: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/extramural-programs/php/about/ag-centers.html

National Farm Safety and Health Week is led by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) – Learn more about the 2024 week here: https://www.necasag.org/nationalfarmsafetyandhealthweek/

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Interested in improving your property for ruffed grouse or American Woodcock? Tune in as we travel north and chat about all things grouse and woodcock with Jon Steigerwaldt, Great Lakes and Upper Midwest Region Forest Conservation Director from the Ruffed Grouse Society.

Topics include: grouse ecology and habitat, woodcock ecology and habitat, grouse as bellwethers for healthy forests, forest ecology of the Great Lakes states, forestry, forest management, habitat management for grouse and woodcock, grouse and woodcock habitat fundamentals, boutique forestry, and more.

Jon Steigerwaldt - https://ruffedgrousesociety.org/author/jon-steigerwaldt/

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This week we talk with Dr. Jessica Outcalt one of the creators of the Forestry for the Birds program in Indiana about how Hoosier conservationists are leveraging the connections between people and birds to help encourage landowners and foresters to provide better homes for Indiana’s forest birds.

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Dr. Jessica Outcalt - https://extension.purdue.edu/cdext/about-us/our-team/profile/jessica_outcalt/jessica-outcalt.html

Saving Indiana Songbirds Starts in Our Forests - https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/indiana/stories-in-indiana/forestry-for-the-birds/

Forestry for the Birds Pocket Guide: https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/Forestry-for-the-Bird-Pocket-Guide-April2022.pdf

Forestry for the Birds Silviculture Guide: https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/TNC-Forestry-for-the-Birds-Silviculture-Guide.pdf

Forestry for the Birds Virtual Tour: https://extension.purdue.edu/pondwildlife/forest-management.html

How can forest management be used to improve habitat for various songbird species? And what resources are available to help guide landowners, managers, and foresters to help be intentional about creating songbird habitat through their forest management? Listen in as we chat with Steve Hagenbuch from Vermont Audobon about a program called Foresters for the Birds.

Steve Hagenbuch - https://vt.audubon.org/contact/steve-hagenbuch

Audubon Vermont - https://vt.audubon.org/

Resources mentioned in episode:

Foresters for the Birds: Vermont - https://vt.audubon.org/conservation/foresters-birds

Foresters for the Birds Demonstration Sites - https://vt.audubon.org/conservation/forestry-birds-demonstration-sites

Foresters for the Birds: Birder’s Dozen - https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/static_pages/attachments/birdersdozen.pdf

Forest Bird Habitat Assessment - https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/assessment-guide.pdf

Birds with Silviculture in Mind - https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/bird-guide.pdf

Silviculture with Birds in Mind - https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/silviculture-options_0.pdf

Bird Friendly Maple Project - https://vt.audubon.org/conservation/working-lands/landing/bird-friendly-maple-project