Penn State Extension will offer "Reusing Wood and Renewing People in Community Forestry" on Thursday, Sept. 29, from noon to 1 p.m. The program will livestreamed via Zoom. The program is for public tree, landscape, and environmental board members; municipal managers, foresters, and arborists; and anyone interested in urban and community forestry.

Marc Wilken, director of business and event development with the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, along with collaborating experts at PowerCorpsPHL, Cambium Carbon, and Urban Wood Economy, will discuss Philadelphia's increase in wood residue and efforts to divert additional residue from landfills. This recovery and reforestation pilot operation includes developing a skilled workforce to prepare and market saleable lumber and wood product line, with a portion of the proceeds being reinvested in tree plantings and forest management across the city. The speakers will seek to demonstrate that novel solutions to reducing wood and landscape waste disposal can be self-supporting and profitable in the right market and that collaboration expertise is available to help develop a stable, skilled workforce among local populations.

Attendees may receive credits from the Society of American Foresters or the International Society of Arboriculture or a certificate of attendance for professionals and others to self-report. The program can also count as a peer volunteer/Master Gardener update training. There is a fee only for those seeking any of these credits.

Registration is required at https://tinyurl.com/community-forestry. In addition to the link to access the webinar, registrants will have access to the webinar recording.